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A roasted tomato soup recipe that’s creamy, rich, and loaded with fresh tomatoes. Serve alongside buttery, grilled “cheese” for a comforting meal. Vegan, Gluten-Free.
This Roasted Tomato Soup is a simple, flavorful vegan soup that’s packed with ripe, summer tomatoes and peppers that have been slow roasted until tender, caramelized, and aromatic. It’s the most delicious way to bask in the flavors of tomato season and can be on the dinner table with just 15 minutes of prep work.
Table of Contents
A Creamy, Comforting Summer Soup
While the first soup recipes date back thousands of years, the classic, creamy tomato soup we know today was created less than 200 years ago by Eliza Leslie. It was first published in Eliza’s cookbook, New Cookery Book, and was later adapted and brought to the masses as canned, condensed tomato soup. In fact, condensed tomato soup was Campbell’s first-ever canned soup and remains one of their best sellers today.
This homemade tomato soup is my personal ode to that best-selling can I grew up enjoying and is easily one of my favorite soup recipes to indulge in during the summer months. Plump, red tomatoes, sweet bell pepper, herby Italian spices, and creamy plant milk combined to make a refreshing soup that everyone will love.
If you’ve only ever made creamy vegan tomato soup using canned tomatoes, you’re in for a treat!
What You Need for Roasted Tomato Soup
You don’t need much to make this vegan tomato soup recipe. With these 8 simple, easy to find ingredients, you’ll have a homemade soup that’s bursting with flavor.
- Ripe, juicy tomatoes: If you have the opportunity to use fresh garden tomatoes, do so! Now is the time to use up your best summer tomatoes, so the more ripe and local the tomatoes are, the better your soup will be.
- Red bell pepper: Roast them fresh alongside the fresh tomatoes and onion or repurpose my Roasted Red Peppers if you have them packed in the fridge!
- Onion & garlic: Fresh is best. Dried powders won’t come close in the flavor department.
- Oil: Key to giving your soup that silky smooth mouth-feel that turns a soup from a good soup to a great soup.
- Broth: Adds savoriness and additional flavor. If you have the opportunity, try this vegan tomato soup with my Easy Homemade Vegetable Broth Using Scraps!
- Oat milk: Full-fat oat milk is my favorite plant-based substitution for heavy cream. Or, try full-fat coconut milk, coconut cream, or try this Cashew Cream!
- Italian seasoning: Italian herbs are the perfect pair for a homemade tomato soup. Simple, yet tastes like it’s straight from the garden.
How to Make Roasted Tomato Soup
- Cut the top ~1/2″ off the head of garlic to expose the cloves. Wrap in tin foil, drizzle with oil, then seal. Set aside.
- Spread the tomatoes, onion, and bell pepper on a large sheet pan. Sprinkle with seasoning, then drizzle with oil. Toss until evenly coated.
- Add the wrapped head of garlic to the baking sheet.
- Roast for 50 to 60 minutes, or until browned and fragrant. Unwrap the garlic head and let cool.
- Blend the roasted tomato mixture until smooth. Squeeze in the whole garlic cloves and broth and blend again until smooth.
- Transfer to a large soup pot over medium heat and stir in oat milk. Season with additional salt and black pepper, as needed.
- Serve warm and garnish with fresh basil and a drizzle of olive oil, or as desired.
Caitlin’s Cooking Tips
- Use quality, local ingredients. With a soup that’s made with such few ingredients, quality matters. Use the best your budget will allow. Trust me, you will taste the difference!
- Roast the tomatoes cut-side-up. This prevents the tomato halves from releasing their juices onto the baking sheet and burning. Not only does this keep the tomatoes as juicy as possible and enhances the flavor of the final dish.
Serving Suggestions
When serving any roasted, vegan tomato soup, you really can’t go wrong with a classic vegan grilled cheese sandwich or slice of crusty bread on the side. This fresh, creamy soup is versatile enough to serve as an easy side dish or light dinner main, so if you’re hoping to serve with something other than grilled cheese, you might love these Grilled Pesto Tofu Sliders or fresh salads such as this Pesto Orzo Salad, this Roasted Broccoli and Quinoa Salad, or this Triple Tomato Basil Orzo Salad.
You may also enjoy topping with Homemade Croutons, Chopped Smoky Tempeh, or a dollop of Arugula Pesto, too!
If you’re looking for more cozy, homemade soup recipes, you’ll also love this Sweet Potato Lentil Soup, this Butternut Squash Apple Soup and this Feel-Good Red Lentil Soup!
How to Store Roasted Tomato Soup
Leftover soup will keep in an airtight container for up to 5 days in the fridge or up to 2 months in the freezer. If freezing in glass, keep the soup below the freezer fill line to prevent the glass from cracking under pressure.
Reheat leftovers in the microwave or on the stovetop with a splash of water or broth to make the consistency smooth and velvety again.
Substitutions and Variations
- Tomato substitutions: I recommend San Marzano or Roma tomatoes when possible because they’re low in seeds, rich in flavor, and not as acidic as some other varieties of tomato. With that being said, any ripe tomatoes will work, including sweet cherry tomatoes or canned San Marzano tomatoes. If using canned, omit them from step 2 and blend immediately straight from the can.
- Broth variations: Use a full-sodium vegetable broth or vegan chicken broth for additional flavor. If using, reduce or omit the additional salt to taste.
- Italian seasoning substitution: Replace the premade seasoning with individual spices or make your own Homemade Italian Seasoning from scratch.
- Spicy variation: Season to taste with a pinch of red pepper flakes.
- Oat milk substitutions: Any unsweetened plant-based milk of choice will work but a creamy, full-fat plant-based milk will make the most creamy tomato soup. If you prefer to make your own homemade plant milks, you’ll love my Ultimate Guide for How to Make Nut Milk.
Recipe FAQs
In this instance, roasted tomatoes are best. The browning and caramelization that occurs when roasting vegetables enhances the flavor and adds depth and complexity to the creamy roasted tomato soup.
Nope! A high-speed blender will blend the skin on the tomatoes silky smooth and add both fiber and thickness to the soup.
Great question. Roasted tomatoes will keep for up to 2 days in the refrigerator. Feel free to roast the vegetables for this soup in advance, refrigerate, then blend, heat, and serve when ready to eat!
Yes, this soup is made with 100% plant-based and vegan ingredients. Instead of using heavy cream, this vegan-friendly soup is made creamy with full-fat oat milk. The swap for non-dairy is undetectable and the perfect vegan tomato soup to serve non-vegans.
Enjoy! If you make this recipe and decide to share it on Facebook or Instagram, don’t forget to tag me @FromMyBowl + #FromMyBowl! I would also love it if you could leave a comment below with a recipe rating! Thank you for the support 😊
Roasted Tomato Soup
Ingredients
- 1 head garlic
- 3 pounds tomatoes, cut in half
- 1/2 yellow onion quartered
- 1/2 red bell pepper roughly chopped
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon salt
- black pepper to taste
- 2-3 tablespoons olive oil for drizzling
- 1-2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
- 1/2 cup full-fat oat milk*
- Fresh basil to serve
Instructions
- Prep: Preheat the oven to 450F and set a large baking sheet off to the side. Cut the top ~1/2″ off of the head of garlic to expose all of the cloves. Wrap the head in tin foil, drizzle with oil, and seal well.
- Season the Vegetables: Add the tomatoes, onion, and bell pepper to the baking sheet. Sprinkle the Italian seasoning, salt, and black pepper over the vegetables, then drizzle generously with olive oil. Use clean hands or tongs to toss until everything is evenly coated – I like to place all of the tomatoes cut-side up to prevent them from sticking to the tray. Add the foil-wrapped garlic to an open spot on the baking tray.
- Roast: Roast on the top rack of the oven for 50 to 60 minutes, until the onions and bell pepper have browned edges. Remove the garlic from the baking sheet and carefully unwrap to let it cool.
- Blend: Use tongs to carefully transfer the roasted tomato mixture into a blender with a venting lid. Squeeze the garlic over the blender (the softened cloves should come right out, leaving the outer skin behind). Add in 1 cup (235 ml) of vegetable broth, then blend on high for 45-60 seconds. Continue to add more broth in 1/2 cup (120 ml) increments if the soup is too thick.
- Warm: Transfer the soup to a large pot over medium heat, then add in the oat milk and stir to combine. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste, if necessary.
- Serve: Divide the soup into serving bowls, then top with fresh basil and a drizzle of olive oil (or as desired). Serve warm; leftovers will keep in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or can be frozen in a freezer-safe container for up to 2 months.
Recipe Notes
- Tomatoes: San Marzano or Roma tomatoes are best for soups, but you really use any variety of tomato in this recipe – just make sure you have 3 pounds of it.
- Canned Tomatoes: You can also make this recipe using the same amount of canned San Marzano tomatoes – omit them from step 2 and roast the other vegetables for 45 minutes. Blend the tomatoes with the other ingredients in step 4, then simmer the soup for ~10 minutes or so before serving so all of the flavors can combine.
So nice and comforting soup i made it 3
Times now and i still crave it every now and then
Glad you enjoyed it, Renad.