3-Ingredient Tomato Soup with Fresh Tomatoes

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Just 3 ingredients for a soup that is incredibly flavorful: fresh yet intense, simple yet somehow tasting like something much more elaborate, the kind of dish you would go out to a restaurant for.

And yet, you can make it when you are short on time, because the oven does most of the work, and when you are seriously craving tomatoes.

In my version of the tomato soup, there is no need for cream, it is naturally creamy on its own, and it is completely plant-based and gluten-free.

3 Reasons Why You’ll Love This Tomato Soup

1. It’s Packed with Umami

The first reason you’ll love this tomato soup is simple: it is incredibly flavorful and naturally rich in umami.Yes, because tomatoes are naturally high in umami. If you are not sure why that is such good news, you can read my article about umami foods. And if you already know, then you probably also know why this soup is so irresistible to your taste buds.

2. It’s Easy, Quick and Budget-Friendly

The second reason is that it is incredibly easy, fairly quick, and budget-friendly. You only need three main ingredients ( herbs, salt and pepper don’t count, come on). You do not need much time either, and it is the kind of soup you can easily prepare shortly before dinner.

3. It’s Rich in Lycopene

The last reason, although there are honestly many more, I just wanted to keep it to three — is that tomato soup is naturally rich in lycopene, a powerful antioxidant that helps protect our cells from oxidative stress. Basically, it is a little like eating your skincare.

The 3 Ingredients You Need

If you are ready to start cooking and short on time, you can jump straight to the recipe at the bottom of the article, where you will find everything you need to get started. Or keep reading if you want to make sure you are making the best tomato soup possible.

Fresh Tomatoes

Obviously. They are the star of the dish. All you need are fresh tomatoes, and you can use different varieties or simply the ones you prefer. They do not need to be perfectly ripe either, because roasting them in the oven will intensify their flavor and bring out their natural sweetness.

Onion

Red, white, Tropea : choose your favorite, or use a mix of more than one variety.

Garlic

White garlic, black garlic, fresh or dried: use whichever you prefer. The important thing is to use it.

3 Ingredients You Don’t Need & Why

This section might sound unnecessary at first. If you do not need these ingredients, why talk about them at all?Because understanding what is commonly added to a tomato soup, and why it is not actually necessary here, helps you understand cooking a little better. In this case, plant-based cooking in particular.

1. Cream or Milk

You do not need cream or milk to make this tomato soup richer or creamier. Why? Because it is already naturally creamy on its own, especially if you avoid adding unnecessary liquid. Once the roasted tomatoes, onion and garlic are blended together, they create a smooth, velvety texture without the need for any dairy or plant-based cream.

2. Tomato Passata or Tomato Paste

Tomato passata or tomato paste is often added to tomato soup to make the flavor more intense and deepen the color. But here, you do not really need either. Fresh tomatoes already have plenty of flavor, and roasting them in the oven concentrates it even further, creating more depth and bringing out their natural umami.

3. Broth

You do not need any broth here, vegetable or otherwise. The three main ingredients already provide all the flavor this soup needs, and since we are not trying to dilute it, there is no real reason to add extra liquid. Keeping the soup concentrated is exactly what helps make it so rich and creamy.

How to Make Tomato Soup in 3 Simple Steps

Yes, I managed to keep the number three going through every section. I am semantically very proud of myself. But I promise, it is not forced: this tomato soup really is that simple.

1. Roast the Vegetables

Cut the tomatoes and onion into pieces and place them on a baking tray with the garlic. Add olive oil, salt, pepper and your favorite herbs. Now use your hands to gently massage everything together, making sure the tomatoes are well coated with the olive oil and seasoning.

Roast at 180°C / 350°F for about 35 minutes, stirring everything halfway through, until the tomatoes are soft, juicy and slightly caramelized around the edges.

2. Blend Everything

Transfer the roasted tomatoes, onion and garlic ( together with all those flavorful juices left on the tray ) to a blender. Blend until completely smooth and creamy. There is no need to add broth, milk or cream: the roasted vegetables already provide all the liquid and texture you need.

3. Taste and Serve

Taste the soup and adjust the salt, pepper or herbs if needed. Serve it hot with a drizzle of good olive oil, some fresh herbs and freshly ground black pepper ( the toppings are totally optional).

The last time I made and photographed this soup, this was the sun in the sky while I was cooking. Somehow, it felt incredibly perfect for the dish.

3 Optional Toppings

These toppings are completely optional: the soup is already delicious on its own. But they can be useful if you make this tomato soup often and want to change it slightly from time to time without changing the recipe itself.

1. Vegan Cream or Yogurt

This is one of the toppings I use most often because I really love the contrast between the creamy texture and a little extra acidity. That said, tomatoes can already have a naturally acidic note, so I would choose this topping especially when the tomatoes you are using are on the sweeter side. In that case, a spoonful of unsweetened vegan yogurt or plant-based cream adds a beautiful contrast without making the soup feel too sharp.

2. Crispy Chickpeas

Crispy chickpeas add crunch, extra texture and make the soup feel a little more substantial. They are also incredibly easy to make in the air fryer, so if you already have my crispy air fryer chickpeas recipe, this is a perfect place to use it. A small handful on top is enough to completely change the texture of the soup while keeping everything plant-based and gluten-free.

3. Fresh Herbs and Roasted Cherry Tomatoes

As you can see in the photo of my tomato soup, I used a few cherry tomatoes that I had roasted in the air fryer with olive oil, a small drizzle of agave syrup and a pinch of salt.

I then added a few fresh basil leaves on top. It is very simple, but it works beautifully because it adds another texture and another expression of the tomato itself, soft, roasted and slightly caramelized against the smooth soup.