This velvety smooth gluten free tomato soup has the zesty tomato taste and rich, comforting taste you remember, without any butter. Make the fragrant vegetable base ahead of time, and have tomato soup in an instant!
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Why this is the best gluten free tomato soup you'll ever have
Tomato soup is one of my favorite things to eat, and even a favorite to cook. Just because I cook and bake for a living doesn't mean that I celebrate the task of making a hearty, delicious gluten free dinner on a regular weeknight! But this soup is really easy, can be made in stages, always smells so amazing—and everyone celebrates tomato soup night!
It's a simple, wholesome recipe that uses everyday ingredients. It's also quick to prepare, and you can cook down the grated onions, potatoes, and carrots up to a week ahead of time. Then, just add more packaged stock, canned tomato puree, and more spices to taste, and dinner is served.
If you do make the vegetables ahead of time, be sure to store it in a glass container in your refrigerator. Otherwise, the tomatoes and cooked carrots will stain your lovely plastic containers forever.
This recipe is also naturally dairy free. Make it vegan, too, by just using vegetable stock instead of chicken stock. It's way better than even the best canned tomato soup, and many of those have gluten anyway!
Key ingredients for this gluten free tomato soup recipe
- Onion – Peeled and grated onion is what gives this soup a lot of its umami flavor and some of its sweetness; it's a background flavor, but a really important one. I like to use yellow onions, since they're more economical than Vidalia onions that lose their special flavor as you cook them down.
- Carrots – Grated carrots add lots of natural savory flavor and plenty of sweetness to your tomato soup. Even if you have a family member who hates vegetables, once they're cooked and pureed, they won't even know they're actually there in their “regular” form.
- Potatoes – Grated and cooked potatoes provide a lot of body, some sweetness, and lots of creamy texture to this soup. I don't peel them, and usually use the bigger roasting potatoes since we want them mostly for the starch and those are the easiest potatoes to grate. If you want to replace the potatoes, you can actually use shredded zucchini instead. Amazing, but it works almost exactly the same!
- Olive oil – We cook all the vegetables in a really nice flavored extra virgin olive oil. A relatively full-bodied olive oil works well, but really any will do since we're using it as a cooking oil, not using it raw.
- Garlic – You don't actually have to flavor the oil by cooking some crushed and peeled garlic cloves in it. Sometimes I use the jarred minced garlic instead, and sometimes I just leave out the garlic entirely.
- Salt and pepper – Salt brightens the flavor of your tomato soup, and pepper gives it some zestiness. You can always add more salt and/or pepper at the end, to taste.
- Oregano – Dried oregano adds a ton of strongly aromatic, earthy flavor, especially when you cook it with the grated vegetables. Cooking it also softens its natural woodsiness.
- Tomato paste – I use at least 4 tablespoons of tomato paste in this soup, since it adds so much concentrated tomato flavor along with some subtle sweetness.
- Tomato puree – My favorite brand of canned tomato puree is Cento, and I use it for everything from gf enchilada sauce to a simple, easy tomato marinara. It's rich, smooth, and adds so much more flavor than pureeing whole peeled tomatoes. But if you can't find it, or just don't have it, puree canned tomatoes and add a bit more tomato paste. Your soup will still taste amazing.
- Stock – I usually use Pacific brand organic chicken stock in this recipe (and in most recipes that call for stock), since I love the deep flavor and complex aroma, but you can also use your favorite vegetable stock. Be sure it's something you'd like to have alone, though, or it won't add much to the soup. Just read the label carefully and be sure that whatever brand you choose doesn't have any hidden sources of gluten.
- Coconut cream – If you love a creamier soup, or you taste it and you'd prefer a slightly smoother, less acidic flavor, add 1/4 cup of canned coconut cream. It will balance your soup perfectly. If you can have dairy, you can also use heavy whipping cream.
Tips for making a delicious gluten free tomato soup
Look for hidden sources of gluten
Look for the “certified gluten free” label on all your prepared ingredients, like tomato puree, tomato paste, and stock. Some stocks and bouillons contain hidden sources of gluten, sometimes in the flavoring.
Make sure your veggies are cool before blending
Your grated vegetables will be very hot after they finish cooking down, and if you try to puree them when they're still hot in a closed blender or food processor, your soup can explode. If you can't wait for everything to cool down enough, try using an immersion blender right there in the pot.
Season at the end (if you need to)
The recipe specifies just enough salt to enhance and brighten the natural flavors in the vegetables and the tomatoes, plus as much pepper and oregano as I like to taste in my tomato soup. If you prefer a stronger oregano flavor, more peppery bite, or your foods more salty, taste the finished soup and add more of your favorite spices then. Remember, you can always add more, but you really can't take anything out!
Serving gluten free tomato soup
Tomato soup is begging to be served with other crispy, creamy, crunchy textures. Here are a few of my favorite ways to serve it:
- The classic side for tomato soup, and the one that you see in these photos, is grilled cheese, cooked in a a hot skillet until delightfully crispy. My favorite bread for making gf grilled cheese is our gluten free Japanese milk bread, since it's so tender but toasts so beautifully. Gluten free challah is also a natural choice.
- Our buttery gluten free drop biscuits are also a great choice, if you can have butter. But click through for suggestions on how to make them dairy free, too.
- For a heartier texture, try serving a big slice of gluten free cornbread on the side.
- For some crunch, try serving with a batch of cheesy gluten free goldfish crackers or copycat gluten free “Ritz” crackers.
How to store leftover gf tomato soup for later
If you have leftover tomato soup, lucky you! You can store it in the refrigerator in a stain-proof container (tomatoes stain plastic containers unless they are stain resistant) like a glass mason jar for up to a week. It will thicken quite a bit when it's cold, so reheat it in a saucepan with some added stock or even some water.
Freezing tomato soup
This soup also freezes really well, for longer storage (up to 3 months). Be sure to freeze it in a stain-proof, freezer-safe container with plenty of room for it to expand in the freezer, so your jar doesn't explode. Let it defrost in the refrigerator, and then reheat as described above.
Gluten free tomato soup: substitutes
Naturally gluten free, dairy free tomato soup
This soup recipe is naturally gluten free, since it's made without butter or dairy-based creams, and naturally thickened.
Vegan, gluten free tomato soup
To make your soup vegan, just use gluten free vegetable stock in place of chicken stock.
How to make creamy tomato soup
I like to add some coconut cream at the end, to finish the soup. I'll add more if the canned tomatoes were more acidic than usual, which you can tell by tasting with a clean spoon at the end. You can also use heavy whipping cream, if you're not avoiding dairy.
FAQs
Are tomatoes gluten free?
Yes! Tomatoes, like all fresh fruits and vegetables, are naturally gluten free.
Are canned tomatoes gluten free?
Most canned tomatoes in all their basic forms (whole peeled, diced, puree) are naturally gluten free, but read those labels carefully to avoid any hidden sources of gluten, like wheat gluten.
Does tomato paste have gluten?
Most tomato paste has one ingredient: tomatoes. So like plain tomatoes, it's naturally gluten free. Again, check for additives, though.
Is tomato soup gluten free?
Tomato soup is often gluten free, but not always. Some canned soups contain gluten-containing thickeners, like wheat flour.
Is Campbell's tomato soup gluten free?
No! Campbell's soups, including their condensed tomato soup, are not gluten free.
What brand of tomato soup is gluten free?
Imagine Foods brand creamy tomato basil soup is gluten free. So are Pacific brands organic creamy tomato soup and Kettle & Fire brand tomato soup. Many of the other available brands are either gluten-containing, or made on shared equipment with wheat-containing products.
Is tomato soup bad for you?
Tomato soup seems like a pretty healthy option, unless you're on a salt-sensitive diet, since canned versions have lots of sodium.
What's the difference between tomato soup and tomato bisque?
Tomato bisque is sometimes made with a shellfish base, instead of a chicken or vegetable stock base. It also tends to have a fair amount of heavy cream.
Can I use fresh tomatoes to make this gluten free tomato soup recipe?
I've never made this tomato soup using fresh tomatoes, but I think it would work really well if you roasted them first in some salt, pepper, and olive oil until very soft and fragrant, peeled them, and pureed everything.
How to thicken up tomato soup without gluten?
This soup is naturally thickened with cooked, pureed vegetables and tomato paste. There's no need for a roux like we use for gf turkey gravy. If you want your soup to be thicker, just use less chicken stock! If you've already added more stock than you'd like, just simmer the soup with the lid off until it reduces because the extra water has evaporated.
What if my gluten free tomato soup is too thick?
If your soup is thicker than you'd like, just thin it with more stock! You can also even just add some warm water if you don't plan to add much and your soup is already very flavorful.
Homemade Gluten Free Tomato Soup Recipe | Rich and Dairy Free Too
Equipment
- Large, heavy bottom saucepan
- Blender
Ingredients
- 1 medium yellow onion peeled
- 2 large carrots peeled
- 2 large roasting potatoes peeled
- 3 tablespoons (42 g) extra virgin olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic crushed whole and peeled (optional)
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
- ⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons dried oregano
- 4 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 cups (16 fluid ounces) vegetable or chicken stock
- 1 28- ounce can tomato puree (or whole peeled tomatoes)
- ¼ cup canned coconut cream at room temperature (optional)
Instructions
- On a standard-size box grater, grate the peeled onion, carrots, and potatoes. Set the vegetables aside.
- In a large, heavy-bottom saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium-low heat for about 1 minute or until it begins to ripple.
- Add the (optional) garlic cloves to the oil. Cook for about 1 minute, stirring frequently, until the garlic is browned and fragrant. Remove the garlic cloves and dispose of them.
- To the fragrant hot oil, add the grated onion, carrots, potatoes, salt, pepper, oregano, and tomato paste, and stir to combine.
- Cook the vegetables, stirring occasionally to prevent burning, until the vegetables are very soft, the onions and garlic translucent, and everything is very fragrant (about 8 minutes).
- For the softest vegetables, reduce the heat to low, cover the pan and cook for another 2 minutes, undisturbed.
- Remove the saucepan from the heat, and transfer the cooked vegetables and oil to a blender (if it’s a small blender, transfer one half at a time) and allow to cool until no longer hot to the touch.
- Add as much of the stock as necessary to allow the vegetables to be blended fully. Puree the vegetables in the blender until very smooth.
- Return the pureed vegetables to the saucepan. If you are using whole, peeled canned tomatoes, blend them into a puree now.
- Add the tomato puree and the remaining stock to the saucepan, and stir to combine.
- Add the optional coconut cream and stir to combine fully.
- Heat the mixture, stirring frequently to prevent it from bubbling over, until warmed throughout. Serve immediately.
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Thanks for stopping by!
Hi, I’m Nicole. I create gluten free recipes that really work and taste as good as you remember. No more making separate meals when someone is GF, or buying packaged foods that aren’t good enough to justify the price. At Gluten Free on a Shoestring, “good, for gluten free” just isn’t good enough! Come visit my bio!
Judy Hunt says
Can I turn this recipe into tomato basil soup by adding fresh basil? I would omit the oregano. How much basil would you suggest?
Judy
Nicole Hunn says
You could try blending a handful of fresh basil leaves into the soup, Judy. I’ve never tried it, though, so you’ll have to experiment!
Barbara says
This sounds delicious but I am going try using my stick blender instead of transferring it to my regular blender. I have used it many times before and it works so much easier and faster.
Thank you for so many wonderful recipes.
Nikki says
Definitely let ingredients cool down a bit if using a Ninja type blender.
jeriann hughes/marks says
You are amazing!
Nicole Hunn says
I’m not sure why, but thanks, Jeriann! You’re not so bad yourself. :)
Valerie Kisamore says
I think I will try this soup to use up the last of this year’s garden – roma tomatoes. Yum.
Brenda R. says
Thank you for the Recipe. You are inspiring. I will be getting your books from Amazon. :D
Nicole Hunn says
You’re so welcome, Brenda! That’s so kind of you to say.