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Home » Recipes » 15-Minute Tomato and Basil Soup

15-Minute Tomato and Basil Soup

Sep 24, 2021 by The Pesky Vegan | 2 Comments

2 shares
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Vegan Tomato Basil Soup Pin

Ah, fresh tomato and basil soup. There are plenty of ingredients you could include, but this easy recipe does away with frills for a healthy dish that's tasty, vegan, gluten-free, and low-fat.

Vegan Tomato Soup in Bowl with Basil and Dairy-Free Cream

For the quickest possible cooking time, get the chopped onion going in the pan before preparing the other ingredients and adding these as you go. If you're not in a rush, feel free to cook more slowly and add extra water or stock as needed.

Looking for more healthy vegan soup recipes? Let me turn your attention towards red pepper and lentil soup, broccoli and potato soup, and carrot and ginger soup with orange.

I create new content every single week. Subscribe to keep in touch and get a free download of The Vegan Kitchen – My Top 10 Tips.

Easy Tomato and Basil Soup in Bowl

Is tomato and basil soup healthy?

Dairy-free tomato soup is an incredibly healthy meal option. One serving of this recipe provides:

  • Calories: 114 kcal
  • Vitamin C: 45 mg (55% of RDA)
  • Vitamin A: 2563 IU (51% of RDA)
  • Potassium: 782 mg (22% of RDA)

Which tomatoes are best for soup?

You could make this soup with any tomatoes you like, but you'll get the best flavour from good-quality tomatoes that are fully ripe. If in doubt, plum tomatoes are usually a good option (Roma and San Marzano are both varieties of plum tomato).

Can I use tinned tomatoes instead of fresh?

You can easily swap the fresh tomatoes in this soup for tinned tomatoes. In fact, tinned tomatoes have already been cooked as part of the canning process, meaning you can reduce the overall cooking time for an ultra-speedy soup.

I'd recommend using good-quality tinned tomatoes or fire-roasted tomatoes for the best results, just like in these recipes for spaghetti all'arrabbiata and tomato basil pasta.

What you'll need

As far as quick and simple soup recipes go, this one has to be up there with the easiest. You'll need:

  • Onion and garlic to create the flavour base
  • Fresh tomatoes or good-quality tinned tomatoes
  • Fresh basil for its unique fragrance
  • Salt and pepper to help maximise the flavours
List of Ingredients to Make Vegan Tomato and Basil Soup

How to make easy tomato and basil soup

Heat the oil in a large saucepan on medium heat. Add the chopped onion and cook for 5-6 minutes, stirring regularly, until starting to soften.

Season well with salt and pepper (approx. 1 teaspoon of each to start with).

Onions and Garlic Softened in Pan

Once the onion has started to soften, add the chopped garlic and cook for another minute or two.

Next, add the chopped tomatoes and turn up the heat. Cook on a high heat for a few minutes until the liquid from the tomatoes starts to bubble.

Chopped Fresh Tomatoes Added to Cooking Pan

Add the stock and continue to simmer for another few minutes, reducing the heat again if necessary.

After a few minutes, chop most of the basil (leaves and stems) and add this to the pan. Stir well and turn off the heat.

Vegan Tomato Soup with Fresh Basil Cooking Pot

Blitz until smooth using a hand blender. You could also transfer to a larger, more powerful blender, in which case it's best to allow the soup to cool slightly and work in batches.

Easy Tomato Basil Soup After Blending

Adjust the seasoning and serve.

Serving suggestions

Enjoy this simple soup on its own or with a few slices of fresh bread. For something more indulgent, treat yourself to a vegan cheese toastie or leftover vegan haggis toastie.

Suggestions for toppings include a drizzle of homemade cashew cream, a spoonful of vegan parmesan, chopped fresh basil, roasted squash seeds, toasted pine nuts, or a dollop of homemade vegan pesto.

Tomato Basil Soup Feature

Recipe FAQ

Do I need to use fresh tomatoes?

I like using fresh, but you can easily swap these for an equivalent amount of good-quality tinned tomatoes.

Can I use dried basil?

Fresh basil has a much more fragrant flavour, but if you don't have this you could swap it out for dried. Start with a couple of teaspoons and adjust to taste.

Is this soup gluten-free?

This soup will be 100% gluten-free provided you use a stock that is certified or labelled as such (or just use water and a little extra seasoning).

How long will it keep?

Refrigerate the soup for up to four days or freeze for up to six months.

Variations and tips for tomato soup

  • Nutritional yeast: A few tablespoons of nutritional yeast will help give the soup a cheesy note.
  • Sharpness: If you want some tang, add a little vegan balsamic vinegar or a squeeze of lemon juice.
  • Salt and pepper: These really bring out the flavour of the tomatoes, so start with 1 teaspoon of each but add more to taste if necessary.

Hey you – let me know what you think

If you made this recipe and enjoyed it – or did anything differently – I'd love to hear from you down below in the comments 👇

You can also find me and let me know on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook @thepeskyvegan 🌿

Keep in touch

Subscribe below to receive a weekly newsletter with my latest recipes. Nice and simple. No pesky pestering. No spam (which wouldn’t be very vegan anyway).

More vegan recipe ideas

If you liked this recipe, you may also enjoy:

  • Vegan Red Lentil Soup
  • Smoky Butter Bean Soup
  • Vegan Scotch Broth
  • Pinto Bean Soup with Chilli and Lime
  • Vegan Goulash
  • Spaghetti all'arrabbiata
  • Vegan Mushroom and Tarragon Soup
  • Celeriac Soup with Apple, Lemon and Thyme

You can also check out my full list of vegan soup recipes.

Tomato Basil Soup Feature

15-Minute Tomato and Basil Soup

The Pesky Vegan
This tomato and basil soup uses a simple recipe for a healthy dish that's tasty, vegan, gluten-free, low-fat, and ready in 15 minutes.
5 from 1 vote
Rate this Recipe Print Recipe
Prep Time 5 mins
Cook Time 10 mins
Total Time 15 mins
Course Soup
Cuisine Gluten-free, Vegan
Servings 4
Calories 114 kcal

Ingredients
 

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 medium onions, chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic
  • 2.5 lb (1.2 kg) fresh tomatoes
  • Small handful fresh basil (approx. ½ oz / 15 g)
  • 1 cup (250 ml) vegan stock
  • 1 teaspoon salt (plus more to taste)
  • 1 teaspoon pepper (plus more to taste)
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Instructions
 

  • Heat the oil in a large saucepan on medium heat. Add the chopped onion and cook for 5-6 minutes, stirring regularly, until starting to soften. Season well with salt and pepper (approx. 1 teaspoon of each to start with).
  • Once the onion has started to soften, add the chopped garlic and cook for another minute or two.
  • Next, add the chopped tomatoes and turn up the heat. Cook on a high heat for a few minutes until the liquid from the tomatoes starts to bubble. Add the stock and continue to simmer for another few minutes, reducing the heat again if necessary.
  • After a few minutes, chop most of the basil (leaves and stems) and add this to the pan. Stir well and turn off the heat.
  • Blitz until smooth using a hand blender. You could also transfer to a larger, more powerful blender, in which case it's best to allow the soup to cool slightly and work in batches.
  • Adjust the seasoning and serve with chopped fresh basil and sides such as fresh bread. Additional topping ideas include homemade cashew cream, vegan parmesan, and vegan pesto.
Rate this recipe 👇

Notes

Speed: For the quickest results, chop the onion first and start frying this while preparing the other ingredients. If you're not in a rush, by all means allow the tomatoes to cook down more before adding the stock (or you could even roast the tomatoes first).
Tomato variety: You'll get the best flavour from good-quality tomatoes that are fully ripe. Plum tomatoes such as Roma or San Marzano would be good options.
Tinned tomatoes: Fresh tomatoes are great, but you could easily substitute a similar amount of good-quality tinned tomatoes.
Nutritional yeast: A few tablespoons of nutritional yeast will help give the soup a cheesy note.
Sharpness: If you want some tang, add a little vegan balsamic vinegar or a squeeze of lemon juice.
Salt and pepper: These really bring out the flavour of the tomatoes, so start with 1 teaspoon of each but add more to taste if necessary.
Gluten-free: This soup will be 100% gluten-free provided you use a stock that is certified or labelled as such (or just use water and a little extra seasoning).
Storage: Store the soup in the fridge for up to four days or freezer for up to six months.
* The nutrition info below is for one serving, based on a total of four servings.

Nutrition

Calories: 114kcalCarbohydrates: 18gProtein: 4gFat: 4gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gSodium: 599mgPotassium: 782mgFiber: 5gSugar: 10gVitamin A: 2563IUVitamin C: 45mgCalcium: 56mgIron: 1mg
Nutrition Facts
15-Minute Tomato and Basil Soup
Amount Per Serving
Calories 114 Calories from Fat 36
% Daily Value*
Fat 4g6%
Saturated Fat 1g6%
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g
Monounsaturated Fat 3g
Sodium 599mg26%
Potassium 782mg22%
Carbohydrates 18g6%
Fiber 5g21%
Sugar 10g11%
Protein 4g8%
Vitamin A 2563IU51%
Vitamin C 45mg55%
Calcium 56mg6%
Iron 1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Keyword healthy vegan soup, low-fat lunch, tomato soup
Did you make this recipe?Leave a comment down below or tag me on Instagram @thepeskyvegan along with the hashtag #thepeskyvegan

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Jane

    January 27, 2022 at 4:57 pm

    5 stars
    So easy and so tasty!

    Reply
    • The Pesky Vegan

      January 27, 2022 at 4:59 pm

      Mission accomplished!

      Reply

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I'm Alistair and I'm The Pesky Vegan. I create new recipes every single week – always vegan, usually gluten-free.

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