This tomato bisque is rich and creamy, but there’s no dairy in it at all! You won’t believe the secret ingredient that helps us achieve that velvety smooth texture.
I first posted this easy tomato bisque soup recipe many, many years ago, and I have to say, even after all this time, it’s still one of my favorites. While this is a vegan soup, it has that creamy consistency of a bisque made with heavy cream—but the secret is to use quinoa.
Yes, really!
The trick to making this soup super thick is by cooking the tomatoes and broth with quinoa. We start by sautéing the onions and garlic, adding the tomatoes and then stirring in some quinoa and vegetable broth. Then once the quinoa gets nice and fluffy, you blend everything up until smooth.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Easy to make. This is a one-pot soup recipe that takes less than 30 minutes to make, but it has the flavor of a soup that’s been simmering away on the stovetop for hours.
- Rich but vegan. You’ll never guess that this simple and creamy bisque is made without any dairy! It has the perfect, silky smooth texture, all thanks to quinoa.
- Great for pairing. This is the type of meal lends itself exceedingly well to dipping. From toasty sandwiches, crunchy bread, buttery scones, or even savory English muffins.
What You’ll Need
Scroll down to the recipe card to find the ingredient quantities and recipe instructions.
- Onion – A yellow onion creates a savory base of flavor for this tomato bisque.
- Garlic – Always essential for tomato soup!
- Olive oil
- Canned diced tomatoes – A little shortcut that makes creamy tomato bisque much easier. No peeling tomatoes!
- Seasonings – Sea salt, black pepper, and Italian seasoning, along with chili flakes to taste.
- Vegetable broth – Use a high-quality broth for the best flavor.
- Quinoa – Learn more: All About Quinoa: What Is It and How to Cook It
- Almond milk – Or another unflavored, unsweetened plant milk.
- Nutritional yeast – For cheesy flavor, without the cheese.
How to Make Tomato Bisque
- Cook the aromatics. Heat the oil in a large pot set over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until it’s translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic, salt, pepper and spices; cook until fragrant and the onions are softened, 3 to 5 minutes more.
- Add the tomatoes, broth & quinoa. Add the tomatoes to the pot with 4 cups of broth and the quinoa. Bring the mixture to a boil, cover and turn down to a low boil for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the quinoa is tender.
- Cool. Remove the soup from the heat and cool slightly.
- Blend. Transfer the tomato bisque to a food processor or high powered blender. Blend on high until the soup is smooth and creamy.
- Finish. Return the soup to the pot and stir in the almond milk and chili flakes. Season to taste, then garnish with nutritional yeast.
Tips for Success
- Adjust the consistency. Add more water or broth if you want your soup a bit thinner after blending. (But remember, you’ll also be adding almond milk, so don’t add too much water or broth!)
- Let the soup cool a bit before blending. Steam can build up in your blender or food processor when you blend hot liquids, which can be dangerous. Let the soup cool for about 10 minutes before blending.
- Use an immersion blender if you have one. It’s much safer and easier to blend hot liquids using an immersion blender, so if you have one, use it!
Variations
- Use roasted garlic. If you’d like, you can use an entire head of roasted garlic instead of fresh garlic cloves for a more mellow, subtly sweet flavor.
- Add roasted red peppers. These add some extra sweetness to your tomato bisque.
- Garnish with gusto. Add crispy chickpeas, a swirl of vegan sour cream, or some torn basil leaves on top of your soup.
Serving Suggestions
Pair this tomato bisque with some crusty bread for dipping, or serve it with pesto chickpea melt sandwiches or air fryer grilled cheese on the side. For a lighter meal, serve it with a salad like this quinoa caprese salad.
How to Store Leftovers
Transfer leftover tomato bisque to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 to 4 days. Reheat in a pan on the stovetop or in the microwave.
Can I Freeze This Recipe?
Yes, tomato bisque is very freezer-friendly! Pour it into freezer-safe bags or containers, leave some space for expansion, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating according to the instructions above.
More Tomato Recipes to Try
- Quinoa + Lentil Bolognese with Spaghetti Squash
- One-Pot Italian Quinoa with Tomatoes & Basil
- Spring Vegetable Quinoa Minestrone
- Creamy Italian Quinoa Soup
- Quinoa Stuffed Eggplant with Tahini Sauce
- 30-Minute Vegetarian Spaghetti Squash Boats
Tomato Bisque
Ingredients
- 1 large onion peeled and diced
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 28 oz cans diced tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt more to taste
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper more to taste
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 4 – 6 cups vegetable broth
- 1/2 cup quinoa
- 1/2 – 1 cup almond milk
- Chili flakes to taste
- Nutritional yeast to garnish
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large sauce pot over medium heat. Add the onion and saute until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, salt, pepper and spices, and saute until fragrant and the onions have softened, 3 – 5 more minutes.
- Add the tomatoes to the pot, then add the broth, starting with 4 cups. Pour the quinoa into the soup, bring the mixture to a boil, cover and turn down to a low boil for 10 – 15 minutes until the quinoa is cooked.
- Remove the soup from the heat and let cool slightly before transferring to a food processor or high powered blender. Blend on high until the soup is smooth. Add more water if you want your soup a little more creamy. Return the soup to the pot, stir in the almond milk and season with chili flakes. Taste and adjust seasonings appropriately.
- Serve and garnish with nutritional yeast.
Nutrition
