Crockpot Chunky Tomato Basil Soup {Whole 30 Approved}

Did you know that January is National Soup Month? Neither did I! But it makes a lot of sense. On these cold dreary winter days I love having a big bowl of soup to warm me up. One of my favorite comfort foods of all time is grilled cheese and tomato soup. And while I’d never turn down Campbell’s tomato soup, sometimes you want something a little more substantial and flavorful than what comes in a can.

Homemade soups are so easy to make and so much healthier than anything you can buy at a store! It’s also easy to tweak soup recipes to make them exactly how you like. I made this version during our Whole30, so the recipe is dairy free and sugar free. You can substitute heavy cream for the coconut milk to make the soup even richer, try a different flavor of diced tomatoes (fire roasted anyone?) or add in your favorite spices. Not to mention the crockpot does all of the work for you! I also love how well leftover soup tastes. Call me crazy, but once the soup has been in the fridge for a day or two I swear the flavors come out even more.

If you want a more filling tomato soup my favorite thing to do is cook some mini tortellini to add in at the end. There is a bagel shop in downtown Boise that has a soup just like this and with the addition of tortellini I end up stuffed! Or maybe it’s because of the Asiago cheese bagel with sun dried tomato cream cheese I eat alongside it…

As you can tell from the pumpkin tureen in the pictures (which was so cute I just HAD to put it on the wedding registry), I haven’t made this soup since the fall. Which is such a shame! This is seriously one of my favorite soups and since it is once again snowing outside (or should I say “still snowing”? I’m not sure it’s stopped all winter…) this is the perfect time to make it.

~Stephanie

Crockpot Tomato Basil Soup {Whole 30 Approved}

• 2 – 14.5 cans diced tomatoes
• 1 large carrot, peeled and diced
• 1 stalk celery, diced
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 c fresh basil
• 1/2 c fresh parsley
• 2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp pepper
• 1/2 – 1 c coconut milk
• Optional: fresh basil, parmesan cheese, black pepper for garnish

1. Add all ingredients except for the coconut milk and garnishes into a medium sized crockpot and stir to combine.
2. Cover and let cook on high for 4 hours or low for 7.
3. Stir in 1/2 c coconut milk. Carefully use an immersion blender to puree the soup until desired consistency. (Alternatively you could pour the soup into a blender to puree)
4. At this point, if the soup is too thick for your liking stir in the remaining 1/2 c coconut milk.
5. Top individual bowls of soup with more fresh basil, parmesan cheese and cracked black pepper if desired.
6. Leftover soup will remain good in refrigerator for one week.