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This creamy tomato soup is completely dairy free but you’d never be able to tell from the taste! Plus it’s loaded with fresh ingredients and ready in only 30 minutes.
Update: This recipe was originally published in 2017 and has been republished with all new photos.
Nothing is more comforting than a bowl of hot soup and this 30 Minute Dairy Free Tomato Basil Soup tops the list for me.
As a child I loathed tomato soup. I know. I know. Something was clearly wrong with me. I recall one time being made to sit at the dining room table after everyone else had eaten and left the table. I had to stay until I finished. It was one of those pivotal childhood moments that sticks with you. It felt like an eternity but was probably 15 minutes. In my frustration I played with my soup instead of actually eating it. When I turned around I discovered that in my effort to avoid eating the soup I’d inadvertently (that’s my story and I’m sticking to it) been flicking it all over the wall behind me. There were splotches of tomato soup everywhere. I was in big trouble and had to scrub that wall clean!
Thankfully I am no longer splattering tomato soup on the walls, but I’m still not a fan of canned tomato soup. It’s a little meh. You know what’s not meh? My 30 Minute Dairy Free Tomato Basil Soup.
This soup is rich, flavorful, and creamy. I absolutely love it and I’m certain you will too.
For this recipe you’ll need (full list of ingredients and instructions are in the recipe card below):
- Olive or avocado oil
- White or yellow onion
- Minced garlic
- Fresh tomatoes
- Chicken or vegetable stock/broth
- Tomato paste
- Canned coconut milk
- Fresh basil
- A few simple seasonings
The tomatoes simmer in chicken stock, garlic, and onion. This gives the soup a richness of flavor that a boring can of tomato soup lacks.
The coconut milk adds creaminess and I swear you’re not going to miss the dairy. (You won’t use much so there is absolutely no coconut flavor in the finished soup.)
I’ve included plenty of fresh basil because fresh herbs make everything better, right? Answer: yes.
What kind of tomatoes work best in this soup?
For this recipe I use 3 lbs of tomatoes. Sometimes I like to use up the tomatoes I have on hand so I may mix medium sized tomatoes and cherry tomatoes. If you want to do something like that keep in mind that 15 – 20 cherry tomatoes equals about 1 lb and 3 medium tomatoes also equal 1 lb. So you could use 20 cherry tomatoes and 6 medium tomatoes or some combination that gets you to the 3 lb mark. Or just use a food scale to weight it all so you know you get it right.
What kind of coconut milk should you use?
I recommend using canned full fat unsweetened coconut milk. Full fat just means it doesn’t say light on the label. The ingredient list should be coconut, water, and guar gum. It’s really easy to find at every grocery store (usually on the international foods aisle) and it’s something you can keep in the pantry for months. Just give it a good stir when you open it because it does separate.
Can you sub another milk?
I haven’t tested this recipe with an alternate milk and personally would stick with the canned coconut milk. It’s thick and adds a creaminess to this soup that you won’t achieve with others.
More 30 minute soup recipes:
30 Minute Dairy Free Loaded Potato Soup
Healthy 30 Minute Hamburger Soup
30 Minute Dairy Free Tomato Basil Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive or avocado oil
- 1 white or yellow onion, sliced
- 1 tbsp garlic, minced
- 3 lbs fresh tomatoes
- 32 oz chicken or vegetable stock
- 4 tbsp tomato paste
- 1/2 cup canned full fat coconut milk, unsweetened
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/3 cup fresh basil, finely chopped
Instructions
- Add the oil to a soup pot on medium-high to medium heat. Once hot, add sliced onion and minced garlic. Sauté for approximately 3 – 5 minutes or until onion wilts and becomes a bit translucent.
- Add tomatoes and chicken stock to your pot. (No need to chop the tomatoes. We'll blend everything later.) Cover and cook on medium-high heat until tomato skin wrinkles and pulls back from tomato flesh. This typically takes 10 to 15 minutes.
- Pour everything into a large blender along with the tomato paste, coconut milk, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Blend until smooth. If your blender isn’t big enough you may need to blend half and then the other half.
- Pour the now creamy soup back into your pot. Stir in your finely chopped fresh basil.
- Now you’re ready to ladle the soup into bowls! Garnish with a little extra basil or a drizzle of coconut milk to really impress your guests.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Any ideas for what to use the other half of the can of coconut milk?? Plan to make this for Dinner for meatless meal but don’t want to waste the coconut milk.Â
Hello! I have lots of recipes that use coconut milk. Just go to the recipe index and scroll to where you can click on ingredients. Click on coconut milk. My recommendation would be to do the Italian Shredded Chicken. It uses 1/2 cup!
Delicious and super easy. Made this with gluten free avocado toast on the side. Thank you for the recipe!
Sounds delicious with that toast! So happy you enjoyed!
A little bland but overall delicious. I added more salt and pepper, herbs, a splash of Worchestershire, lemon and a tiny pinch of sugar for more flavor.
This was a big disappointment. Â Something was missing. I have made plenty of tomato soup recipes over the years and this ranks among the worst.
Well that sure is disappointing to hear. I’ve made tons of times and we always enjoy it.
This is a FANTASTIC tomato soup! I am gluten free and dairy free, so it’s a big win to find a recipe this easy and this delicious! So simple, quick, and great to know exactly what is in my food. I have made this recipe three times and it is consistently delicious.Â
Just made this with two 28 oz cans of tomatoes. I just used what I had on hand (whole and crushed). It turned out fantastic. I also used vegetable broth because again, I had it available. Super quick and vegan friendly. Tomato soup is my favorite and this a very simple classic version. No coconut flavor at all!
I just made this and used what I had on hand. I had a 28 ounce can of crushed tomatoes and a 28 ounce can of whole tomatoes. Are used the whole little 6 ounce can of tomato paste and I used the whole can of coconut milk because I didn’t know what I would use the other half for. I have to tell you this is the best tomato soup I’ve ever had being dairy free. It’s nice to find something that taste so good and I will never ever go back to the canned that I was making with oatmilk. Thank you for such a delicious tomato soup recipe.Â
Adjusting to a dairy free life is a challenge and I am always looking for new DF recipes. Â I’ve never made homemade tomato soup before, and this recipe was so easy and quick! Â My husband and I loved the rich, creamy texture and the flavor was amazing! Â I will definitely be making this again. Â Thank you!!
So happy to hear this Melinda! Thank you!!
I love tomato soup and this being dairy free makes it even better.Â
This soup quickly became a favorite in my house!