Description
This Easy Vegan Tomato Soup is a creamy, comforting, and flavorful dish made with roasted cherry tomatoes, garlic, onion, and fresh herbs. The tomatoes are roasted to caramelized perfection, then blended and simmered with vegetable broth and vegan heavy cream for a luscious texture. Topped with fresh basil, red pepper flakes, vegan parmesan, and crunchy homemade air-fried croutons, this soup is perfect for a cozy meal that’s fully plant-based and simple to prepare.
Ingredients
Scale
Soup Ingredients
- 6 cups cherry tomatoes, fresh or frozen
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 onion, rough chopped
- 5–6 cloves garlic, peeled
- 4–6 fresh thyme sprigs or dried thyme leaves
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon coarse black pepper
- 1–2 cups vegetable broth or stock
- 1/2 cup vegan heavy cream
- 6–10 fresh basil leaves, sliced into ribbons
- pinch of red pepper flakes
Garnishes
- Vegan parmesan cheese (optional)
- Croutons (homemade, prepared in air fryer)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven. Set your oven to 400º F to prepare for roasting the tomatoes and aromatics, which will bring out their natural sweetness and intensify the flavor of the soup.
- Roast the tomatoes and aromatics. In an 11″ x 9″ baking dish, combine the cherry tomatoes, olive oil, garlic cloves, rough chopped onion, thyme (fresh or dried), salt, and black pepper. Toss everything together, then roast in the preheated oven for 40 to 45 minutes until the tomatoes are soft, juicy, and starting to caramelize and develop a rich depth of flavor.
- Prepare vegan heavy cream and vegetable broth. While the tomatoes roast, make your vegan heavy cream (e.g., cashew cream) if making from scratch, and ensure your vegetable broth or stock is ready to use for thinning the soup as needed.
- Blend the roasted tomatoes. Transfer the roasted tomatoes and all the roasted ingredients into a blender. Blend until smooth, adding some vegetable stock or water as necessary to reach your desired soup consistency.
- Simmer the soup. Pour the blended tomato mixture along with additional vegetable broth into a soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Stir in about 1/4 cup vegan heavy cream to create a silky texture. Simmer gently for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, and taste to adjust salt, pepper, or creaminess. Add more broth to thin or more vegan cream to thicken as preferred.
- Prepare the garnishes and croutons. While the soup simmers, make your homemade croutons in the air fryer for a crispy, crunchy topping. Cut bread into cubes and air fry until golden. Also, slice fresh basil leaves into ribbons and have vegan parmesan cheese ready if using.
- Serve and garnish. Ladle the hot soup into bowls and top each serving with fresh basil ribbons, a pinch of red pepper flakes for a little heat, vegan parmesan cheese if desired, and a generous handful of homemade crunchy croutons. Enjoy warm.
Notes
- Using cherry tomatoes helps accelerate roasting and adds natural sweetness.
- Vegan heavy cream can be made from cashews or store-bought for convenience.
- Adjust the amount of vegetable broth to achieve preferred soup thickness.
- Roasting the tomatoes caramelizes their sugars, deepening the soup’s flavor.
- Making croutons in the air fryer is quick and yields perfectly crisp results.
- This soup stores well in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- For a spicy kick, increase the amount of red pepper flakes or add a dash of hot sauce.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 55 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Roasting
- Cuisine: Vegan, American
Keywords: vegan tomato soup, roasted tomato soup, easy vegan soup, homemade tomato bisque, plant-based soup, dairy-free tomato soup
