Creamy Tomato Basil Soup
This creamy tomato basil soup is packed with flavour and nutrition. The secret ingredient (white beans!) provides a creamy consistency while adding protein and fibre, making this soup a satisfying and healthy meal! If you want extra, serve with easy homemade croutons for added crunch!
Tomato soup is a pretty nostalgic dish for me. Growing up, I would enjoy a bowl of Campbell’s tomato soup with crushed saltine crackers on top like makeshift croutons.
Even in my adult life I enjoy a can of tomato soup here and there, usually when I’m in a pinch. Nowadays I enjoy it with a grilled cheese sandwich on the side, and I usually add a few dashes of dried basil to up the flavour.
However, what I’ve come to realize is how much more delicious a creamy, homemade tomato soup with fresh basil blended into it is. Like, 100x more delicious. Oh, and instead of saltines, these days I’m adding crispy, garlicky home-made croutons. Droooool.
Why Homemade Tomato Soup?
You may be wondering, why go through all the trouble to make tomato soup at home when I can just buy a can at the store? I’ll tell you why:
You can control the ingredients. Usually, making things homemade results in a more nutritious meal overall. This isn’t to say you shouldn’t eat canned soup. Like I said, I love a good canned soup, and canned food does still provide nutrition. However, homemade meals usually contain less sodium and/or sugar, and you can throw in nutrient-dense additions of your liking. Cue the white beans in this recipe!
It’s actually easy to make. This homemade tomato basil soup recipe is really simple to make. Throw ingredients in a single pot, let them simmer, and then blend it all together at the end. Easy peasy!
You can adjust the flavours to your liking. Want more basil? Add more basil? Want less basil? Add less. Have extra garlic to use up? Throw it in! I love homemade soups because they’re a great way to experiment with different spices or flavours. They’re also a great way to use up ingredients that may be past their prime!
How to Make Creamy Tomato Basil Soup:
Like many soups, you start with sautéing some onion and garlic in a pot. Add your spices (in this case, salt, pepper and Italian seasoning) and let it all cook together.
Next, add your tomato paste (I find adding tomato paste in a tomato soup recipe really deepens the tomato flavour) and sauté some more. Add in the canned tomatoes and white kidney beans (yep, you read that right!). The white kidney beans are what lends this soup its creamy consistency. They also add a wonderful boost of plant-based protein and fibre.
Bring this mixture to a low boil then reduce heat and allow it all to simmer for about 20 minutes. After this, you add the mixture to a high-speed blender (or use an immersion blender) with fresh basil and blend it all together. The result is a smooth, flavourful, creamy tomato basil soup.
How to Make Homemade Croutons:
If you want to go the extra mile, making some homemade healthy croutons to add on top of your soup is actually really simple!
I like save the ends of my whole grain and sprouted bread loaves in the freezer for this, but you can use regular slices of bread (not the ends) if you need. If the bread is frozen, defrost it. Then slice it into cubes, you’ll need about 3 cups worth of bread cubes!
In bowl, sprinkle bread cubes with 1/2 tsp garlic powder and 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning. In a separate small dish, whisk together 1/4 cup olive oil, 1 tsp minced garlic and 1/4 tsp each of salt and pepper. Pour the olive oil mixture over the seasoned bread cubes and toss well to combine.
Spread the cubes onto a baking sheet. Bake them at 350F for 15-20 minutes, tossing them once halfway through. Store in an airtight container and enjoy on top of soups (specifically this one) and salads!
Similar Recipes You’ll Love:
Creamy Vegan Butternut Squash and Sweet Potato Soup
Connect with Hannah Magee, RD!
If you’re not already, make sure to follow me on Instagram and Pinterest!
Oh, and if you make one of my recipes, be sure to tag me and let me know @hannahmagee_rd!
Creamy Tomato Basil Soup
Ingredients
For the Soup:
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 2 small garlic cloves, minced
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 tsp italian seasoning, optional
- 1 1/2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 large (28 oz.) can whole tomatoes, no salt added
- 2 1/2 cups reduced-sodium vegetable broth
- 1 19 oz. can white kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 15 fresh basil leaves
- 2 tbsp grated parmesan cheese
For the Homemade Croutons:
- 3 cups bread cubes, I save old bread in the freezer and chop into cubes for croutons
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 tsp garlic, minced
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp italian seasoning, optional
Instructions
For the Soup:
- In a large pot or dutch oven, warm olive oil over medium heat. Add diced onion, garlic, and spices. Cook, stirring occasionally for about 5-7 minutes until onions are tender and translucent.
- Add the tomato paste and stir for approximately 1 minute. Add canned tomatoes (with juices), vegetable broth and white kidney beans. Stir to combine. Increase the heat, bringing the mixture to a low-boil. Reduce heat slightly and simmer for 20-30 minutes. Stir occasionally.
- Remove from heat and carefully transfer mixture to a high-speed blender. Add basil leaves and parmesan cheese (omit if vegan). Blend the soup on high until smooth and creamy. Taste the soup and add more salt, spices, basil or parmesan to taste. Blend again.
- Serve soup hot. Store in the fridge for 4-5 days or in the freezer up to 3 months. Enjoy!
For the Homemade Croutons:
- Preheat oven to 350F. Add bread cubes to a medium mixing bowl and sprinkle with garlic powder and italian seasoning.
- In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper. Pour the mixture over the seasoned bread cubes and toss to combine.
- Spread bread cubes onto a baking sheet evenly. Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes, tossing once halfway. Store croutons in an airtight container at room temperature. Serve on top of soups, salads, or whatever you please!
Super easy and really good! I made it for a family lunch I was hosting and even the picky eaters liked it.
So glad to hear! Thanks so much for sharing!
Really looking forward to making this! Could this be made without the white beans? Or maybe even with a different type of beans?
Hi Sarah, I hope you enjoy! If you omit the white beans you will likely not get as much of a thick, creamy texture and the soup will be less filling without the adding protein and fibre (just a heads up!). I have not tested the recipe with a different type of bean, but you could try chickpeas as they are similar in colour/mild flavour. Do let me know what you try/if you omit beans all together and how it works out!
I can almost make this with my eyes closed! If there’s bad weather in the forecast you can catch me making this for a cozy lunch with some grilled cheese on the side mmm I love the texture and the extra boost of nutrients from the beans!
I’m so glad! This is also my go-to rainy day recipe 🙂