I created this rich and creamy tomato bisque with cashews to use up overripe tomatoes. You know the ones, too squishy to slice for sandwich but with enough life in them to avoid the compost. Roasting the tomatoes brings out their natural sweetness, while cashews and miso paste creates a creamy soup with plenty of savoury depth. It's easy enough to make on a weeknight but feels fancy enough to serve guests. Love that!
Meal-prepping soup? Try my butter bean soup, pumpkin lentil soup or vegan chicken noodle soup with jackfruit.
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What is Tomato Bisque?
Tomato bisque is a smooth, creamy tomato soup with a rich, velvety texture. While traditional bisques are often made with shellfish, tomato bisque has become a popular plant-based version, typically made with tomatoes, aromatics and cream.
For this dairy-free version, I'm using my old friend, cashews to create that same luxurious texture without the cream. Yes, I use them in my zucchini soup and pumpkin soup, too.
Why This Recipe Works
Ingredients & Substitutions
Tomatoes. Use ripe plum or vine-ripened varieties.
Garlic. 4 cloves!
Onion. Sautéed onion provides aroma and sweetness to our soup base.
Miso Paste. A white miso (Shiro) works best here. It is lighter and sweeter than the darker varieties.
Cashews. Raw cashews blend into a creamy, velvety soup and help replace the richness of dairy cream. If you can't eat nuts, see the FAQs for a plant-based cream alternative.
Stock. I use salt-free vegetable stock so I can control the seasoning. If you're using regular stock, taste before adding extra salt. You can also replace the stock with water if you prefer.
Step-by-Step Guide
You'll find full instructions and measurements in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
Step 1. Roast the tomatoes
Preheat oven to 190℃(375℉) and transfer tomatoes and garlic to a large roasting tray. Toss a tablespoon of olive oil and pop in the oven for around 50 minutes or until the tomatoes have collapsed and the garlic cloves are soft.
Step 2. Cook the onions and add the miso
Around 10 minutes before the tomatoes are done, heat another tablespoon of olive oil in a soup pot or large saucepan and sauté the onions until soft. Stir in the miso paste and a cup of vegetable stock.
Step 3. Add the cashews
Add the cashews and water and simmer for 10 minutes, or until the cashews begin to soften.
Step 4. Add the tomatoes and garlic
Transfer tomatoes and garlic. Once the roasted tomatoes have collapsed and the garlic cloves are soft, remove them from the oven. When cool enough to handle, carefully squeeze the garlic to remove the skins. Add them and the tomatoes to the soup pot and give it a good stir. Season with pepper and bring to the boil, before lowering the heat and simmering for another 10 minutes.
Step 5. Rest and blend
Remove from the heat and cool the soup for 5 minutes. Transfer the soup in batches to a blender and blend until smooth. Taste and season if needed and serve with crusty bread or a green salad.
What to Serve with Tomato Bisque
Make it a meal with these serving suggestions:
Storage
Tomato bisque keeps in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
FAQs
Cashews are my preferred "make creamy" tool, but if you can't eat nuts, you can add a cup of dairy-free cream (try Oatly or Flora) to your bisque just before blending.
Tomato soup can range from light and broth-based to thick and creamy. A bisque is generally a smoother, richer soup with a velvety texture, traditionally made with cream or other rich ingredients. This tomato bisque uses cashews to create that creamy consistency without dairy.
Try These Soups and Stews
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Make This Recipe
Tomato Bisque
Equipment
- 1 Soup Pot or large saucepan
- 1 roasting tray
- 1 stand blender or immersion blender
Ingredients
- 1.5 kg ripe tomatoes 3 lb, plum or vine-ripened, quartered
- 5 garlic cloves skins on
- 2 tablespoon olive oil divided
- 1 onion yellow (medium)
- 3 tablespoon white miso paste
- 1 cup raw cashews
- 1 cup vegetable stock (low sodium) 250ml
- 1 cup water 250ml
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Roast the tomatoes and garlic. Preheat oven to 190℃(375℉) and pop the tomatoes and garlic into a large roasting tray. Drizzle with half the olive oil and toss to combine. Roast in the oven for around 50 minutes or until the tomatoes have collapsed and the garlic cloves are soft. Remove the tray from the oven and set aside.
- Sauté the onion and add miso. Towards the end of the tomato roasting time, heat the second tablespoon of olive oil in a large pan over medium heat and add the diced onion. Sauté, stirring occasionally, for around 5 minutes or until the onion is soft. Stir in the miso paste and the stock.
- Add cashews. Add the cashews and a cup of water and bring the liquid to a simmer. Continue cooking for around 10 minutes or until the cashews are beginning to soften.
- Transfer tomatoes and garlic. Once the roasted tomatoes have collapsed and the garlic cloves are soft, remove them from the oven. When cool enough to handle, carefully squeeze the garlic to remove the skins. Add them and the tomatoes to the soup pot and give it a good stir. Season with pepper and bring to the boil, before lowering the heat and simmering another 10 minutes.
- Blend. Remove from the heat and cool the soup for 5 minutes. Transfer the soup in batches to a blender and blend until smooth. Taste and season if needed and serve with crusty bread or a green salad.
Nutritional Disclaimer
The nutritional information is an estimate only and is automatically calculated using online tools. For accurate results, we recommend calculating the nutritional information based on the ingredients and brands you use.
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