Creamy Tomato Carrot Soup with Basil (Vegan)
Cozy up with this Creamy Tomato Carrot Soup that is the perfect blend of roasted fresh tomatoes and sweet carrots. Sprinkle with some crunchy croutons or serve with a melty vegan grilled cheese for the perfect comforting meal.
I’ve always loved tomato soup during soup season, but this tomato carrot soup is honestly even better than the classic tomato soup. It has a slightly sweet flavor from the roasted carrots which melds with the roasted tomatoes perfectly. This soup is a great way to use up extra tomatoes you may have accrued throughout summer!
This tomato carrot soup is far superior to others out there that use canned tomatoes. Roasted fresh tomatoes with carrots, onion, and garlic will elevate the depth of flavor in this soup!
This will be your favorite way to cozy up in the fall or winter with a giant bowl of hot soup and a melty grilled cheese!
Craving more? Try out the these other top rated soups!
- 15 Minute Miso Dumpling Soup
- Creamy Potato Leek Kale Soup
- Lemon White Bean Soup
- Nourishing Lentil Barley Soup
- Tuscan Chickpea Soup
Why this is one of the healthiest soups you could make
This creamy tomato carrot soup is possibly one of the healthiest soups you could make with an extremely high level of antioxidant and vitamins.
Boost your vision
Carrots are famous for their high beta-carotene content, which the body converts to vitamin A. Vitamin A is essential for maintaining healthy vision and eye health.
Antioxidant Rich
Tomatoes being one of the richest sources of lycopene which responsible for giving tomatoes their characteristic red color. Lycopene is a potent antioxidant, which means it helps protect cells in the body from oxidative damage caused by free radicals.
Anti-inflammatory
Basil contains essential oils that have anti-inflammatory effects, which can benefit overall health and potentially reduce the risk of certain chronic conditions.
There’s even more benefits from this soup from the garlic and onion!
All the more reason to make this soup!
What You Need
You will roast the following in the oven:
Main Ingredients
Fresh tomatoes: There’s nothing like fresh tomatoes for soup, which is why this recipe uses fresh instead of canned. You need 4 large tomatoes (such as a beefsteak tomato). When chopped this equates to about 5-6 cups.
▶︎If you have extra tomatoes, try out this homemade V8 juice that is packed with nutrients and better than store bought!
Orange carrots: Peel and chop large orange fresh carrots for this recipe. You can also switch it up with something fun like purple carrots, but FYI your soup will be a different color (not sure what red tomatoes + purple carrots blend into?) If you have extra carrots, try out this carrot celery soup from Plant-Based Folk!
Yellow onion: You just need one medium onion for this soup. You can also use a sweet onion if you prefer, but choose one that is about medium size.
Garlic cloves: FRESH garlic cloves roasted adds more depth of flavor to this soup.
Extra virgin olive oil: Drizzled over the veggies during roasting. This is optional if you are oil free.
Flavorful additions
Fresh basil: This will be blended into the soup and compliments the sweetness of the tomatoes and carrots perfectly.
Vegetable broth: Just 1 cup is all you need to thin the soup. You can add up to 2 cups depending on your preference.
Cashews: You only need 1/2 cup of raw cashews (soaked) to create a creaminess to this soup that doesn’t require any dairy!
Maple syrup: Just a dash will add a touch of sweetness
Red pepper flakes: Optional to mix in for a little kick
Salt and black pepper: Start off with 1/2 tsp of salt and add more to taste
Substitutions or Variations
Don’t have an ingredient? Don’t worry!
- No cashews? Use 1/2 cup of full-fat coconut milk instead for creaminess
- No fresh garlic? You can use garlic powder instead. 1 clove = 1/8 tsp
- No vegetable broth? Use water instead.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 400F. Add chopped tomatoes, carrots, onion and whole garlic cloves to a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil (unless doing oil free). Add a pinch of salt. Give it a good stir. Bake for 25 minutes. Turn heat up to broil (500F) for 5 minutes to cook down the tomatoes and veggies more. Some tomatoes may start to char a little bit on top (which will add more flavor to the soup!)
2. In a large high speed blender add your tomato, carrot and onion mixture (you may have to do this in two batches depending on the size of your blender). Add in the vegetable broth, cashews, maple syrup, basil, salt and pepper as well. Blend on high until smooth and creamy. If you want a thinner soup add in another 1/4-1 cup of vegetable broth.
3. Taste the soup and adjust salt as need. Your soup will likely be already warm from the roasted vegetables so you can serve right away.
If your soup is not warm enough, add it to a large saucepan or dutch oven and warm over medium heat.
Top with basil or croutons as desired. Enjoy!
Other amazing toppings or sides for this soup
I love to pair this creamy tomato carrot soup with some type of bread such as croutons, cheesy bread, or some form of toasted crusty bread. Grilled cheese tastes heavenly with this tomato carrot soup.
Serve with a flavorful side salad like this Autumn Harvest Grain Salad.
For a tasty side to this soup, try hot dog bun garlic bread (where you turn leftover hot dog buns into crisp, delicious garlic bread!)
You can also top it with a little crunchy pumpkin seeds or some parmesan cheese (choose a dairy-free one if needed).
Recipe FAQs
Yes, you can add some plant-based protein such as chickpeas, navy beans, or lentils. Make sure they are fully cooked. Add them to the finished soup and warm through.
Serve this soup with grilled cheese, a side salad, roasted vegetables (like broccoli & zucchini) , steamed veggies, fresh bread, and more!
Yes, you can use 1/2 cup coconut milk instead of cashews.
Store the leftover soup in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Reheat in the microwave or over the stove.
Freeze soup for up to 3 months.
Expert Tips
- I highly recommend blending your soup in a high speed blender like a Vitamix if you have one available. You can use a food processor which works fairly well (may take a little longer to get the creamy texture). Lastly, you can use immersion blender, but it will take a bit longer (especially because of the cashews) and you may not achieve as creamy of a texture.
- Check to make sure your carrots are fully cooked after roasting in the oven. Just stick a fork through them to check if they are tender.
- Add a variation of tomatoes to this soup. You can also roast some cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes for more depth of flavor.
- Double this soup recipe if you want to have more leftovers. You can make a big batch of this soup if you have lots of tomatoes and freeze it for the fall/winter!
You may also enjoy…
Looking for more comforting meals? Try out this Vegan Mac & Cheese with No Cashews!
If you tried this Creamy Tomato Carrot Soup with Basil Recipe or any other recipe on my website,please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it goes in the 📝 comments below. I love hearing from you!
Creamy Tomato Carrot Soup with Basil (Vegan)
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Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil optional (can exclude if oil-free)
- 4 cloves garlic
- 4 large tomatoes* chopped (~5-6 cups chopped )
- 1 medium yellow onion
- 3 large carrots peeled and chopped
- 1-2 cups vegetable broth
- 1 tsp maple syrup
- 1/2 cup cashews soaked for 20 minutes in warm water
- 1 cup fresh basil plus more for topping if desired
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400F. Add chopped tomatoes, carrots, onion and whole garlic cloves to a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil (unless doing oil free). Add a pinch of salt. Give it a little stir. Bake for 25 minutes.
- Turn heat up to broil (500 F) for 5 minutes to cook down the tomatoes and veggies more. Some tomatoes may start to char a little bit on top (which will add more flavor to the soup!)
- In a large high speed blender add your tomato, carrot and onion mixture (you may have to do this in two batches depending on the size of your blender) along with the 1 cup vegetable broth, soaked cashews, maple syrup, basil, salt and pepper as well. Blend on high until smooth and creamy. *If you want a thinner soup add in another 1/4-1 cup of vegetable broth until desired consistency.
- Taste the soup and adjust salt as need. Your soup will likely be already warm from the roasted vegetables so you can serve right away.If your soup is not warm enough, add it to a large saucepan or dutch oven and warm over medium heat.
- Top your soup with croutons or dip some warm toasted bread in it. You can also top with more basil.Other topping ideas: pumpkin seeds or vegan parmesan cheeseServe it with a grilled cheese for the ultimate comforting meal.
Notes
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- I highly recommend blending your soup in a high speed blender like a Vitamix if you have one available. You can use a food processor which works fairly well (may take a little longer to get the creamy texture). Lastly, you can use immersion blender, but it will take a bit longer (especially because of the cashews) and you may not achieve as creamy of a texture.
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- Check to make sure your carrots are fully cooked after roasting in the oven. Just stick a fork through them to check if they are tender.
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- Add a variation of tomatoes to this soup. You can also roast some cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes for more depth of flavor.
I made this soup for my vegan friend who came over for dinner, and she loved it! And I 100% agree, the roasted fresh tomatoes add flavors that you just can’t get from canned tomatoes. So yum!
YES! Fresh tomatoes make all the difference 🙂