Vegan Slow Cooker Tomato Soup

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

Coming in with another slow-cooker recipe for you today. As a busy parent, I love slow cooker meals to quickly get a healthy dinner on the table.

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. 

If you love tomato soup, then you’ll love this recipe. Made easier with using your slow cooker– throw everything together in the morning, and dinner is ready when you are!

Why we love this Slow Cooker Tomato Soup Recipe

Save this recipe for busy days or an easy dinner meal. Throw everything into your slow cooker, turn it on, and dinner is ready hours later. This is the slow cooker that we love, but any slow cooker works. If you have an Instant Pot, then you can use the base of that for this tomato soup recipe.

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

Ingredient Notes and Substitutions

I prefer to use whole canned tomatoes for this slow cooker tomato soup because those have the best 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 other ingredients like carrots or celery that I usually would in a homemade tomato soup recipe. But, if you want to add additional vegetables, you are welcome to do that when you add 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.

How to Make Slow Cooker Tomato Soup

Add the Ingredients to 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 low for 6-8 hours.

Blend

Use an immersion blender to puree the soup, or let it 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.

Add in Cashew Cream

To keep this recipe vegan, add 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.

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!

Use Cashew Cream for Vegan Creamy Slow-Cooker Tomato Soup

To make this tomato soup extra 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, 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, I recommend my DK House Salad or Kale Poppyseed Salad. 

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 about 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 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 consists of nutrients that are nourishing for the body.

More Slow Cooker Recipes

• Easy Slow Cooker Vegetable Soup
• Healthy Slow Cooker Soup
• Butternut Squash Soup with Coconut Milk
• Slow Cooker Tikka Masala 
• Easy Slow Cooker Minestrone Soup

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! 

This slow cooker tomato soup recipe was first published September 2018 and updated January 2024. This article first appeared on Delish Knowledge.