Warm up with a comforting bowl of Tomato Soup with a golden, melty grilled cheese. Made with wholesome ingredients, this healthy dinner is rich, creamy, and completely dairy-free—perfect for a quick and delicious meal.
This Vegan Tomato Soup is the ultimate cozy meal, packed with nourishing ingredients that make it a healthy dinner favorite. Red lentils add a hearty dose of plant-based protein and fiber, keeping you full and satisfied—yet you’d never guess they’re in there! Roasted tomatoes and garlic bring a deep, irresistible flavor while offering immune-boosting benefits, making this soup perfect for cold and flu season. A splash of vegan heavy cream takes it to the next level, and once everything is blended, you’re left with a silky-smooth, creamy texture that’s pure comfort in a bowl.
Vegan Tomato Soup Ingredients:
- On-the-Vine Tomatoes: Fresh, juicy, and naturally sweet, these tomatoes create the base of your soup. Roma tomatoes work well too, giving the soup a slightly richer texture and deeper flavor.
- Garlic Buld: Roasting a whole bulb of garlic adds a mellow, caramelized flavor that takes this soup to the next level. Peel the outer skin and slice off the top to expose the cloves before roasting.
- Olive Oil
- Kosher Salt: Enhances the flavors and balances the acidity of the tomatoes.
- Black Pepper
- Red Pepper Flakes: Gives the soup a gentle kick, but feel free to adjust based on your spice preference.
- Diced White Onion
- Tomato Paste
- Fresh Basil: Fresh basil brings a hint of peppery sweetness that brightens up the soup. If fresh basil isn’t available, use 1 teaspoon of dried basil instead.
- Vegan Chicken Broth (or Vegetable Broth)
- Rinsed Red Lentils: These small but mighty lentils add plant-based protein and fiber, making the soup extra filling. They also help create a naturally creamy texture when blended!
- Onion Powder
- Garlic Powder
- Nutritional Yeast
- Heavy Whipping Cream (dairy-free) – Unsweetened soy milk or full-fat coconut milk works if you can’t find dairy-free heavy cream. I have seen the brands Silk and Country Crock selling vegan heavy whipping cream at HEB, Sprouts, Kroger, and Whole Foods.
How to make roasted tomato soup:
Preheat the oven to 400 F (200 C). To an 8×8 baking pan add the diced tomatoes and 1 bulb of garlic with the top chopped off. Pour 2 tablespoons of olive oil, 1/4 teaspoon of salt, 1/4 teaspoon of pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon of red pepper flakes all over the top.
Bake for 40 minutes. During the last 10 minutes, get started on the soup.
To a large pot, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and the diced onion. Saute for a few minutes until it’s translucent and fragrant.
Then add in the 2 tablespoons of tomato paste, basil leaves, the roasted tomatoes, and squeeze out all the garlic cloves. Saute all of this for a couple of minutes.
Pour in 3 cups of broth, 1/2 cup of rinsed red lentils, 1 teaspoon of onion powder, 1 teaspoon of garlic powder, and 1 tablespoon of nutritional yeast. Mix and bring the pot to a boil, then lower the heat and let it simmer for 20 minutes.
Once the lentils are cooked and soft, add 1/2 cup of vegan heavy cream and mix.
Blend until smooth with an immersion hand blender (or in a regular blender). Taste and add additional salt and pepper to your liking.
Serve immediately with a vegan grilled cheese sandwich on the side.
How to Make the Perfect Vegan Grilled Cheese
You’ve got to pair this vegan tomato soup with a crispy grilled cheese! Since vegan cheese slices can be a little tricky to melt, here are my top tips to get that gooey, golden perfection:
- Keep the heat medium-low – Vegan cheese takes a bit longer to melt than regular cheese, so cooking low and slow ensures a crispy exterior without burning the bread before the cheese melts.
- Cover the pan with a lid – Trapping the heat helps the cheese melt faster and more evenly.
- Use a little steam – After flipping the sandwich, add a few drops of water to the pan (away from the bread) and quickly cover it with a lid. The steam helps soften and melt the cheese beautifully.
- Choose the right bread – A sturdy, thick-cut bread works best to hold up to the melty goodness.
- Butter (or mayo) is key – Spread a thin layer of vegan butter or mayo on the outside of the bread for a perfectly golden, crispy crust.
With these tricks, you’ll get the ultimate vegan grilled cheese—crispy on the outside, melty on the inside, and perfect for dunking into your Vegan Tomato Soup!
More vegan soups and salads to try:
- Lemon Orzo Salad – Perfect for parties, barbecues, and picnics! Impress all your friends with this refreshing and flavorful side salad.
- Vegan Corn Chowder (Instant Pot) – This delicious corn chowder recipe is the best instant pot soup for cold lazy days. Smoky, sweet & creamy, and easy to make!
- Vegan Chickpea Tuna Salad – It’s the best quick lunch on a busy day! Easy to make, delicious, and loaded with protein.
This roasted tomato soup with lentils is rich, creamy, and packed with plant-based protein, making it the perfect healthy comfort meal. With nutrient-dense ingredients like red lentils, garlic, and tomatoes, it’s as nourishing as it is delicious. Pair it with a crispy, melty vegan grilled cheese for the ultimate cozy experience.
A bowl of warm, comforting Vegan Tomato Soup awaits! Perfect for any chilly day or when you need a little extra healthy, cozy goodness.
Print
Vegan Tomato Soup with Lentils
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 4 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Cozy up for dinner with a hot bowl of Vegan Tomato Soup and a grilled cheese sandwich on the side for dipping. It’s silky smooth, creamy, dairy-free, and made with a few ingredients you probably already have in your pantry.
Ingredients
- 6 on the vine tomatoes (or Roma), chopped
- 1 garlic bulb, top chopped off
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1/2 white onion, diced
- 2 tbsps tomato paste
- 6 basil leaves, chopped
- 3 cups vegan chicken broth (or vegetable broth)
- 1/2 cup rinsed red lentils
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 1/2 cup vegan heavy whipping cream (subs in notes*)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 F (200 C).
- To an 8×8 baking pan, add the chopped tomatoes and 1 bulb of garlic with the top chopped off. Drizzle 2 tbsps olive oil, 1/4 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp pepper, and 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes on top.
- Bake for 40 minutes.
- To a large pot, add 2 tbsps of olive oil and diced onion. Saute for a few minutes until it’s translucent and fragrant.
- Add in 2 tbsps of tomato paste, basil leaves, the roasted tomatoes, and squeeze out all the baked garlic cloves from the bulb.
- Pour in 3 cups of broth, 1/2 cup of rinsed red lentils, 1 tsp onion powder, 1 tsp garlic powder, and 1 tbsp nutritional yeast.
- Mix and bring the pot to a boil. Once it’s bubbling lower the heat and let it simmer for 20 minutes or until the lentils are soft.
- Add 1/2 cup of vegan heavy cream and mix.
- Blend until smooth with an immersion blender (or in a regular blender). Taste and add additional salt and pepper to your liking.
- Serve immediately with a grilled cheese sandwich on the side. Enjoy!
Notes
- Full-fat coconut milk if you can’t find dairy-free heavy cream.
- Vegan Chicken Broth: Edward & Sons Not Chicken Bouillon Cubes.
- Immersion Blender: Mueller Austria Immersion Hand Blender.
- Cook Time: 1 hour
⭐️ RATE THE RECIPE ⭐️ and share any suggestions or feedback in the comments below. Have questions? I will post your question and respond quickly. Your feedback is valuable because it helps me fine-tune the recipe and help others!
This was absolutely phenomenal! I’m trying to offer my extremely picky kid healthier options so I tried this as a swap for his usual canned tomato soup. Not only did he lick the bowl clean, but it was a huge hit with the whole family! This one is definitely going in the weekly rotation. 💜