Creamy Vegan Tomato Soup (in the pressure cooker or Instant Pot)

I've really been trying to switch up my bulk cooking. I'm guessing I'm much like many of you, turning to foods we love and know how to make on autopilot. The result can be weekly brown rice, lentils, and white or black beans. Nothing wrong with that, of course, but I have been having some fun cooking up more soups and one pot meals for repurposing.

I try to take a look in my refrigerator and fruit and vegetable bowls and come up with something a little different. That's how I pulled together a "super-soy" soup a couple of weeks ago...

...with canned black soybeans, frozen edamame and lots of veggies.

This week I spied Roma tomatoes. I had picked some up for a recipe I was making for a client and realized I bought way more than I needed. At the same time, I was baking my weekly loaf of sourdough bread.

Visions of grilled cheese sandwiches filled my head for a Sunday dinner and then it struck me: tomato soup. Creamy and vegan tomato soup.

I've never made it but figured I wanted something with lots of veggies, creamy with a vegan milk and seasoned simply but with pizazz. And that's what I made. 

Creamy Tomato Soup

Course Soup
Cooking Method Instant Pot, Pressure Cooker
©JLFields JL Fields

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons water
  • 1 teaspoon powdered vegetable or chik-style bouillon or cube
  • 1 cup diced onion
  • 3 cloves minced garlic minced
  • 1 cup chopped carrot
  • 1-14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
  • 4 roma tomatoes, quartered about 2 cups
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1 cup plain, unsweetened soymilk
  • 1/4 cup vegan sour cream
  • Black pepper to taste
  • Fresh cilantro optional
  • Lime juice optional

Instructions

  1. Heat 2 tablespoons water and bouillon on medium in a multicooker (Instant Pot) or pressure cooker. 

  2. Add onion and garlic and saute for 5 to 8 minutes. 

  3. Add carrot, tomatoes, salt, water, bay leaf, thyme and basil. Combine well. 
  4. Cover and cook on high pressure for 3 minutes. Use a quick release. 

  5. Transfer to a blender. Add soymilk and sour cream. Cover the blender carafe tightly and place a towel over the carafe (to avoid any possible heat expansion mishaps). Blend until smooth, about 30 seconds. 

  6. Transfer the soup back to the pot, cover and keep on warm until ready to serve.

  7. Serve with black pepper, fresh cilantro and a drizzle of lime juice. 

Recipe Notes

True tales from the kitchen: I didn't take the bay leaf out before blending! I didn't mean to leave it in but I did and the soup was great. Feel free to remove the bay leaf before blending. 

And about that grilled cheese...

...I picked up Wayfare butter last week (so good!) and buttered the freshly baked sourdough bread and added slices of vegan provolone and American cheese (Follow Your Heart).  I air fried it at 390°F for seven minutes. Perfect!

This quick dinner is a perfect example that we can have foods we loved growing up - compassionately - by simply finding the vegan versions of ingredients. 

Enjoy!