Why do you add baking soda to homemade tomato soup?

And the combination of baking soda and sugar completely eliminates the tomatoes' acidity, allowing their rich flavor to shine through .

Is Instant Pot soup high or low pressure?

The Soup setting on the Instant Pot operates by using high pressure to create a sealed cooking environment. It brings the contents of the pot to a boil, allowing flavors to infuse and ingredients to become tender.

Do you have to remove seeds from tomatoes for soup?

You don't need to worry about removing the seeds if you're making a soup or sauce . The seeds will actually add an extra dimension to your dish and if you blend well you won't have to worry about them getting stuck in your teeth. It's a different story if you're making a salad, salsa, omelette or casserole.

What setting is soup broth on Instant Pot?

Select “Manual” (if you have a newer Instant Pot and don't have a manual option, select “Soup/Broth” and make sure the setting is on “ High Pressure ”) and adjust the time to 120 minutes. When cooking time is done, allow pressure to naturally release (this should take 20-30 minutes).

What is the disadvantage of using baking soda to vegetables?

This is a bad practice, however, and you should avoid adding baking soda when boiling any type of vegetable. It has various unwelcome effects, such as softening the vegetable, altering the vegetable's flavor, destroying thiamine content, and hastening the loss of vitamin C .

Should I strain my homemade tomato soup?

I find it unnecessary and also time-consuming to strain the soup through a fine-mesh strainer . In my opinion, the tomato skin is barely noticeable after pureeing the soup to a super smooth consistency. Also, leaving in the skin and bits of pulp will keep the added fiber and other nutrients in the soup.

Can you leave skin on tomatoes when making soup?

If you are making a tomato soup that is blended at the end to ensure the consistency is perfect, then you could leave the skins on the tomatoes , but personally, I still take them off.

How do you get lumps out of tomato soup?

After simmering, use an immersion blender to puree the soup until completely smooth (alternatively, puree the soup in batches using a traditional blender and then return to the pot). Stir in cream and baking soda, stirring until smooth, cohesive in color, and not foamy .

What does baking soda do to soup?

Adding baking soda to a soup raises the pH and contributes sodium ions , both of which make the pectin that holds many vegetables' cell walls together break down faster. The result? Restaurant-level creaminess.

What does baking soda do when added to soup?

And adding a ½ teaspoon of baking soda to simmering carrots or broccoli for pureed soups helps the vegetables break down quickly and create restaurant-level creaminess .

What does baking soda do to tomato sauce?

If your tomato sauce is too acidic and verging on bitter, turn to baking soda, not sugar. Yes, sugar might make the sauce taste better, but good old baking soda is an alkaline that will help balance the excess acid . A little pinch should do the trick.

Instant Pot Tomato Soup Recipe - Peas and Crayons (2024)

Home » Soups » Instant Pot Tomato Soup

Published: January 30, 2019Updated: March 24, 2022Author: Jenn Laughlin

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Instant Pot Tomato Soup is an easy peasy twist on a comfort food classic! The IP locks in flavor and gives this vegetarian soup a slow-simmered taste in a fraction of the time. Love it so!

Last week I tweaked my classicFire-Roasted Tomato Soupa bit and tested it out in the Instant Pot.

The results were *delicious* and I loved that I could just toss the IP pot in the dish-washer when I was done.It was so easy and, after a quick little sauté of the onions for extra flavor, so hands off!

The leftovers can be frozen (WOOT!) and it’s a great make-ahead option for those of you who like to meal prep. It tastes fantastic the next day (and the day after that!) and is perfect “fast food” when you need to be warmed up on a chilly day. Snag a bowl to reheat at your desk at work or simply snuggle up at home after a long day with a speedy dinner.

serving suggestions

topped with garlickyCrispy Roasted Parmesan Chickpeasor spicyCrispy Roasted Shawarma Chickpeas
served alongside a leafy green salad or a side of roasted veggies.
paired with a melty grilled cheese or veggie-packedpanini for dunking
or simply snag some buttery croutons and toss ’em on top

No Instant Pot? No problem! I’ll include stove-top instructions below the recipe card.

As written the soup is gloriously vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free. It’s technically paleo and whole30 friendly too and can be made with chicken broth if preferred. Just ignore those melty grilled cheese photos, lol.The toppings and mix-ins are where you can have a little bit of fun based on diet and preferences (just choose what works for you!) so feel free to mix things up a bit and add what works for you!

If you’re jonesin’ for a creamy tomato soup, I’ll include a few dairy options for ya too. We’ve tried this scrumptious soup with cream and also with cream cheese and have basically swooned over the results!

This easy peasy Instant Pot Tomato Soup serves 4. The leftovers are amazing so feel free to incorporate this soup into your meal planning and meal-prep routine or even freeze a bowl for a rainy day!

Instant Pot Tomato Soup

Instant Pot Tomato Soup is an easy peasy twist on a comfort food classic! The IP locks in flavor and gives this vegetarian soup a slow-simmered taste in a fraction of the time.

4.87 from 88 votes

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Course: Soup

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Instant Pot Tomato Soup

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes

pressurize/depressurize time: 15 minutes minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes minutes

Servings: 4 servings

Author: Jenn Laughlin - Peas and Crayons

Ingredients

1 Vidalia onion, diced
3 large carrots, chopped
2 cloves garlic minced
1 TBSP extra virgin olive oil
28 oz canned crushed or diced tomatoes
1 cup low-sodium vegetable broth or chicken broth
1-2 tsp sugar (optional)
1 TBSP tomato paste
¼ cup chopped fresh basil or 1/2-1 TBSP dried basil plus extra to garnish
¼ tsp dried oregano
salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Switch your pressure cooker to the SAUTE function and sauté onion in 1 TBSP oil for 3-5 minutes, until edges are golden and tender. Add garlic at very end and cook 30 seconds more while stirring.
To deglaze any browned bits of onion from the pot, add vegetable broth and scrape with spatula. (This adds flavor to the broth and helps prevent the IP's auto-shutoff "burn" feature.)
Add chopped carrots, seasoning (salt, pepper, oregano, basil, and optional sugar) along with canned tomatoes and tomato paste.
Set to HIGH pressure for 15 minutes and allow to come to pressure, allowing a natural pressure release for about 10 minutes.
Use a hand held immersion blenderto puree until fabulously smooth. You can also blend the soup, in two batches, in your blender or food processor.
Lastly, give the soup a taste and adjust broth/tomato/seasoning to taste, adding any extra of whatever you prefer to get your ideal thickness and flavor. Additional broth can be added for a thinner soup and 3-4 ounces of cream cheese or heavy cream can be added (after cooking) for a creamy soup. Simply add extra spices to compensate for any additions and taste as you go. Easy peasy!
Serve piping hot with a melty grilled cheese sandwich and enjoy!

Notes

Craving a creamy tomato soup? AFTER pressure cooking, simply add 2-3 oz of cream cheese or 1/4-1/2 cup of heavy cream and blend into soup until smooth and creamy. For vegan mix-ins, try your favorite cashew cream or even a little coconut milk.

Nutrition Facts below are an estimate gathered using an online recipe nutrition calculator. Adjust as needed and enjoy!

OPTIONAL EXTRAS

freshly grated parmesan cheese
grilled cheese
vegan grilled cheese
croutons
garlic parmesan roasted chickpeas

Nutrition Facts below are estimated using an online recipe nutrition calculator. Adjust as needed and enjoy!

Nutrition

Calories: 137kcal, Carbohydrates: 25g, Protein: 4g, Fat: 4g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Fiber: 6g, Sugar: 14g, Vitamin A: 8335IU, Vitamin C: 25mg, Calcium: 94mg, Iron: 3mg

Did you make this recipe?I want to see! Tag @peasandcrayons on Instagram and Facebook!

stove-top instructions

Sauté onions and carrots in 1-2 TBSP olive oil until tender.
Next add garlic and cook for an additional 30 sec until fragrant.
Season with salt and pepper.
Add tomato paste and cook until toasted, approx. 1 minute.
Next, add tomatoes, broth, and bail and let simmer for 25 minutes, until the vegetables are tender and the flavors have melded together.
Use a hand held immersion blenderto puree until fabulously smooth. You can also blend the soup, in two batches, in your blender or food processor.
Lastly, give the soup a taste and adjust broth/tomato/seasoning to taste, adding any extra of whatever you prefer to get your ideal thickness and flavor. Add the optional sugar to cut the acidity if needed. Additional broth can be added for a thinner soup and 3-4 ounces of cream cheese or heavy cream can be added for a creamy soup.Simply add extra spices to compensate for any additions and taste as you go. Easy peasy! Garnish with basil and dive in while it’s hot!

HUNGRY FOR MORE?

NEW! Garlic Roasted Tomato Flatbread Pizza
Vegan Grilled Cheese Sandwiches – Three Ways
Brie Grilled Cheese– perfect for dunking in this tomato soup!
Spaghetti Squash Parmesan

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About The Author:

Jenn Laughlin

Hi! I’m Jenn and I’m here to help you eat your veggies! It'll be fun, painless, and pretty darn delicious as I teach you to plan your meals around fresh, seasonal produce with a little help from healthy freezer and pantry staples.

Learn More

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