Tasty Budget-Friendly Tomato Soup

This tasty tomato soup recipe is so quick, easy and budget-friendly. Just a few pantry ingredients and a quick 15 minute simmer on the stove-top.

Home-made tomato soup prepared with canned tomatoes is perfect for those days when fresh veggies are limited, scarce or just too expensive. Canned tomatoes are classed as one of your five-a-day and are packed with nutritional goodness.

Serve with wedges of crusty bread, vegan cheese scones, or crackers to dunk for a light, satisfying meal.

Origin of tomato soup

Tomatoes were brought over to Europe during the 1700s and are Mexican and South American in origin. The Campbell Soup Company began manufacturing cans of condensed tomato soup in 1897, within the US.

Tomato soup is now a classic British favourite served up for lunch, starter or even as a light main meal. Cans of tomato soup are popular in British supermarkets but many contain milk or milk powder and so are not suitable for vegans.

Tomato soup also comes in the form of dried cup-of-soup packets which only need boiling water to reconstitute but again many contain milk.

Home-made tomato soup

This home-made budget-friendly tomato soup recipe is 100% vegan and so does not require any dairy products. Although a little plant milk or vegan cream added to each portion is a tasty addition adding creaminess and deliciousness.

This tomato soup recipe utilises canned tomatoes simply for budget and convenience. Cans of tomatoes are especially useful when there are no fresh veggies available, or it is that time of the month before the main grocery shopping.

How To Prepare Tasty Tomato Soup

Cans of chopped or plum tomatoes can be replaced with tomato passata which is also known as sieved tomato sauce.

Add the two cans of chopped or plum tomatoes, mustard powder, dried oregano, and sugar to a large non-stick pot. If using cans of plum tomatoes crush them up a little with a wooden spoon or similar.

Pour in the hot vegan stock/broth. Give the soup a good mix.

Season with salt and black pepper.

Bring to a simmer, lower the heat, and cook for 15 minutes.

Blend the soup with a stick blender.

Blending is optional and a potato masher could be used instead to mash the soup smoother.

Check the seasoning and add more salt, pepper and sugar if necessary.

Recipe Notes

What's the best way to store leftover home-made tomato soup?

Store leftover tomato soup within a covered container, in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Can tomato soup be frozen?

Yes. Freeze for 3-4 months.

What's the best way to reheat tomato soup?

Reheat in a non-stick pot by bringing to the boil and simmering for 2-3 minutes until piping hot throughout.

Or microwave until piping hot.

Can I make any substitutions to this tomato soup recipe?

A few ideas:

• dried oregano can be replaced with dried mixed herbs, thyme, parsley, marjoram, basil, etc
• if fresh herbs are available use those, such as fresh parsley, oregano, thyme, etc
• not a fan of mustard powder? simply omit or replace with 2-3 teaspoons of regular soya sauce, or a teaspoon of prepared mustard from a bottle or jar [regular hotdog mustard is fine!]. Alternatively if you have nutritional yeast flakes available stir through a tablespoon at the end of cooking.
• use any sugar or your usual sweetener
• cans of chopped tomatoes can be replaced with any variety of chopped tomatoes including fire-roasted, those with herbs already included, etc. Cans of plum tomatoes are particularly tasty for this tomato soup recipe.
• A carton or jar of passata [sieved tomato sauce] can also replace the cans of tomato, although do replace with the same amount.

What can I serve with tomato soup?

Tomato soup is very low in calories and fat so if necessary bulk out with any of your favourite breads, rolls/baps, crackers, oatcakes, scones, American biscuits or cornbread.

A wedge of vegan cheese and a few fresh cherry tomatoes is also a nice accompaniment.

A few delicious suggestions:

• vegan cheese scones
• Scottish oatcakes
• Irish soda bread
• Welsh bakestone cakes
• Three Ingredient Quick Dinner Rolls
• Great Depression Peanut Butter Bread
• Tofu Mayonnaise Sandwich
• Coronation Curried Chickpeas And Kidney Beans Tortilla Wrap

Can I add anything extra to this tomato soup recipe?

Of course, as with any recipe feel free to make it your own way and add your own additional ingredients that you think may be extra tasty.

A few ideas:

• a drizzle of vegan cream to each serving or simply leave some space in the bowl or soup mug and pour in some plant milk to mix through the soup
• vegan sour cream or a dollop of vegan soft cream cheese is a nice addition
• fresh herbs always make a soup extra special, such as chopped chives, parsley, basil leaves, dill, a few thyme leaves, etc
• finely sliced spring/green onions scattered over each serving
• some red pepper/chilli flakes
• a squeeze of fresh lemon juice
• a dollop of pesto
• a spoon of hummus
• a blob of guacamole
• a few tablespoons of shredded vegan cheese
• a sprinkle of nutritional yeast flakes

Tasty Budget-Friendly Tomato Soup

Print Recipe

This tasty tomato soup recipe is so quick, easy and budget-friendly. Just a few pantry ingredients and a quick simmer on the stove-top is all that is required.

Enjoy for a starter, light dinner, or lunch along with crusty bread, crackers, oatcakes, cheese scones, American biscuits or cornbread.

Course Dinner, Lunch, Starter

Cuisine American, British

Prep Time 10 mins

Cook Time 20 mins

Total Time 30 mins

Servings 4

Calories 52

Author Jacq

Equipment

• Non-stick pot
• Stick/immersion blender or similar, or use a potato masher

Ingredients

• 2 cans chopped tomatoes 400grams/15 oz cans [can use canned plum tomatoes or passata otherwise known as sieved tomato sauce]
• 500 millilitres vegan stock/broth hot, use a tomato based one if available
• 2 teaspoon dried oregano or dried mixed herbs, thyme, marjoram, basil, etc
• ¼ teaspoon mustard powder or 1 teaspoon prepared mustard from a jar/bottle/ or 2 teaspoons soya sauce
• 2 teaspoon granulated sugar or your regular choice of sweetener

Optional

• plant milk or vegan cream to drizzle over finished soup

Metric - US Customary

Instructions

• Add all the ingredients, except the optional plant milk, to a saucepan. Season with ½-¾ teaspoon of salt and some black pepper.
• If using canned plum tomatoes crush these a little with a wooden mixing spoon or similar.
• Bring the soup to the boil, lower the heat, and simmer for 15 minutes.
• Blend with a stick/immersion blender or similar. Or use a potato masher to crush the tomatoes into the soup.
• Check the seasoning and add extra salt, pepper and possibly a little sugar if necessary.
• Optional: drizzle a little vegan cream over each serving or leave a space at the top of each soup mug or bowl to pour in some plant milk. Stir the milk through the soup.
• Enjoy with a few fresh basil leaves if available or other fresh herbs such as chopped chives, parsley, dill or a few thyme leaves.

  A sprinkle of nutritional yeast flakes if available is a nice touch and adds extra flavour, as are a sprinkle of paprika/chilli flakes.

Notes

• Nutritional information is provided for guidance only and is not a strict calculation as ingredients vary.
• This soup yields roughly 1.1 litres [1.1 quarts] of soup.
• Store leftover tomato soup within a covered container and keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
• Or freeze for 3-4 months.
• Reheat by bringing to a boil in a saucepan, lower the heat and gently simmer for 2-3 minutes or until piping hot throughout.
• Tomato soup is perfect for a light starter or dinner, or lunch, along with a wedge of your favourite crusty bread, crackers, oatcakes, vegan cheese or plain scones, American biscuits or cornbread.
• Or enjoy with a tasty sandwich or vegan cheese toastie.

Nutrition

Calories: 52kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 794mg | Potassium: 400mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 524IU | Vitamin C: 19mg | Calcium: 80mg | Iron: 2mg

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All the best

Jacq x