There are so many things to love about this Vegan Creamy Tomato Soup.
✅ The soup is easy to prepare, super healthy, vegetable packed, comforting plant-based dish that combines the rich flavors of San Marzano tomatoes, fresh basil, and sweet roasted corn.
✅ It has a creamy and rich texture, and it doesn’t contain any dairy! The roasted corn adds a pleasant contrast with its slightly crunchy texture.
✅ Furthermore, the soup is packed with sweet, smoky, tangy and fresh flavors.
✅ Also, this vegan soup is a comforting, flavorful, and visually appealing dish that celebrates the natural sweetness of tomatoes and corn, elevated by the aromatic presence of basil.
✅ It’s planet-friendly. One of the single most impactful things we as individuals can do for the health of the planet is eat plant-based dishes like this.
✅ Additionally, the soup looks pretty garnished with a fresh-picked nasturtium from my garden.
Starchy vegetables help us to feel full and satisfied when eating plant-based dishes. So, the corn and potatoes help to make this soup particularly filling. For that reason, this soup is meal worthy on its own.
The Vegan Creamy Tomato Soup is packed with sweet, sour, salty and umami rich flavors. Umami, often described as the fifth taste, adds a savory depth of flavor to foods that enhances the taste profile of many dishes. Several plant-based foods are rich in umami, making them excellent additions to a variety of recipes. In this recipe, tomatoes, roasted corn, potatoes and balsamic vinegar all contribute to the umami flavors of the soup.
If you want to get fancy, chiffonade your basil into thin strips (some say ribbons). This video provides a nice demo of how its done.
How simple is it? Very!
This comforting soup cooks up easily in one big pot. Simply sauté the onions, carrots and garlic. Add the broth, potatoes and tomatoes. Cook until the potatoes soften. Then add the basil and sugar and blend to a puree. Next stir in the balsamic vinegar and corn. Season to taste. Serve topped with additional basil, corn and hot peppers, if desired.
One last thing…if you have some nasturtium, a delicious edible flower, growing in your garden (like I happen to this summer), top with a flower for additional beauty points.
If you’d like to try making another delicious soup, you might like to try this Miso Soup. And if you are a fan of cookbooks, check out Plants For You.
Creamy Tomato Basil Soup with Roasted Corn
This is a simple-to-prepare, flavorful and filling soup you’ll enjoy anytime of year.
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 cups medium-diced onion
- 1 cup chopped carrots no need to peel
- 2 cloves chopped garlic
- ¾ teaspoon sea salt, divided
- 3½ cups bite-size diced gold potatoes no need to peel
- 3 cups vegetable broth
- 28 ounce can whole peeled San Marzano tomatoes
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup loosely packed basil leaves
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 1¾ cups roasted corn, divided
- 2 tablespoons chopped basil for serving
- 2 teaspoons dried red chili pepper for serving
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Heat the olive oil in a large (8 quart) pot over medium heat. Stir in the onions, carrots, garlic, and ½ teaspoon salt and cook for 8 minutes.
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Add the vegetable broth, potatoes, tomatoes and black pepper. Bring to a boil, cover the pot and reduce the heat to medium. Cook for 10 minutes or until the potatoes have softened.
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Remove the pot from the heat. Add the basil, sugar and remaining ¼ teaspoon of salt. Blend with an immersion blender until fully blended. Alternatively blend in batches in a standard counter-top blender.
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Stir in 1½ cups of the corn and balsamic vinegar. Season with additional salt, if desired.
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Serve topped with the remaining ¼ cup of corn, chopped basil and chili peppers, if desired.