Creamy Vegan Tomato Soup

Creamy Vegan Tomato Soup 

I made this tomato soup on a whim, with a vision of how I wanted it to taste, but mainly what I DIDN”T want it to taste like! I am not big on thin and acidic Tomato Soup and so when asked to make Tomato Soup for a client lunch I knew it needed to include that creamy goodness. As there are many dietary requirements to consider, dairy free is always the best option and not all fresh tomatoes to keep on budget! I also made this in a kitchen with only induction cooktops and so there was no way to first roast tomatoes in the oven! So began the improvising and a recipe that is easy, delicious and convenient!

I have been reading Marcella Hazans book on the Essentials of Italian Cooking and the importance of a Soffrito, which refers to cooking onions until translucent to bring a depth of flavour to the dish(highly recommend this book). I of course have always loved the process of cooking onions to that perfect state but it was such a good reminder on the importance of patience and ‘hands off’ cooking. I am referring to the importance of leaving food to do it’s thing, which is especially important with this recipe! Also I like to add salt to taste at each stage of the recipe and so I don’t always note it, but you can just assume I am always taste testing as I go and you should do the same! I find that each ingredient needs its own little bit of salt to help enhance the flavour!

I first began with the Soffrito, letting the onions (a mix of both red and sweet) cook up, for almost 20 minutes while I prepped the rest of the veg. I then added garlic (do not add with onion at the start as it burns more easily) and a few Fresh Basil leaves and let that cook and infuse the onions for about another 5 minutes. You could probably do all the steps in this recipe quicker, however I was working on components to other ingredients and so was happy to let it cook away. 

While I let the onions simmer I ripped all the basil leaves off the stems, and saved those stems for flavour! I ripped the basil into pieces(which I learned is better than chopping- so rip your basil folks). 

Once I could smell that glorious deep onion scent, I added in the freshly chopped Roma Tomatoes and let them simmer for about 15 minutes (again you don’t have to wait that long, but this is also a great time to prep anything else, or start cleaning). Next was the chopped Sweet Potato, I simply wanted it to get infused with the flavours in the pot, didn’t need to start cooking. 

Soon after I added in the cans of both diced and chopped tomatoes while continuing to stir in the pot ingredients. I added some dried basil and all of the stems of the fresh basil (these will be removed before blending). I add enough veg stock (and water from cleaning out the tomato cans) to almost fill the pot and help to thin out the soup. Let this come to a boil, put the lid on, turn down and let simmer for up to 30 minutes or until the potatoes are fork tender!

Once everything is smelling great and seems to be soft, I remove the basil stems and add in a handful of the ripped basil, then use my immersion (or you could use a blender) to bring out that beautiful smooth texture. Once the chunks are all gone I add in about ½ can of coconut milk, but tasting as you add is important here! You don’t want it to taste like coconut, you are simply just helping to cut some of the acidity and add a creamy texture! I also add a drizzle of Maple Syrup at this stage which helps to bring out the sweetness of the tomatoes!

I like to serve this with fresh basil on top and a side of sourdough. It would also be a nice touch to add in some garlic croutons! This freezes really well so a great meal prep option! Itadakimasu (Japanese phrase- thank you for enjoying the food!)

Makes 1 large pot (like I mean a good size pot, so if you want less just ½ recipe)

Ingredients

4 Roma Tomatoes

2 Cans Diced Tomatoes

2 Cans Plum Tomatoes

1 large Sweet potato

1 large Yellow Onions

1 large Red Onion

Garlic (to taste and depending on how strong your garlic is) about 3-4 cloves

1 can Coconut milk 

Large bunch of Fresh Basil

Dried Basil to taste (not entirely necessary if you use fresh basil)

2-3 cups Vegetable Stock (cubes are just fine for this)

Salt to taste (at each step of the way)