Hearty Slow Cooker Tomato Soup Recipe

Comforting Hearty Slow Cooker Tomato Soup Recipe for Chilly Days

Steaming bowls of slow cooker tomato soup warm the soul on chilly evenings, offering a comforting embrace that transforms simple ingredients into a delightful meal.

This classic recipe blends ripe, juicy tomatoes with aromatic herbs and spices for maximum flavor.

Rich and velvety, the soup captures the essence of home-cooked goodness in every spoonful.

Fresh ingredients mingle together, creating a robust and satisfying dish that feels like a culinary hug.

Each ingredient plays a crucial role in developing depth and complexity.

The slow cooker method ensures tender, well-developed flavors that simmer and meld perfectly.

You’ll love how effortlessly this soup comes together, promising a delicious meal that requires minimal preparation.

Quick Recipe Overview

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 6-8 hours (low) or 3-4 hours (high)

Total Time: 8 hours 10 minutes

Calories: 150 kcal

Servings: 6

Serving Slow Cooker Tomato Soup with Style

  • Cozy Bread Pairing: Serve this hearty tomato soup alongside warm, crusty sourdough or garlic bread. Toasted slices perfectly soak up the rich, velvety soup and add delightful texture.
  • Gourmet Garnish Station: Create a fun topping bar with fresh chopped basil, grated parmesan cheese, croutons, and a drizzle of olive oil. Guests can customize their bowl with personal favorite additions.
  • Protein Power-Up: Transform the soup into a complete meal by adding grilled chicken strips, crispy bacon bits, or crumbled feta cheese. These protein options make the soup more filling and satisfying for lunch or dinner.
  • Comforting Companion Dish: Pair with a simple green salad dressed in a light vinaigrette to balance the soup's richness. This combination creates a balanced, nutritious meal that feels both elegant and homey.

Make-Ahead & Storage Tips for Slow Cooker Tomato Soup

  • Smart Refrigeration Strategy: Store cooled soup in airtight containers, keeping it fresh in the refrigerator for 4-5 days. Seal tightly to maintain flavor and prevent absorption of other food odors.
  • Freezing Wisdom: Transfer soup to freezer-safe containers or heavy-duty freezer bags, leaving 1-inch space for expansion. Freeze for up to 3 months, ensuring maximum taste and nutrition when thawed.
  • Reheating Magic: Warm refrigerated soup gently in a saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally. For frozen soup, thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating. Add a splash of broth if the consistency becomes too thick.
  • Portion Control Trick: Divide soup into individual servings before storing. This method allows quick, single-serving meals and prevents repeated reheating, which can diminish flavor and quality.

Tomato Soup Ingredients for Your Slow Cooker

For Base of Soup:
  • Whole Peeled Tomatoes: Vibrant foundation that delivers rich, deep flavor and provides smooth texture for the soup.
  • Yellow Onion: Adds sweet, aromatic base that creates depth and complexity in the overall taste profile.
  • Carrots: Introduces natural sweetness and contributes beautiful orange color to the soup.
  • Garlic: Brings robust, pungent undertones that enhance the overall savory experience.
  • Tomato Paste: Concentrates tomato flavor and helps thicken the soup with intense, tangy notes.
For Seasoning and Herbs:
  • Dried Basil, Dried Oregano: Traditional Italian herbs that infuse classic Mediterranean warmth and earthy undertones.
  • Bay Leaf: Releases subtle, complex flavor that adds sophisticated aromatic dimension.
  • Salt, Black Pepper: Essential seasonings that balance and elevate all other ingredients.
  • Sugar: Balances acidity of tomatoes and rounds out flavor profile smoothly.
For Liquid and Finishing:
  • Vegetable or Chicken Broth: Creates silky liquid base and adds additional layer of savory richness.
  • Heavy Cream: Optional luxurious touch that transforms soup into creamy, velvety consistency.

Tools for Prepping This Cozy Tomato Soup

  • Slow Cooker: Essential for creating this easy, hands-off soup.
  • Immersion Blender: Perfect for smoothly blending soup directly in the pot.
  • Blender (alternative): Useful for pureeing soup in batches if no immersion blender.
  • Cutting Board: Needed for chopping vegetables.
  • Knife: Sharp chef's knife for precise vegetable preparation.
  • Measuring Cups and Spoons: Ensure accurate ingredient quantities.
  • Wooden Spoon: Great for stirring and mixing ingredients.

Steps to Make Slow Cooker Tomato Soup at Home

  • Toss Everything Into the Slow Cooker

Dump all the delicious ingredients into your trusty slow cooker, creating a flavor-packed base for an incredible soup. Mix everything thoroughly to ensure all ingredients are well combined.

  • Let the Magic Happen

Cover the slow cooker and let it work its culinary wizardry. Allow the ingredients to simmer and meld together, transforming simple components into a rich, hearty soup that’ll warm your soul.

  • Transform Into Silky Smoothness

Once the vegetables are meltingly tender, remove the bay leaf and grab your immersion blender. Pulse and blend until the soup becomes wonderfully smooth and creamy. If you prefer, carefully transfer to a standard blender in batches.

  • Enhance With Creamy Finish

For those wanting extra indulgence, swirl in some heavy cream. This final touch adds a luxurious richness that elevates the soup from good to absolutely spectacular.

  • Fine-Tune the Flavor

Take a taste and trust your palate. Adjust seasonings with a pinch of salt, pepper, or a touch of sugar to balance the flavors perfectly. Your soup is now ready to be devoured and enjoyed.

Tips to Elevate Your Slow Cooker Tomato Soup

  • Cream-Free Magic: Skip the heavy cream for a lighter, vegan-friendly version by using coconut milk or cashew cream as a delicious alternative.
  • Herb Garden Boost: Experiment with fresh herbs like basil, thyme, or oregano near the end of cooking to elevate the soup's flavor profile and add a bright, fresh touch.
  • Texture Tricks: For a chunkier soup, reserve some vegetables before blending and stir them back in after pureeing to create a more rustic, hearty texture.
  • Protein Power-Up: Transform this soup into a complete meal by adding cooked white beans, shredded chicken, or crispy bacon bits just before serving for extra nutrition and depth.
  • Storage Savvy: This soup freezes beautifully for up to 3 months. Store in airtight containers, leaving some space for expansion, and thaw overnight in the refrigerator for a quick and easy meal.
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Hearty Slow Cooker Tomato Soup Recipe

Hearty Slow Cooker Tomato Soup Recipe


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4.8 from 19 reviews

  • Total Time: 8 hours 10 minutes
  • Yield: 7 1x

Description

Rich, hearty slow cooker tomato soup delivers comfort in a bowl with minimal effort. Homemade flavors meld together, creating a satisfying meal you’ll savor down to the last spoonful.


Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 cans (800 g / 28.2 oz) crushed tomatoes
  • 750 ml (3 cups) vegetable or chicken broth
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tbsps olive oil or butter
  • 1 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 tsp dried basil
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tsp salt
  • ½ tsp black pepper
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 1 bay leaf (optional)
  • 120 ml (½ cup) heavy cream (optional)
  • Fresh basil or parsley for garnish

Instructions

  1. Preparation: Layer chopped tomatoes, diced onions, sliced carrots, and minced garlic into the slow cooker ceramic vessel, creating a robust base for the soup.
  2. Seasoning: Integrate tomato paste, dried herbs, salt, pepper, and a touch of sugar to enhance the flavor profile, ensuring a balanced taste foundation.
  3. Liquid Integration: Deluge the assembled ingredients with vegetable or chicken broth, completely submerging all components and nestling a bay leaf into the liquid for aromatic complexity.
  4. Slow Cooking: Cover and set the slow cooker to low temperature for 6-8 hours or high heat for 3-4 hours, allowing ingredients to soften and meld together into a harmonious mixture.
  5. Texture Transformation: Remove the bay leaf, then utilize an immersion blender or carefully transfer small batches to a traditional blender, methodically pureeing the mixture into a smooth, velvety consistency.
  6. Finishing Touches: Optional cream addition creates a luxurious silkiness, with a final seasoning adjustment to perfect the soup’s flavor balance, ensuring a delectable culinary experience.

Notes

  • Choose Fresh Tomatoes: Select ripe, vibrant tomatoes for deeper, more authentic flavor and natural sweetness.
  • Control Liquid Consistency: Adjust broth quantity to achieve desired soup thickness, adding more for thinner soup or reducing for a heartier texture.
  • Blend Safely: Use an immersion blender directly in the slow cooker or transfer soup in small, careful batches to prevent hot liquid splashing and potential burns.
  • Customize Dietary Needs: Swap dairy cream with coconut milk for vegan version or use Greek yogurt for a lighter, protein-rich alternative to create a creamy finish.
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 6-8 hours (low) or 3-4 hours (high)
  • Category: Lunch, Dinner, Snacks
  • Method: Slow Cooking
  • Cuisine: American

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 7
  • Calories: 150
  • Sugar: 3 g
  • Sodium: 500 mg
  • Fat: 8 g
  • Saturated Fat: 4 g
  • Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
  • Trans Fat: 0 g
  • Carbohydrates: 18 g
  • Fiber: 3 g
  • Protein: 3 g
  • Cholesterol: 15 mg
William Hawkins

William Hawkins

Founder & Culinary Director

Expertise

  • Modern American and Southern Cuisine
  • Farm-to-Table Practices
  • Restaurant Concept Development
  • Culinary Education and Mentorship​

Education

Sullivan University, Louisville, KY

  • Degree: Associate of Science in Culinary Arts
  • Focus: Focused on mastering culinary methods and food science, immersive externships, hands‑on training in industry‑standard kitchen labs, and equipping graduates for roles in restaurant operations.

William Hawkins isn’t just a chef, he’s a storyteller through food. From his hometown of Louisville, KY, he’s spent years refining his craft, turning local ingredients into something extraordinary. 

With classical training from Sullivan University and a career marked by innovation, mentorship, and Southern soul, William approaches every recipe with purpose. His kitchen is where old techniques meet fresh ideas, and where comfort food gets a thoughtful, modern twist. 

When he’s not building dishes from the ground up, he’s out gathering inspiration from nature, markets, and the stories people share around the table.

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