This healthy Cream of Tomato Soup recipe is SO easy to make! Pair it with grilled cheese sandwiches and sliced apples topped with cinnamon for a quick weeknight meal.
With snow flocking trees across the states, it’s not exactly tomato season.
Except along the Central Coast of California, where lycopene laden dry farmed tomatoes are still being harvested and, subsequently making a weekly appearance in my Jimbo’s shopping cart.
You MUST try dry farmed tomatoes!
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 new favorite tomato…
In a nutshell, dry farming is growing crops without any irrigation to supplement rainfall. It can’t be done everywhere, but in places like California, where farmers have long been facing water shortage challenges, dry farming makes perfect sense.
Not only is dry farming great for water conservation, but it also makes for a super delicious tomato, as the lack of water stresses the tomato plant, forcing its roots deep in to the soil in search of water and focusing its efforts on producing fruit.
The resulting tomatoes are smaller and lower in yield, yet pack a powerful punch in terms of both flavor and texture, thus making them perfect for this luscious roasted cream of tomato soup.
Ingredients you’ll need to make this healthy homemade cream of tomato soup
- Tomatoes. If it’s the right time of year, be sure to try making this cream of tomato soup with dry farmed tomatoes. 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 try making this with canned whole tomatoes as well. If you do, let me know how it turns out!
- Onion. I like to make this with 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 cream of tomato 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 organic 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.
How do you make cream of tomato soup from scratch?
If you’ve never made homemade cream of tomato soup before, I promise you, it’s super easy to make! And while I do keep a container of Trader Joe’s Organic Cream of Tomato Soup for SUPER quick and easy meals, once you master this recipe, I promise you it will be on repeat! Here are the steps to make it:
Time needed: 50 minutes
How to make cream of tomato soup from scratch.
- Roast tomato, onion, and garlic.
Place tomatoes, onion, and garlic on a tray lined with parchment paper. Drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and roast for ~ 40 minutes.
- Blend ingredients.
Carefully place roasted tomatoes, onions, and garlic in a blender. Add basil and blend until smooth. Add milk or plant based milk and blend. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper if desired.
- Enjoy your soup!
Pour into a bowl, top with additional fresh basil, and enjoy!
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 also protects against sunburn {you still need to wear sunscreen though!}, and cardiovascular disease.
- 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, a powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compound.
- This recipe is gluten-free and vegetarian. And, you can make a low FODMAP and/or vegan version too (see recipe notes).
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
- olive oil , for drizzling, approximately 2 tablespoons
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
- 1 cup whole or 2 % milk, or use almond, rice, or coconut milk for vegan version
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees. Remove stems from tomatoes and slice in half lengthwise. Peel garlic and onion and cut 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 milk alternative to tomato mixture and blend in. Taste and add additional salt and pepper if desired before serving.
Notes
- Low FODMAP Option: Omit onions & add an extra pound of tomatoes. Use garlic oil in place of garlic. 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 soup then blend in milk right before serving.
Nutrition
Craving more healthy soup recipes? Here are a few of my favorites…
Let’s Chat! Have you made homemade cream or tomato soup before? Have you tried dry farmed tomatoes? Anything else you would add to this soup?