Vegan Creamy Tomato Basil (Printable version)

Velvety tomato and basil blend with creamy coconut milk, paired with crisp garlic sourdough dippers.

# Needed ingredients:

→ For the Soup

01 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
02 - 1 large yellow onion, diced
03 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 2 cans (14 oz each) whole peeled tomatoes
05 - 1 cup vegetable broth
06 - 1 cup unsweetened canned coconut milk
07 - 2 tablespoons tomato paste
08 - 1 teaspoon sugar (optional)
09 - 1 teaspoon sea salt, or to taste
10 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
11 - 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
12 - 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
13 - 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, plus extra for garnish

→ For the Garlic Sourdough Dippers

14 - 4 thick slices sourdough bread
15 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
16 - 2 cloves garlic, halved

# How to make it:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add diced onion and sauté for 4–5 minutes until translucent.
02 - Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Stir in tomato paste and cook for 1 minute more.
03 - Add canned tomatoes with juice, vegetable broth, oregano, salt, pepper, sugar if using, and red pepper flakes. Stir well to combine.
04 - Bring to a simmer and cook uncovered for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
05 - Pour in coconut milk and add fresh basil leaves. Simmer for 5 minutes more.
06 - Remove from heat. Using an immersion blender, blend soup until smooth and creamy. Alternatively, carefully transfer to a blender in batches. Adjust seasoning to taste.
07 - While soup simmers, preheat oven broiler or grill pan. Brush both sides of sourdough slices with olive oil. Toast until golden and crisp, approximately 2 minutes per side.
08 - Rub the warm toasted bread with the cut sides of the garlic cloves. Slice into strips for dipping.
09 - Ladle hot soup into bowls and garnish with fresh basil. Accompany with garlic sourdough dippers.

# Expert advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in under an hour, which means you can go from craving comfort food to actually eating it without much fuss.
  • The garlic sourdough dippers are crispy and garlicky in the way that makes you want to dunk them until they're soggy, and nobody judges you for it.
  • Completely vegan without tasting like you're missing anything, because the coconut milk does that magic thing where it becomes indistinguishable from cream.
02 -
  • Blending hot soup is a safety situation—either use an immersion blender right in the pot, or let it cool slightly before transferring to a regular blender, working in batches to avoid overflow.
  • The difference between coconut milk and coconut cream is real; light versions will disappoint you, so buy full-fat if you want that velvety richness.
  • Taste the soup before serving because tomato acidity varies wildly between brands; you might need a pinch more sugar than the recipe suggests.
03 -
  • Taste as you go and adjust seasoning at the end rather than during cooking, because flavors concentrate as the soup simmers and you might oversalt early on.
  • Make the soup a day ahead and reheat gently—it actually tastes better after sitting overnight because the flavors have melded into something rounder and more sophisticated.
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