Instant Pot Tomato Soup

Instant Pot Tomato Soup is a quick and easy way of cooking this classic comfort food. Filled with garden-fresh tomatoes and simple herbs, it’s the best lunch or dinner to enjoy throughout the end of summer and fall.

As a gardener, making tomato soup is how I transition between summer and fall. When the tomato plants are booming, I know it’s time to make this Instant Pot Tomato Soup recipe. It’s the best way to showcase their delicious flavors before they’re done for the season.

Every spoonful of this comforting vegetarian soup is filled with fresh tomatoes, onions, garlic, basil, oregano, and vegetable broth. It’s naturally gluten free, easy to modify, and finished with coconut milk to make it extra creamy. The best part is the Instant Pot does most of the work and cooks the soup in a fraction of the time!

Are you looking for even more Instant Pot soups to try? Then you’ll love this Healing Chicken Soup, Minestrone Soup, and Tomato Gnocchi Soup.

Ingredient notes

A handful of fresh vegetables and Italian herbs fill this soup with decadence. These are the ingredients you need:

• Tomatoes – I used homegrown Roma and Costolo Fiorentino tomatoes for this recipe. Meaty varieties are always best when you’re making homemade tomato soup or tomato sauce because of their sweet and earthy notes. Regardless, try to choose garden-fresh and/or organic tomatoes to help the soup taste as fresh as possible.
• Oil and butter – The fat in both olive oil and melted unsalted butter brings richness and depth to the soup.
• White onion and garlic – This aromatic pair is necessary for a deep and savory baseline of flavor.
• Herbs – Like dried oregano and fresh basil.
• Vegetable broth – Chicken broth also works if you don’t need the soup to be vegetarian.
• Coconut milk – This is optional but makes the tomato soup much creamier. Heavy cream works too!
• Parmesan cheese – Optional, but recommended.

How to make tomato soup in the Instant Pot

Making tomato soup with fresh tomatoes has never been easier. Once you finish chopping the ingredients, you can sit back and let the Instant Pot take care of the rest: 

Step 1: Turn Saute mode on the Instant Pot and add the oil and butter. 

Step 2: Saute the onion in the pot before adding the garlic, oregano, and basil. Season with salt and pepper and cook until the garlic and herbs are fragrant. Finish by adding the tomatoes and vegetable broth.

Step 3: Turn off Saute mode, then secure the lid and make sure the pressure valve is locked. Cook on high pressure, then let the pressure natural release. Quick release the remaining pressure. 

Step 4: Use a blender to pulse the soup until smooth. Pour it back into the pot and add the coconut milk to make it creamy. Turn on Saute mode again to warm up the soup, then serve.

Stovetop instructions

This recipe is easy to adapt for the stovetop if you don’t have an Instant Pot:

Step 1: Heat the oil and butter over medium heat in a large soup pot. Saute the onion in the pot before adding the garlic, spices, and seasonings. Cook until fragrant. Now you can stir in the tomatoes and broth. 

Step 2: Bring the mixture up to a gentle simmer and cook for 30 to 35 minutes. Blend the soup until smooth, then stir in the coconut milk until thoroughly combined.

Variations

This recipe is already naturally gluten free and vegetarian, however, there are plenty of other customizations you can make:

• Paleo and Whole30 tomato soup – Replace the unsalted butter with ghee. Also, make sure your coconut milk doesn’t contain any off-plan ingredients. 
• Dairy free and vegan tomato soup – Replace the unsalted butter with your favorite non-dairy butter substitute and omit the parmesan cheese.
• Low carb Instant Pot tomato soup – Use heavy cream instead of coconut milk for a high fat, low carb variation.

Serving suggestions

A big bowl of tomato soup calls for a grilled cheese sandwich or meat-packed barbacoa grilled cheese. Alternatively, you can keep it simple and dip a few slices of artisan bread in the soup or top the bowl with homemade croutons and shredded parmesan.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need to peel tomatoes for soup?
There’s no need to peel the tomatoes. Between the high-pressure cooking and blending, the peels are fully incorporated into the soup when it’s finished.

Should I remove tomato seeds for soup?
Since the seeds don’t affect the flavor and removing them is a hassle, I left them in. There are no visible signs of seeds by the time it’s finished blending.

How long does it take to make tomato soup in the Instant Pot?
The soup cooks on high pressure for 12 minutes and it takes 10 to 15 minutes for the pot to preheat. Once the timer stops, the pressure will release naturally for 10 minutes.

Storing

To store: This recipe yields a big batch! If you have leftovers, let them cool completely, then store them in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days. 
To freeze: Let the soup cool before pouring it into an airtight freezer-safe container. Keep it in the freezer for up to 5 months and let it thaw in the fridge before reheating.

Looking for more ways to use homegrown tomatoes?

• Roasted Tomato Sauce
• Tomato Stuffed Eggplant
• Heirloom Tomato Salad
• Multi-Purpose Tomato Sauce