Creamy Vegan Tomato Soup

Ingredients

• 100 g (¾ cup)raw, unroasted cashews
• 1 mediumwhite onion, diced
• 2 ribscelery, diced
• 3 clovesgarlic, minced
• 946 ml (4 cups)low-sodium vegetable broth
• 794 g (one 28 oz can)San Marzano tomatoes, with their juice
• ½ tsppaprika
• ¼ tspsalt
• ¼ tspground pepper
• 3 tbsprolled oats
• 3 tspbrown sugar
• To garnishfresh basil

Instructions

1. 1

   Soak cashews

   Cover the cashews with hot water and leave them to soak while you prepare the soup.

2. 2

   Cook the onion

   Put the diced onion in a soup pot and sauté it with a splash of vegetable broth or water.

3. 3

   Add the celery

   Stir in the diced celery and cook until the onion is translucent.

4. 4

   Add the garlic

   Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds.

5. 5

   Pour in broth

   Add the vegetable broth and stir to combine.

6. 6

   Add tomatoes

   Tip in the tomatoes with their juice, breaking up any large pieces as you go.

7. 7

   Season the soup

   Add the paprika, salt and ground pepper, stir, then raise the heat until the soup just reaches a boil.

8. 8

   Simmer with oats

   Stir in the rolled oats, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 45 minutes.

9. 9

   Adjust sweetness

   Add 1 to 3 teaspoons of brown sugar, tasting as you go.

10. 10

    Check seasoning

    Taste the soup and add any further seasoning you want, checking the flavour as you go.

11. 11

    Blend the soup

    Blend the soup until silky smooth.

12. 12

    Prepare cashews

    Drain the soaked cashews and put them in a blender with ½ cup hot water.

13. 13

    Blend cashew cream

    Blend the cashews and water until silky smooth, scraping down the sides as needed.

14. 14

    Stir in cream

    Stir ½ cup of the cashew cream into the soup and mix well.

15. 15

    Serve the soup

    Serve with toasted croutons or vegan grilled cheese sandwiches.

16. 16

    Add basil

    Garnish with fresh basil.

What is creamy vegan tomato soup?

Tomato soup is a familiar American comfort-food staple, often served with bread or a toasted cheese sandwich. This plant-based version builds its body from tomatoes, vegetables and oats, then uses cashews for a creamy finish.

The long, gentle simmer softens the vegetables and lets the flavours come together. Blending turns the mixture smooth, while basil adds a fresh, aromatic note at the end.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 150 calories, 4g protein, 20g carbs, 8g fat.

Tomatoes, onion and oats provide most of the carbohydrates, while cashews contribute much of the fat as well as some protein. For a more balanced plate, serve a bowl with a generous side of vegetables or a slice of wholemeal bread.

Why these ingredients work

Tomatoes: San Marzano tomatoes bring a rich tomato base, and using the juice from the can keeps that flavour in the pot. Break up larger pieces as you add them so they are easier to blend later.

Oats: Rolled oats simmer in the soup and help give it a fuller texture. They also blend in, so the finished soup stays smooth rather than grainy.

Cashews: Soaking softens the cashews before blending them with hot water. The resulting cream enriches the soup without dairy.

Build flavour in the pot

Onion and celery: Start by cooking these in a splash of broth or water, rather than oil. Let the onion turn translucent before adding the next ingredients.

Garlic: Add it after the onion and celery, and stir for just 30 seconds. This brief cooking time releases its aroma without letting it catch.

Seasoning: Paprika, salt and pepper go in before the simmer. Taste after adding the brown sugar and adjust the seasoning gradually.

Get a smooth finish

Soup texture: Blend the cooked soup until it is silky smooth, taking care when handling hot liquid. If your blender is small, work in batches.

Cashew cream: Blend the drained cashews with ½ cup hot water, scraping down the sides if needed. Keep blending until no obvious pieces remain, then stir ½ cup of the cream into the soup.

Keep the simmer gentle

After the soup just reaches a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 45 minutes with the oats. A steady, gentle simmer gives the ingredients time to soften without cooking the soup too aggressively.

The total preparation and cooking time is 60 minutes, alongside the cashew soaking time while you prepare the soup. Start checking the flavour after adding the sugar, since the amount can be adjusted from 1 to 3 teaspoons.

Serve it with something crisp

Toasted croutons add crunch against the smooth soup, while vegan grilled cheese sandwiches make a more substantial companion. Add either just before serving so the topping keeps its texture.

Finish each bowl with fresh basil. Its herbal freshness balances the rich tomato and cashew flavours.

Recipe notes & tips

• Keep the onion and celery moving in the pot so they cook evenly without needing much liquid.
• Break up large tomato pieces as you add them to make the soup easier to blend.
• Use medium-low heat for the 45-minute simmer and stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
• Add the brown sugar gradually, tasting between additions.
• Scrape down the blender sides while making the cashew cream for an even texture.
• Add croutons and basil just before serving to keep their freshness and texture.

Variations

• Add chilli: Stir in a pinch of chilli flakes with the paprika for gentle heat.
• Use dried herbs: Add a little dried oregano or thyme with the other seasonings.
• Make it richer: Stir in more cashew cream to taste for a fuller finish.
• Add roasted vegetables: Blend in cooked red pepper for a deeper, sweeter flavour.
• Change the topping: Finish with toasted pumpkin seeds instead of croutons.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Rushing the vegetables: Cook the onion until translucent before moving on so it softens properly.
• Browning the garlic: Keep it to 30 seconds of stirring to avoid a bitter flavour.
• Boiling hard: Lower the heat once the soup just boils so it can simmer gently.
• Skipping the taste check: Add brown sugar and extra seasoning gradually, tasting as you go.
• Leaving cashew pieces: Blend the cashews thoroughly and scrape down the sides as needed.
• Adding toppings early: Put croutons and basil on at serving time so they stay fresh.

How to store

Cool leftovers and refrigerate them in a covered container for up to 3 days. Reheat gently in a saucepan, stirring occasionally; loosen with a little water or broth if the soup has thickened.

Frequently asked questions