Crockpot Tomato Basil Soup
Looking for tomato crockpot recipes that feel like real comfort food? This crockpot tomato basil soup simmers canned tomatoes, onion and garlic until sweet and deep, then gets blended smooth. A splash of cream at the end makes it silky.
6
servings15
minutes6
hoursCanned tomatoes, onion and garlic cook low until soft, then get blended with basil and finished with cream. Serve it hot with grilled cheese.
Ingredients
2 cans (28 oz each) whole peeled tomatoes
1 large yellow onion, diced
1 carrot, peeled and finely diced
5 cloves garlic, smashed
2 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves
1/2 cup heavy cream, at room temperature
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Directions
- Add the tomatoes with their juice to a 6-quart slow cooker. Crush them with your hands or the back of a spoon.
- Add the onion, carrot, garlic, tomato paste and olive oil.
- Pour in the broth and stir in the sugar, salt and pepper.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 6 to 7 hours or on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours, until the carrot and onion are completely soft.
- Stir in the basil and butter.
- Blend the soup with an immersion blender until smooth. Or work in batches in a regular blender, filling it no more than halfway and venting the lid.
- Turn the slow cooker to WARM and let the soup settle for 5 minutes.
- Slowly stir in the cream until the soup turns a pale orange-red.
- Taste and add salt or a pinch more sugar if the tomatoes are sharp.
- Ladle into bowls and top with torn basil and black pepper.
Notes
- Skip the cream and use full-fat coconut milk for a dairy-free soup. Add a parmesan rind to the pot while it cooks for extra depth, and fish it out before blending. Cool leftovers within 2 hours and refrigerate for up to 5 days. Freeze without the cream for up to 3 months and add it when you reheat.
Why this tomato soup works in the crockpot
Canned tomatoes are already cooked, but they taste tinny and sharp until they spend hours with onion and garlic. The slow cooker mellows that edge and draws out sweetness. A pan can do it in 30 minutes, but the long, quiet cook gives you a rounder flavor.
Since the soup is blended at the end, there is no need to chop anything fine. Roughly cut vegetables go in, and the blender does the rest.
It also happens to be one of the cheapest, most forgiving soups you can make, and the leftovers taste even better on day two.
Choosing the right tomatoes and basil
Whole peeled tomatoes: They are usually better quality than diced, which are treated to hold their shape. Look for San Marzano style tomatoes packed in juice, not puree.
Tomato paste: Two spoonfuls give the soup body and a deep red color. Squeeze from a tube so the rest keeps in the fridge.
Carrot: It looks odd, but it adds natural sweetness that balances the acid without much sugar.
Fresh basil: Add it near the end. Basil cooked for hours turns dull and bitter, while a handful stirred in just before blending stays green and fresh.
Heavy cream: Warm it slightly so it blends in smoothly and does not shock the hot soup.
Chicken or vegetable broth: Either works. Choose low-sodium so you can season at the end, because canned tomatoes bring their own salt.
Tips for smooth, balanced tomato soup
Add dairy last: Cream stirred in at the start can curdle with all that acid over a long cook. Add it after blending, with the heat on WARM.
Blend with care: Hot soup expands in a blender. Fill it halfway, leave the center lid cap off and cover it with a towel, or use an immersion blender right in the pot.
Most common mistake: Skipping the taste test. Tomatoes vary a lot in acid, so a pinch of sugar or salt at the end is what makes the soup taste finished.
Season in layers: Salt goes in at the start so it blends into the tomatoes, but the final adjustment comes after blending and cream, when you can taste the whole soup.
Swaps and variations
For a dairy-free soup, use full-fat coconut milk or a swirl of olive oil. For a smoky version, add a teaspoon of smoked paprika. For more protein, stir in a can of white beans before blending.
One swap that does not work is fresh summer tomatoes without peeling them. The skins stay in tough flecks even after blending.
A parmesan rind simmered in the pot adds a rich note without any extra work, and you pull it out before blending.
What to serve with tomato basil soup
Grilled cheese is the obvious partner, and a sharp cheddar on sourdough holds up best. A green salad with lemon dressing or a plate of crusty bread for dunking also works well. Top each bowl with croutons or a drizzle of olive oil.
For a cozy dinner, serve the soup in wide mugs with a grilled cheese cut into strips for dipping. Leftover soup also works as a base for chicken tortellini or a quick pasta sauce when you thin it less.
Storing, freezing and reheating
Cool the soup and keep it in a covered container in the fridge for up to 5 days. For the freezer, portion it without the cream and freeze for up to 3 months.
Reheat gently over medium-low heat, stirring often. Add the cream only once the soup is hot and it will not split.
A frozen block of soup also drops right into a pot for a fast lunch, so freezing in single servings is worth the effort.
Crockpot Tomato Basil Soup at a glance
- Prep time: 15 minutes
- Cooking time: 6 hours
- Servings: 6 servings
- Ingredients: 13, led by (28 oz each) whole peeled tomatoes, yellow onion, carrot, garlic
Tips for Crockpot Tomato Basil Soup
Skip the cream and use full-fat coconut milk for a dairy-free soup. Add a parmesan rind to the pot while it cooks for extra depth, and fish it out before blending. Cool leftovers within 2 hours and refrigerate for up to 5 days. Freeze without the cream for up to 3 months and add it when you reheat.
Crockpot Tomato Basil Soup FAQ
How long does Crockpot Tomato Basil Soup take?
Crockpot Tomato Basil Soup takes 6 hours of cooking after 15 minutes of prep.
How many people does Crockpot Tomato Basil Soup serve?
This recipe makes 6 servings.
What do I need to make Crockpot Tomato Basil Soup?
13 ingredients, led by (28 oz each) whole peeled tomatoes, yellow onion, carrot, garlic. Amounts are in the recipe card above.
