The Coziest Healthy Cream of Tomato Soup
This healthy cream of tomato soup is SO easy to make! Roasted tomatoes and a splash of milk make it rich and creamy, no heavy cream needed. Pair it with grilled cheese for a cozy weeknight meal.
Is there anything cozier than a big bowl of tomato soup on a chilly night? Especially with a grilled cheese sandwich for dunking!
This family-favorite healthy cream of tomato soup is rich, flavorful, and oh-so-creamy, with zero heavy cream. The secret? Roasting tomatoes, onion, and garlic brings out their natural sweetness. Then a quick whirl in the blender, plus a splash of milk, turns everything into a luscious soup that’s light enough for any night of the week (about 175 calories per bowl).
You’ll need just 6 simple ingredients and about 15 minutes of hands-on time. The oven does the rest! It’s also naturally gluten-free and vegetarian, freezer-friendly, and easy to make low FODMAP or vegan.
🍅 Healthy Tomato Soup Ingredients
- Tomatoes. If it’s late summer to early fall, make this recipe with dry-farmed tomatoes (see section below). If you can’t find them, no worries! Any variety of fresh tomatoes will work, as roasting helps bring out the sweetness. You can also make this with canned whole tomatoes. If you do, let me know how it turns out!
- Onion. I prefer a sweet onion like Maui, Walla Walla, or Vidalia, but you can use any type of onion. If you are following the elimination phase of a low FODMAP diet, you’ll want to omit this and add extra tomatoes (see recipe notes).
- Garlic. Again, if you’re on a low FODMAP diet, you can omit this and use garlic oil instead of regular extra virgin olive oil.
- Olive oil. Avocado oil would work well with this tomato cream soup recipe, too!
- Fresh Basil. Swap with dried basil if needed.
- Milk. Most cream-of-tomato soup recipes call for heavy cream. But in a nod to health (without sacrificing taste), I make this with whole or 2% milk. You can also use lactose-free milk for a low FODMAP version. Or, add your favorite plant-based milk (i.e., almond, coconut, hemp, pea) for a plant-based version.
What are dry-farmed tomatoes?
I love making this soup with dry-farmed tomatoes whenever they’re in season. If you’re not familiar with dry-farmed tomatoes, here’s a little FYI on dry farming and why these super-sweet beauties are my favorite tomato…
Dry farming is growing crops without irrigation, relying solely on rainfall. It can’t be done everywhere, but in places like California, where farmers have long faced water shortages, dry farming makes perfect sense.
Dry farming not only conserves water, but it also makes for a super delicious tomato, as the lack of water stresses the tomato plant, forcing its roots deep into the soil in search of water and focusing its efforts on producing fruit.
The resulting tomatoes are smaller and lower-yielding, yet pack a powerful punch in both flavor and texture, making them perfect for this luscious roasted cream of tomato soup. They really are the BEST tomatoes I’ve ever tasted.
How do you make cream of tomato soup from scratch?
If you’ve never made homemade cream of tomato soup before, I promise it’s super easy! Here are the steps to make it:
- Roast tomatoes, onions, and garlic. Drizzle with olive oil, salt, and pepper, and roast in the oven for about 40 minutes.
- Blend everything together. Add the roasted tomatoes, garlic, onion, and basil to a blender, along with milk of choice. Carefully blend until creamy.
- Enjoy your soup! Pour soup into a bowl, top with fresh basil, and slurp!
What makes this cream of tomato soup healthy?
- For one, it’s loaded with lycopene, which may help protect against certain cancers, including prostate, stomach, and lung cancer. Lycopene (in addition to wearing sunscreen!) may also protect against sunburn. (1)
- This cream of tomato soup is also rich in vitamins C, A, & K and potassium-an important mineral to help lower blood pressure.
- It also contains quercetin, an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compound. (2)
- This recipe is gluten-free and vegetarian. And you can make a low FODMAP and/or vegan version too (see recipe notes).
Looking for more cozy bowls? Check out my favorite gluten-free soups!
Serving Suggestions
- You can never go wrong with cream of tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches. NEVER! Add some fresh fruit on the side, like apple slices with cinnamon, and dinner is served!
- For a light, yet nourishing meal, pair this soup with my Easy Kale Caesar Salad or this Superfood Salad with Spinach, Strawberries, and Honey-Miso Dressing. Yum!!!
- Hello Creamy Tomato Soup plus THE BEST ROLLS EVER!!!
Healthy Cream of Tomato Soup
Ingredients
- 3 pounds tomatoes, i.e. dry farmed tomatoes
- 1 large onion
- 4 cloves garlic, peeled
- 2 tablespoons olive oil , for drizzling
- Salt and pepper , to taste
- 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
- 1 cup whole milk, see milk options in notes
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Remove the stems from the tomatoes and slice them in half lengthwise. Peel the garlic and onion and cut the onion into 8 large chunks.
- Place tomatoes, onions, and garlic on two parchment lined baking sheets. Drizzle with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Roast for approximately 40 minutes, then remove from oven to cool for 10 minutes.
- Carefully place roasted tomatoes, onions, and garlic in a blender along with the chopped basil, and blend on high until smooth.
- Add milk or a milk alternative to the tomato mixture and blend. Taste and add more salt and pepper if desired before serving. Garnish with more fresh basil.
Notes
- Low FODMAP Option: Omit onions & add an extra pound of tomatoes. Use garlic oil instead of garlic or other low-FODMAP seasonings. Use lactose-free milk or your favorite plant-based low-FODMAP “milk.”
- Vegan Option: Use your favorite plant-based milk in place of cow’s milk.
- Freezer Tip! Make a big batch of the tomato soup WITHOUT the milk and store in the freezer. When ready to eat, heat the soup, then blend in milk right before serving. Looking for more make-ahead meals? Try these healthy freezer meals.
Nutrition
Let’s Chat! Have you made homemade cream of tomato soup before? Have you tried dry-farmed tomatoes? What else would you add to this soup?
Did you make this recipe?
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