15-Minute Creamy Tomato Soup (Vegan) Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What can I substitute for heavy cream in tomato soup? ›

To replace 1 cup (237 mL) of heavy cream in your recipe, add 2 tablespoons (19 grams) of cornstarch to 1 cup (237 mL) of milk and stir, allowing the mixture to thicken. You can use whole milk or opt for skim milk to help slash the calories and fat content of your recipe.

Add flour or cornflour

Put a tablespoon of either into a small bowl and stir in 2-3 tbsp of the soup until you have a smooth mixture. Stir this back into the soup and bring it to a simmer. Cook for a few minutes to allow the starch granules to burst to thicken, and to cook out any flour flavour.

You could even use milk, though it won't be quite as creamy. Be sure to blend. The soup won't be creamy and smooth if you don't blend it. If you don't have an immersion blender, you can use a regular blender to get it to the right consistency.

For a stunning presentation, you can reserve some canned coconut milk for drizzling over a bowl of creamy tomato soup with a garnish of fresh herbs. If you'd rather not use coconut milk, you can thicken your tomato soup with flour, egg yolks, or a cornstarch flurry.

What Do Vegans Use Instead of Heavy Cream? Fortunately, nearly any plant-based milk can be made into a heavy cream substitute. Nut milks, including hemp milk, oat milk, coconut milk and soy milk can all be used as the base for a heavy cream substitute with the addition of the right fats.

Milk + cornstarch

To replace one cup of heavy cream, mix 2 tablespoons cornstarch into 1 cup milk, whisking well to break up any clumps. Cornstarch requires heat to thicken, so add the slurry to soups and sauces and simmer for at least 1 minute to activate the cornstarch.

Adding a bit of baking soda makes the tomatoes taste sweeter by canceling out the sourness. Tomatoes are naturally quite acidic but food processing companies often add extra citric acid to canned tomatoes to get the right pH (acid level) for food safety in canning.

The recipe uses cream instead of milk, which is crucial: The fat in the cream protects the dairy from curdling. A little more science: Fat protects the proteins in milk.

Heavy cream is the best way to get that classic creamy flavor we know and love. In its place I have tried, to no avail, every other dairy for creamy tomato soup: half-and-half works in a pinch, milk makes the soup too thin, and yogurt is too acidic. Once I even tried almond milk (too sweet).

When milk is added to tomato soup, a process called curdling occurs. This is because the acid present in the tomatoes causes the proteins in the milk to denature. Denaturation changes the structure of the proteins, causing them to clump together and form curds.

What can I add to tomato soup to make it taste better? ›

You can add fresh herbs like basil or oregano, a splash of heavy cream for richness, a drizzle of olive oil for depth of flavor, or a sprinkle of grated cheese on top for added creaminess. You can also sauté some onions and garlic to add complexity, or even add cooked pasta or rice to make it heartier.

Tomatoes are very acidic and milk or cream is added to them, curdling can occur. Curdling will be more likely to happen when the ratio of acid to cream increases or when mixing a cold and hot mixture. To thwart the curdling tendency, changing procedures will render a smooth tomato soup.

Start by using 1 tablespoon of cornstarch at a time, mixed with 2 tablespoons of water. More cornstarch slurry can be added, but be sure not to add too much. Only mix in a small amount of slurry at a time to ensure that your soup will thicken properly. Using corn starch is a fast, effective way to thicken soup.

There were several tips for stirring milk into the base or vice versa. A couple of sites mentioned that the heat is part of what causes curdling. One site mentioned using baking soda to help neutralize the acid.

One of Campbell's most popular options, Condensed Cream of Tomato Soup, is not vegan, because it contains double cream. But if you're in the mood for a steaming bowl of nourishing tomato soup, don't worry! The company can still deliver what you're craving. Campbell's Healthy Request Tomato Soup is totally dairy-free.

Add Flour Or Cornstarch

You can thicken soup by adding flour, cornstarch, or another starchy substitute. For the best results, never add flour or cornstarch directly to your soup. If you do, it will clump up on top. Instead, ladle a small amount of broth into a separate bowl and let it cool.

You can make a stand-in for the heavy cream called for in a recipe where it will be mixed with other ingredients. Melt 1/4 cup unsalted butter in a large glass bowl and gradually whisk in 3/4 cup whole milk or half and half. You'll end up with 1 cup of a cream substitute. Use in soups, sauces, puddings, etc.

Aside from rice, you can also use bread, potatoes or beans, according to Breana Lai Killeen, M.P.H., RD. Killeen says, "When stirred into soup, stale bread, mashed beans and mashed potatoes cook down to create a creamy, rich texture, all without adding cream.

For recipes like creamy soups, you could use heavy cream, heavy whipping cream, or whipping cream, depending on how rich you want the end result to be. Use whipping cream for something a little lighter, and heavy cream for the creamiest possible result.