This rich and creamy tomato soup is made in the Instant Pot for an easy, delicious meal that only takes a few minutes of prep! It’s filled with vegetables but it’s hearty enough to enjoy as a main dish!

tomato soup in a bowl topped with parmesan
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Why I Love This Recipe

There’s nothing better than creamy tomato soup and this recipe makes it so quick and easy to prepare! I love that I can get everything into the Instant Pot in minutes so my hands are free to make grilled cheese sandwiches while the soup is simmering! This is also a great budget-friendly recipe so it’s perfect when you’re feeding a big group.

Instant Pot Tomato Soup Ingredients

  • Olive oil– The oil helps soften the vegetables and enhance the flavors.
  • Onion– I used a small yellow onion but you can substitute it with white onion, if needed.
  • Celery– Celery adds additional flavor and texture to the base of the soup.
  • Carrots– Carrots add an earthy sweetness to this recipe.
  • Garlic– A little garlic adds depth to the flavor of the broth.
  • Tomato paste– This enhances the flavor of the soup to give it a stronger, umami flavor.
  • Crushed tomatoes– Crushed or diced tomatoes will work fine.
  • Fire roasted tomatoes– Adding fire roasted tomatoes adds a slightly smoky flavor.
  • Cream cheese– A little cream cheese helps the soup taste rich and creamy.
Mirepoix on top of a wooden cutting board

What are fire-roasted tomatoes?

Fire-roasted tomatoes are tomatoes that have been roasted over a fire before being canned. These tomatoes add a delicious smoky flavor to the soup. There are lots of different brands, but Muir Glen is my personal favorite. Whatever brand you buy, just make sure there’s no added sugar.

How to Make Tomato Soup in an Instant Pot

Start with a basic mirepoix. Add the olive oil, carrots, celery, and onion and sauté for 3-4 minutes until softened.

chopped vegetables in an instant pot

Add the garlic and tomato paste and sauté for one additional minute.

chopped vegetables in an instant pot

Add the tomatoes and vegetable broth and pressure cook for 13 minutes.

tomato soup in an instant pot

Add the cream cheese and blend until semi-smooth.

creamy tomato soup in a bowl topped with cheese

How to Safely Blend Tomato Soup

  • I prefer to use an immersion blender because it’s a little less messy and I think it’s easier to achieve the right consistency. I like my soup chunky so an immersion blender helps combine all the ingredients without making it too smooth.
  • If you don’t have an immersion blender, you can still blend this soup in a blender. I recommend working in two batches and letting the soup cool slightly before transferring, just so you don’t burn yourself! Remember to allow steam to escape from the blender so the soup doesn’t explode.
  • Do NOT try to blend the hot soup in a bullet style blender like a Nutribullet or Magic Bullet. The steam must escape or you risk an explosion! 
air fryer grilled cheese

What to Serve with Tomato Soup

Grilled cheese is the obvious pairing, but there are plenty of variations to try! Have you made a grilled cheese sandwich in an air fryer? It’s quick and easy, giving you a perfectly crispy sandwich every time! Or try this sweet potato grilled cheese for a twist on the classic sandwich. If you’re like me and you love a crusty loaf of bread with your soup, consider a Wildgrain subscription! They deliver sourdough bread straight to your door and you can keep it in your freezer until you’re ready to enjoy it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make this soup on the stovetop? Yes! I recommend following this creamy tomato soup recipe. The ingredients are the same, but the instructions will walk you through how to prepare it on the stovetop.

Do I have to use an Instant Pot? You can use other brands of pressure cookers, but I tested this recipe in an Instant Pot pressure cooker. If you don’t have a pressure cooker, follow the stovetop preparation linked above.

Can I make this recipe vegan? Yes! You can either skip the cream cheese or use a vegan cream cheese. Or add 1 cup of full-fat coconut milk instead.

Instant Pot Tips

When sautéing the vegetables, be sure to stir them frequently to avoid burning. If any pieces get stuck to the bottom of the pot, be sure to loosen them or remove them before pressure cooking. The Instant Pot has a sensor to prevent food from burning and if it senses anything burning, it will stop the cooking process. To avoid this, be sure there are no small pieces of food stuck to the bottom of the pot.

Be sure to switch from sauté to pressure cook in step 5, in order to properly cook the soup.

Be careful when releasing the pressure as the steam will be hot. I recommend moving the valve with a wooden spoon to keep your hands away from the hot steam.

How to Store Leftovers

Keep leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days. To reheat, microwave on high for 3-4 minutes, stirring every minute, until evenly heated. Alternatively, you can reheat on the stovetop. Add the soup to a saucepan and cook over medium heat until warm. I do not recommend freezing the soup because it contains cream cheese. But if you’d like to freeze the soup, blend the soup without the cream cheese then freeze. Reheat, then add in the cream cheese when ready to serve.

Tomato Soup Topping Ideas

If you want to add even more flavor to this soup, try one of these delicious toppings:

  • Shredded Parmesan cheese- I love a pinch of this salty cheese sprinkled over a bowl of tomato soup.
  • Chopped fresh basil- Fresh basil adds a lovely flavor to this soup.
  • Whole wheat croutons– These homemade croutons are perfect for adding texture and flavor to your bowl of soup.
  • Polenta croutons– These are a slightly sweeter and crunchier type of crouton. They’re also gluten free!
  • Crispy chickpeas– If you like a little crunch, try these crispy chickpeas!
croutons in a bowl

More Tomato Soup Recipes

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Instant Pot Tomato Soup

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 1 review
  • Author: Liz Thomson
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Time to Pressurize: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 15 minutes
  • Total Time: 35 minutes
  • Yield: 8 cups 1x
  • Category: Soup
  • Method: Instant Pot
  • Cuisine: American
  • Diet: Vegetarian
Print Recipe

Description

This creamy tomato soup is made in the Instant Pot for an easy, delicious meal that only takes a few minutes of prep! It’s filled with vegetables, but it’s creamy enough to enjoy as a main dish!

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 large yellow onion, diced
  • 3 large carrots, diced (about 1 1/2 cups)
  • 2 large celery stalks, diced (about 1 cup)
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 1 cup vegetable broth
  • 1 28oz can crushed tomatoes
  • 1 14 oz can fire-roasted tomatoes
  • 4 oz cream cheese
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt (or to taste)

Instructions

  1. Add the olive oil, onion, carrots, and celery to the Instant Pot and set to sauté.
  2. Sauté stirring frequently for 3-4 minutes.
  3. Add the garlic and tomato paste and continue to cook for 1 minute.
  4. Add the vegetable broth, crushed tomatoes, and fire roasted tomatoes.
  5. Close and seal the Instant Pot. Set to cook on manual/pressure cook for 13 minutes. It will take about 10 minutes to come to pressure, then the timer will start to count down.
  6. Once the timer has elapsed, turn the pressure knob to “vent” and release the pressure.
  7. Once the pressure is released, open the lid.
  8. Add the cream cheese and stir until combined.
  9. Use an immersion blender to blend the soup to your desired consistency, or let the soup cool and transfer to a blender. When blending, allow steam to escape.
  10. Add salt to taste, if needed.