Discover a dairy-free twist on the classic tomato soup: a velvety blend of fire-roasted tomatoes, aromatic leeks, and creamy coconut milk! In about 20 minutes, you’ll end up with a comforting and dairy-free tomato soup that’ll warm you from the inside out!

An overhead shot of a bowl of cream of tomato soup with a spoon in it. The red banner at the bottom reads: paleo, Whole30, dairy-free, and gluten-free

A super easy tomato soup!

I’ve been making this creamy tomato soup for my kids for years because it’s fast and healthy. My older son loves it, even though he’s not a fan of coconut milk or coconut flavor—so don’t let your anti-coconut bias deter you from making this homemade tomato soup recipe! If you want a super creamy texture, definitely use a powerful blender (like a Vitamix)—no one likes chunks in a creamy soup.

A smiling Asian woman is ladling cream of tomato soup into a bowl.

Ingredients

An overhead shot of the raw ingredient to make cream of tomato soup
  • Extra virgin olive oil, coconut oil, avocado oil: To keep this soup dairy-free, I use one of these cooking fats rather than butter to sauté the alliums.
  • Leeks: I recommend using at least 2 cups of thinly sliced leeks (the white and light green parts only) because they add a fantastic sweet onion-y flavor. If you don’t have leeks, thinly sliced shallots or onions will also work. Don’t skimp on this part because the sautéed alliums add to the creaminess of the soup when you blend it all together!
  • Garlic: The more the better, but six cloves is always a good amount.
  • Fire-roasted canned diced tomatoes: Yes, grab CANNED fire-roasted diced or whole tomatoes (I love Muir Glen brand the best). Fire-roasted canned tomatoes add more depth and flavor to the soup without any fuss or muss. Don’t worry—regular diced tomatoes will work in a pinch. I know some of you may be tempted to use fresh tomatoes, but this pantry staple will save you both time and effort and the end result is terrific.
  • Broth: Obviously, the better the broth, the better the soup! I use homemade bone broth or I buy Roli Roti or Bonafide Provisions at the store. If you want to make this soup vegetarian, use a high-quality vegetable broth.
  • Coconut milk: To keep things dairy free, I use full fat coconut milk in place of heavy cream. My favorite brand is definitely Aroy-D that comes in green Tetra Pak containers at Asian grocery stores. If you absolutely despise coconut milk, you can definitely use another alternative milk but it may not turn out as creamy!
  • Kosher salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • Fresh basil: Top each bowl with thinly sliced fresh basil for a bright, herbaceous kick!

How to make Cream of Tomato Soup

Heat a large saucepan over medium heat. When the pan is hot, swirl in the extra virgin olive oil.

Pouring olive oil into a large saucepan to make cream of tomato soup

Add in the leeks and a sprinkle of salt. Sauté until the leeks are softened but not browned, about 3 to 5 minutes.

An overhead shot of softened sliced leeks in a large saucepan

Next, add the minced garlic and cook for about 30 seconds, or until fragrant.

Adding minced garlic from a garlic press to a saucepan filled with softened leeks

Turn off the heat and transfer the cooked leeks and garlic to a plate.

A red spatula is transferring cooked leeks to a plate.

Dump the whole can of tomatoes, juice and all, into a high powered blender (I love my Vitamix blender)…

An Asian woman is pouring diced canned tomatoes into a Vitamix blender

…and blitz on high until it’s smooth. (If your blender isn’t big enough, blitz the tomatoes in batches.)

A Vitamix blender blending diced canned tomatoes into a puree

Pour half of the puréed tomatoes into a medium saucepan

Pouring blended diced tomatoes into a saucepan

…and add the softened leeks to the remaining tomato purée in the blender. Blitz the tomato purée and aromatics on high until the mixture is smooth. Pour the contents of the blender into the saucepan.

A blender filled with pureed leeks and tomatoes is being poured into a saucepan with pureed tomatoes.

Add the broth and coconut milk.

Pouring coconut milk into a saucepan of tomato soup

Stir well and crank the heat up to medium high to bring the soup to a boil. Then, decrease to medium-low heat or enough to maintain a simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

An overhead shot of simmering cream of tomato soup

Taste the soup and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper.

Someone cracking black pepper into a saucepan filled with cream of tomato soup

Ladle up the soup and garnish with fresh basil.

A hand is sprinkling fresh minced basil onto a bowl of cream of tomato soup.

How to store leftovers

Got leftover cream of tomato soup? Leftovers can be stored in the fridge in a sealed airtight container for up to four days or freeze for up to 3 months. Garnish with fresh basil after you reheat the leftovers.

Four bowls of cream of tomato soup.

Looking for more recipe ideas? Head on over to my Recipe Index. You’ll also find exclusive recipes in my cookbooks, Nom Nom Paleo: Food for Humans (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2013), Ready or Not! (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2017), and Nom Nom Paleo: Let’s Go! (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2022).


Cream of Tomato Soup (Paleo, Whole30, Dairy-Free)

4.75 from 31 votes
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time20 minutes
Servings 4 people
Discover a dairy-free twist on the classic tomato soup: a velvety blend of fire-roasted tomatoes, aromatic leeks, and creamy coconut milk! In about 20 minutes, you’ll end up with a comforting and dairy-free tomato soup that’ll warm you from the inside out!

Ingredients  

  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil or coconut oil, ghee, or avocado oil
  • 2 cups thinly sliced leeks white and light green parts only. You can also use thinly sliced shallots or onion.
  • Diamond Crystal kosher salt
  • 6 garlic cloves minced
  • 28 ounces fire-roasted canned diced tomatoes
  • 1 cup bone broth chicken broth, or vegetable broth
  • 1 cup full-fat coconut milk I like Aroy-D brand
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • ¼ cup finely minced fresh basil
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Instructions 

  • Heat a large saucepan over medium heat. When the pan is hot, swirl in the olive oil.
  • Add in the leeks and a sprinkle of salt. Saute the leeks until the leeks are softened, but not browned (about 3 to 5 minutes).
  • Next, add the minced garlic and cook for about 30 seconds, or until fragrant. Turn off the heat and transfer the cooked leeks and garlic to a plate.
  • Dump the whole can of tomatoes, juice and all, into a high powered blender (I love my Vitamix blender) and blitz on high until it's smooth.
  • Pour half of the pureed tomatoes into the empty saucepan and add the softened leeks and garlic to the remaining tomato puree in the blender. Blend the tomato puree and leeks on high until the mixture is smooth.
  • Pour the contents of the blender into the saucepan, followed by the broth and coconut milk. Stir well to combine.
  • Crank the heat up to medium high and bring the mixture to a boil. Then, decrease the heat to maintain a simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occassionally.
  • Taste the soup and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper. Ladle up the soup and garnish with basil.

Video

Notes

Leftovers can be stored in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 4 days or frozen for up to 4 months.

Nutrition

Calories: 249kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 19g | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 7g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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About Michelle Tam

Hello! My name is Michelle Tam, and I love to eat. I think about food all the time. It borders on obsession. I’ve always loved the sights and smells of the kitchen. My mother was (and is) an excellent cook, and as a kid, I was her little shadow as she prepared supper each night. From her, I gained a deep, abiding love for magically transforming pantry items into mouth-watering family meals.

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