Instant Pot Tomato Soup

Instant Pot Tomato Soup is the easiest way to make homemade tomato soup! You get all the flavor of a slow simmered soup in much less time. The recipe is super customizable, so you can make it any way you like whether that’s the classic version you see here, extra creamy, spicy, and more.

about this instant pot tomato soup

Is there anything better than a smooth and creamy bowl of tomato soup?

It’s one of my favorite soups to dip my grilled cheese into, and it just brings back all the fond childhood comfort memories.

Babycakes might not have any interest in the soup at the moment, but I know one day I’ll share memories of devouring piping hot bowls of this instant pot tomato soup on a cold day.

There are so many ways to make tomato soup. Some like it pure and simple, whereas others like to make it spicy. There are those who love to make the soup creamy, and those who love to add in extra vegetables.

So today, I am dedicating this post to all those tomato soup lovers out there who want to have the BEST base soup recipe (that’s ready in a fraction of the time!). This is the easy tomato soup that you can come back to time and time again, but it also ideal for trying out new variations of – those are all listed further down in the post.

I hope that this soup becomes a treasured recipe in your household, particularly on these chilly winter days.

If you need another cozy meal for the Instant Pot, check out this Instant Pot pot roast recipe with potatoes, carrots, and gravy all made in one pot!

ingredients

olive oil. Use extra virgin olive oil for this recipe. You can also use canola oil.

onion. You will need one medium sweet yellow onion for this recipe. I like to use the sweeter onion because I think it’s a better pairing for the tomatoes. You can also use a white onion if you prefer.

garlic. As you know by now, I love always having a jar of minced garlic living in my fridge. It saves me the time on busy nights when I don’t want to deal with peeling and mincing by hand.

broth. Either vegetable broth or chicken broth will work in this recipe. I personally prefer the flavor of chicken broth and I recommend using low-sodium, no matter which you choose.

carrots. Fresh carrots are best here! Don’t worry about chopping them finely, you are blending everything together at the end.

tomatoes. I highly recommend using San Marzano canned tomatoes here. You can use crushed, diced, or whole and peeled depending on what your local supermarket carries.

sugar. All you need is granulated sugar.

tomato paste. If you can pick up tomato paste in a tube instead of a can, that’s my biggest tip! Best way to ensure you use the tomato paste without having to waste the rest of what you don’t use in the can.

fresh herbs. For this soup, I used fresh basil and fresh oregano. If you want, you can also throw in some fresh thyme!

paprika. Use smoked paprika if you can!

salt and pepper. Make sure to have the kosher salt and ground black handy because you will need it to season along the way.

this recipe’s must haves

You will need a chef’s knife and a cutting board to prep the ingredients for this recipe.

To cook, all you need is your favorite Instant Pot! I love my Instant Pot Duo Crisp Ultimate Lid because it’s everything you could ever want in an Instant Pot. I also used the Instant Pot Duo for years and it’s a workhorse too.

instant pot favorites

Instant Pot Duo Crisp Ultimate Lid

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Instant Pot Duo

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Instant Pot Pro

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here’s how to make instant pot tomato soup

sauté

Turn on the Instant Pot to the sauté setting. Add oil and once the oil is hot, add onion. Cook, stirring occasionally for 3 to 5 minutes, until the onion has softened. Add garlic and cook for another 30 seconds until fragrant.

deglaze

Pour in 1 cup broth and use a wooden spoon to scrape the bottom of the insert. Make sure that you get all the browned bits off the bottom. This will help you avoid the “burn” notice during pressure cooking.

pressure cook

Stir in carrots, tomatoes, sugar, tomato paste, herbs, and spices. Cook on High pressure for 15 minutes. Allow pressure to naturally release for 10 minutes before manually releasing any remaining pressure.

puree

Use an immersion blender to blend until smooth. You can also use a blender or food processor to puree in batches.

Taste and adjust seasoning as desired. If the soup is too thick, I have tips on how to adjust the consistency below!

tips for success

use fresh herbs. Fresh herbs are so much better in terms of flavor than dried for this soup. I recommend using them if you can! However, if you can’t find them, you can also use dried herbs. Simply use half the amount listed for fresh herbs.

note the time. Please note that the cook time doesn’t reflect that time that it takes for the Instant Pot to come to pressure. This usually adds on about 5 to 10 minutes to the total time. Time to come to pressure depends on the pressure cooker you have.

More Instant Pot meals to try: Instant Pot Chicken Stew | Instant Pot Creole Chicken Sausage Soup | Instant Pot Carne Asada Chili | Instant Pot Pumpkin Chicken Curry | Pumpkin and Sweet Potato Soup

my soup is too thick, can I make it thinner?

If you prefer a thinner consistency to your soup, simply add in more broth! I start by adding a 1/2 cup at a time until it reaches the thickness (or thinness) you prefer. I wouldn’t add more that 1 1/2 cups broth as it will change the overall flavor too much. Be sure to taste and season along the way!

how can I make this soup spicy?

I love to make this soup spicy by adding cayenne pepper! I add it in 1/4 tsp at a time until it reaches the right heat level for me. You can also use your favorite hot sauce (we like using Sriracha in our house!). Make sure that you add a little bit at a time, because it’s easier to add more. It’s impossible to take it away!

can I freeze this tomato soup?

Yes, this is a great recipe to freeze! If you are freezing it, just make sure that you do not add cream to it. Creamy soups do not freeze well. Cool the soup before adding to your freezer-safe storage container. It can be kept up to 3 months in the freezer. Defrost in the refrigerator overnight or in a pot on the stove.

Need some more inspiration for the Instant Pot? Check out my Instant Pot recipes page!

the ultimate guide to variations

make it creamy. To make a creamy tomato soup, add 1/4 cup to 1/2 cup heavy cream after cooking. Blend and adjust seasoning to taste. If you are keeping this recipe vegan, use coconut milk or coconut cream.

make it spicy. I like to use about 1/4 to 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper for heat in my tomato soup. However you can also use your favorite hot sauce! Start small, taste and add from there. You can always add more but it’s impossible to take it away!

add curry paste. Curry tomato soup is such a comforting flavor, so you can make your own by adding 1 to 2 teaspoons red curry paste when you add in the tomato paste.

add bell pepper. When sautéing the onion, add in a chopped red bell pepper for red bell pepper tomato soup.

add spinach. Bulk up the soup by adding 3 to 4 oz fresh spinach leaves at the end of cooking (after you puree the soup). It will wilt after about a minute in the hot soup.

top it off. Top it off with croutons, oyster crackers, shaved parmesan cheese, crispy chickpeas, or a drizzle of pesto.

what to serve with instant pot tomato soup recipe

What goes better with delicious instant pot tomato soup than grilled cheese sandwiches? Here are my personal favorite twists on the classic grilled cheese sandwich to check out:

Pesto Grilled Cheese (Two Ways!)

Inverted French Baguette Grilled Cheese

Cornbread Waffle Grilled Cheese

Tomato & Provolone Grilled Cheese

Kimchi Grilled Cheese

Or maybe you prefer your soup with a side of bread instead? My no yeast white bread is an easy way to bake bread for soup nights! Another crusty bread option is this harvest pumpkin seed bread.

For dessert check out the best vegan chocolate chip cookies for the ultimate comfort meal!

how to store and reheat

Store. Once cooled, store soup in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Reheat. Reheat on the stove over medium-low heat, or gently in the microwave.

Freeze. Store in airtight freezer-safe containers in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating on the stove or in the microwave.

Finally, if you make this instant pot tomato soup, please be sure to give this recipe a rating or leave a comment! I love to hear when you all make recipes, and I do take the time to respond to every single comment. Feel free to drop questions below too, if you have them!

Oh and be sure to tag me on Instagram if you make the recipe! I love being able to see these recipes come to life in your homes – it’s my favorite thing to look through those photos. It really means the world to me!