Slow Cooker Tomato Soup

By Alexandra Caspero on February 7, 2023
Comforting, filling, and savory– this slow cooker tomato soup is one of my favorite simple meals.
Serves 4-6

This creamy, easy, vegan tomato soup recipe is SO delicious and perfect for fall and winter. Throw it into the slow cooker and dinner is served. 

Photo Credit: Delish Knowledge.

Coming in with another slow-cooker recipe for you today. Is it too early for so many slow-cooker recipes at once? It may only be September, but I’m slowly getting into the mood for cooler weather and soup season.

Therefore, I made this vegan tomato soup recipe a few weeks ago when I was heading out of town for a work trip. I wanted to leave my family a few ready-to-go meals in the fridge and my husband’s first request was creamy tomato soup

slow cooker vegan tomato soup
Photo Credit: Delish Knowledge.

Why we love this recipe

Save this recipe for busy days, or whenever you need an easy dinner meal. Throw everything into your slow cooker, turn it on, and dinner is ready hours later.

If you appreciate recipes that don’t require too many ingredients, then this slow cooker tomato soup is for you.

Key Ingredients

  • Canned whole tomatoes
  • Vegetable Broth
  • Canned tomatoes
  • Garlic
  • Onion
  • Oregano
  • Cashews
  • Basil

Ingredient Notes

I prefer to use whole canned tomatoes for this slow cooker tomato soup as I find those have the best tomato flavor. However, canned diced tomatoes or canned crushed tomatoes will work if that’s all you have on hand.

Low-sodium vegetable broth is usually my go-to pick, but if you use regular broth then you may not need as much added salt.

To keep things simple, I don’t add in other ingredients like carrots or celery that I normally would in a homemade tomato soup recipe. But, if you want to add in additional vegetables you are welcome to do that with the onion. Red bell pepper would also be a great option for a sweeter pairing with the tomatoes.

Most homemade tomato soups are made with butter and flour to make a roux mixture, but you don’t need that here! To cut back on additional saturated fat and cholesterol, you’ll use cashew cream instead of butter.

Vegan Tomato Soup in Blender
Photo Credit: Delish Knowledge.

How to Make Slow Cooker Tomato Soup

  1. Cook ingredients in the slow cooker


    Place the whole canned tomatoes, tomato sauce, broth, garlic, onion and spices in the base of a slow cooker. Cook on high for 4-5 hours, or on low for 6-8 hours.

  2. Blend


    Use an immersion blender to puree the soup, or let cool slightly and transfer it to a blender and puree until creamy and smooth. Season to taste with salt/pepper or even sugar if the tomatoes need more balance.

  3. Add in cashew cream


    To keep this recipe vegan, add in a little cashew cream at the end. To make cashew cream, blend together cashews and water together until a cream forms. You can also use a non-dairy creamer if desired.

  4. Garnish with basil and serve


    For a pop of freshness, I add in some chopped fresh basil and a little drizzle of additional cream on top. Easy, simple and delicious!

Creamy tomato soup in stainless steel pot with wooden spoon
Photo Credit: Delish Knowledge.

Use Cashew Cream for Vegan Creamy Slow-Cooker Tomato Soup

To make this creamy, I stirred in a cashew cream at the end. If you haven’t made cashew cream before, it’s incredibly easy- blend together cashews and water together. That’s it! I usually make a bigger batch than is needed since my blender does better when I have a larger batch. If you have a big blender, then you might need to add more cashews and water to make this sauce.

Other alternatives to cashew cream are soy creamer or heavy cream. You just need a little to bring this soup together.

What to Serve with This Recipe

To me, nothing pairs better with tomato soup than a grilled cheese sandwich! You can serve it with your favorite cheese sandwiches, veggies, and crackers with this soup. The options are limitless! I also love pairing it with my Instant Pot rosemary bread, or a big hunk of crusty bread. 

If you are looking for a salad, then I recommend my DK House Salad or Kale Poppyseed Salad

vegan creamy tomato soup in a white bowl with bread
Photo Credit: Delish Knowledge.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you overcook slow cooker soup?


This slow cooker tomato soup recipe is almost impossible to overcook! That’s especially helpful on busy days when it needs to cook longer than the recommended 4-5 hours.

Can I use water instead of broth?


You can use water if you don’t have vegetable broth, but you’ll need to compensate for additional salt.

How can I store this soup?


As with any soup recipe, let cool before storing. Place in an airtight container and place in the fridge for 3-4 days or in the freezer for 3-4 months. This recipe would also make for a great make-ahead freezer recipe!

Is tomato basil soup bad for you? 

This vegan tomato soup recipe couldn’t be easier and more appetizing, but we need to have a conversation around salt. The reason that most tomato soups taste bland is that they don’t contain enough salt, especially if you are starting with unsalted tomatoes. Don’t be afraid to add some salt to this soup; my rule of thumb is that if you think you are adding too much, it’s probably just enough.

Unless you need to be on a low-salt diet, I’m not that worried about salt for the average population in a dish like this. Tomatoes are rich in potassium, the counter electrolyte to sodium.

So in other words, no, tomato basil soup is not bad for you! Any meal that consists of tomatoes, garlic, and other fresh ingredients consist of nutrients that are nourishing for the body.

creamy vegan slow cooker tomato soup in white bowl
Photo Credit: Delish Knowledge.

More Slow Cooker Recipes

slow cooker creamy vegan tomato soup in white bo wl
Photo Credit: Delish Knowledge.

If you try this recipe, come back and leave a comment and rate it! Your feedback helps other readers and seeing you make my recipes absolutely makes my day! 

Print
white bowl filled with tomato soup and toasted bread

Slow Cooker Tomato Basil Soup

  • Author: Alex Caspero
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 4 hours
  • Total Time: 4 hours 15 minutes
  • Yield: 4 large servings 1x
  • Category: dinner, soup, healthy
  • Method: slow cooker
  • Cuisine: American
  • Diet: Vegan

Description

Slow Cooker Tomato Soup! This vegan tomato soup is SO delicious and perfect for fall and winter. Throw it into the slow cooker and dinner is served. Creamy and delicious. 


  • Author: Alex Caspero
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 4 hours
  • Total Time: 4 hours 15 minutes
  • Yield: 4 large servings 1x
  • Category: dinner, soup, healthy
  • Method: slow cooker
  • Cuisine: American
  • Diet: Vegan
  • Author: Alex Caspero
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 4 hours
  • Total Time: 4 hours 15 minutes
  • Yield: 4 large servings 1x
  • Category: dinner, soup, healthy
  • Method: slow cooker
  • Cuisine: American
  • Diet: Vegan
Scale

Ingredients

  • 2 (28-ounce) cans whole peeled plum tomatoes with basil
  • 1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
  • 1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground pepper
  • 1/4 cup cashews
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1/2 cup finely chopped basil

Instructions

  1. Place the canned tomatoes, sauce, broth, garlic, onion, oregano, sugar, salt and pepper into the base of a slow cooker and cook on high for 4-5 hours. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed, you may need more salt/sugar depending on the canned tomatoes.
  2. Just before serving, add the tomato soup to a blender and puree until creamy- depending on the texture you like. You can also use an immersion blender. Return back to the slow cooker, then add the cashews and water to the base of the same blender (no need to wipe out first) and puree until very smooth. This can take about 2-3 minutes, depending on the power of your blender. (I use my nutribullet for this since it’s such a small serving. If your blender has a hard time blending things, then you’ll want to increase the cashews to 1/2 cup and 1/2 cup water.)
  3. Stir the cream into the soup along with the basil. Eat!

did you make this?

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This slow cooker tomato soup recipe was first published September 2018 and updated February 2023. This article first appeared on Delish Knowledge.

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Meet Alex Caspero

Alex Caspero is a Registered Dietitian, New York Times Bestselling Plant-Based Chef and mom of two. She aims to cut through the nutrition noise by providing real-life, nourishing tips for body and mind. Learn more about Alex.

(19 comments) leave a comment

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    1. Tara
      January 27, 2023 AT 5:22 pm

      Could you make this in an instant pot? Would you just throw everything together and then cook it for like 15 min?

    2. Maleia
      September 4, 2022 AT 6:40 pm

      Could you can this soup?

      1. Alex
        September 5, 2022 AT 7:05 am

        Hi Maleia, this recipe hasn’t been approved for canning so can’t comment on whether or not it is safe

    3. Alyssa
      September 29, 2021 AT 9:37 am

      This was an absolutely amazing recipe! With some vegan grilled cheese to go with it, this will most definitely become a part of the regular rotation for easy weeknight meals!

      1. Alex
        September 29, 2021 AT 1:02 pm

        So glad to hear! Thanks.

    4. Lauren
      January 8, 2019 AT 6:21 am

      Hi, this is probably a silly question but the can of tomato sauce, is that like marinara sauce like you would put on spaghetti? Or something different? Thank you

      1. Alex
        January 8, 2019 AT 7:07 am

        It’s a can of tomato sauce that you can find in the same section of the grocery store where you find diced tomatoes, crushed tomatoes, ect. You could use marinara, but that has other spices and may not work quite the same way in this recipe. My favorite brand (not sponsored at all!) is Hunt’s!

    5. Connie
      November 24, 2018 AT 8:52 am

      Alex, I made this last week and we really liked it! I had not made cashew cream before, and was amazed at how easy it was! I did need to use the larger quantity of cashews and water in my Vitamix, but it turned out so smooth! I have some soup in the freezer, and we’ll finish the rest today. Thank you!

      1. Alex
        November 24, 2018 AT 11:48 am

        So glad you liked it! Thanks Connie!

    6. Ashleigh Fenlon
      October 19, 2018 AT 2:45 pm

      This soup was so delicious and easy to make!! Love the cashew cream drizzled on top!!

      1. Alex
        October 24, 2018 AT 7:04 am

        Awesome! Glad you liked it- thanks Ashleigh!

    7. katie
      October 17, 2018 AT 11:15 am

      making this now! with the tomatoes break down and be as smooth as your soup looks? or should I blend them ??

    8. Sarah
      October 10, 2018 AT 11:06 am

      My family loves this recipe! So easy and delicious!

      1. Alex
        October 10, 2018 AT 1:56 pm

        Hi Sarah- so glad you like it! It’s one of our favorite’s as well!

    9. katie
      October 4, 2018 AT 8:09 pm

      would you have a substitute for cashews? I have a sensitivity

      1. Alex
        October 9, 2018 AT 7:37 am

        Hi Katie- can you do dairy? If so, I’d sub in half and half. If not, then you can try a vegan creamer (Califia farms makes a great almond one)

    10. Kiran NIkhar
      September 30, 2018 AT 5:25 am

      That looks yummy… Thanks for sharing… Will definitely try…