This pressure cooker recipe marks the end of all other tomato soups!
Although tomato soup is American, I made a version that exemplifies Italian cookery: Exalting one ingredient and making it sing. To this end, this soup includes three tomato products for a complex, yet direct, flavor.
I used water, not Chicken broth, to keep the taste-buds focused on the star ingredient.
Herbs are not invited to this party, either. They are a delicious and tricky thing to use. When herbs are paired with tomatoes the risk is very high that the soup might end up tasting like a pasta sauce. Use herbs only as garnish with restraint.
Milk products and tomatoes make magic when used together. I highly recommend starting this soup with butter, and then using your favorite cheese or cream to garnish.
In the Fall, Winter, and Spring Italians reach into their pantry, not garden, for tomatoes. Be sure to use the highest quality canned tomatoes available for the best flavor.
| Pressure Cooker | Accessories | Pr. Cook Time | Pr. Level | Open |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 L or larger | none | 5 min. | High (2) | Natural |
(per serving)
- Serves: 4-6
- Serving size: ⅙th
- Calories: 300.2
- TOTAL Fat: 16.1g
- TOTAL Carbs: 37.6g
- Sugar Carbs: 9.8g
- Sodium: 733mg
- Fiber Carbs: 7.4g
- Protein: 6.4g
- Cholesterol: 41.5mg
- 4 Tbsp. (60g) Butter
- 2 pinches Black Pepper
- 1 med.Carrot, roughly chopped
- 1 med. Onion, roughly sliced
- 1 med. Potato, roughly diced
- 1, 28oz (800g) can high-quality whole canned tomatoes in their juice
- 3 heaping Tbsp. Tomato Paste or Concentrate (2x or 3x strength)
- 3 heaping Tbsp. Sun-dried Tomatoes (if in oil, rinsed), roughly chopped
- 4 cups or 1L Water
- 2 tsp Salt.
- Fresh or Sour Cream or plain yogurt (to taste)
- In the pre-heated pressure cooker, without the lid on medium heat, add the butter, pepper, onions and carrots. Stir occasionally until the onions are starting to get softened (about 5 minutes).
- Then, add the potatoes, canned tomatoes, tomato paste, sun-dried tomatoes, water and salt.
- Close and lock the pressure cooker. Turn the heat up high and when the pan reaches pressure, lower the heat and count 5 minutes cooking time at HIGH pressure.
- When time is up, release pressure using the Natural method - move the pressure cooker to a cool burner and do not do anything, wait for the pressure to come down on it's own (about 10 minutes). If the pressure has not come down in 10 minutes, release the rest of the pressure using the Normal pressure release - push, twist or lift the button or valve to release pressure.
- Using an immersion blender, blend the contents of the pressure cooker until smooth.
- Serve with a twirl of Fresh or Sour cream.
This sounds so tasty! Would you explain pre heating the pressure cooker!
Ciao David, let me know how you like it.
To pre-heat a stove-top pressure cooker place it empty on medium heat until the top edge (where the lid goes) is too hot to touch.
Electric pressure cookers differ, but most have a browning function that will work without the lid so I would turn that on for a minute or two before adding oil and butter.
Ciao,
L
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Could I use my tomatoes from the summer that I froze? Your recipe looks fantastic. I am thinking with a grilled cheese sandwich, would be heaven.
Tomato concentrate as in tomato paste? Or something different? Milk or cream or sour cream is tasty in tomato soup.
maynekitty [at] live [dot] com
Sorry it is paste, I see tomato paste in the directions.
maynekitty [at] live [dot] com
You can absolutely use preserved tomatoes! You probably froze them at their peak- that is the key because what you find in the markets now are the last few bits from the vines that didn’t really get alot of sun. You may need to evaporate the water a little bit to equal the intensity of a canned puree’. Next summer I might do a fresh tomato version — I’m looking forward to experimenting and eating lots, and lots of fresh tomato soups!!
Kitty, I updated the ingredient list to also state “Tomato Paste”
Ciao,
L
What a fantastic recipe (again!!, so easy and really, really tasty – thanks for this.
Yeah! Bring in the lycopene…Tomatoes taste their best when crushed or like what you have in this recipe, pressure cooked. I agree that putting in herbs or spices might make this a little short of a pasta sauce. I will try this at home. Thanks for the post!
Myfudo, let me know how you like it.
Penny, did you mean to say “really, really, really” tasty?!?! ; )
Ciao,
L
i will ditto that “really” x 3 and add an extra even. i made this with my canned tomatoes and a james beard recipe of paste (i make this every year in unlidded crockpots to slowly cook off the fluids without scorching,sooo YUM). it is such a pleasure to be able to have at least some of the ingredients on hand that are our own,i must say. even if i have to tweak some of your recipes….i am always so thrilled with their outcome. so a hearty helping of thanks again from a faithful fan. ;-)
Wow, janie.. compliments on making your own tomato paste. What a great use for a crock-pot! In the U.S. I had a mini-crock that I only used to infuse olive oils!
Ciao,
L
Oh how I love tomato soup. Mmmm, that is one of my all time favorites, pair with a sharp cheddar grilled cheese sandwich and you have a great meal. Thanks Laura, I didn’t realize that tomato soup is American. Italian food is fantastic….I’m going to try this recipe.
Lori
Ciao Lori, how was it?!?!
Ciao,
L
This recipe turned out so wonderfully. It was so beautiful in the bowl that I almost took a picture!
You may cringe at what I did to the finished soup, which was delicious. But, I love a swirl of honey in tomato soup ( a hotel chef shared that honey was his secret ingredient when a group of us went crazy over his tomato soup.) That, and a touch of cream and this was the best tomato soup ever!
Dorthy, don’t worry. I’m not cringing! Adding sugar is a great idea to liven-up ho-hum tomato puree. What a great trick to use honey, instead!
Thankfully, now that I’m in Italy, I get really high quality tomato puree – even from the discount store – made from ripe and sweet tomatoes.
Thanks so much for sharing the trick you learned!
Ciao,
L
Totally delicious!! I live in India so access to canned tomatoes and tomato paste is non-existent so I just pressure cooked fresh tomatoes before adding to the soup and then peeled them and cooked them again with all the other ingredients. Maybe once would have been enough… anyway it was delicious. The whole family loved it.
I didn’t know canned and paste tomatoes aren’t available in India. Thanks for the intel! So glad to hear everyone enjoyed it.
Ciao,
L
I just fell in love with the recipe and couldn’t wait to try it! Today I did. I loved it as I thought I would but to me tomato soup is even better with fresh basil! I also added some roasted tomatoes in oil (rinsed) I had canned. It was just that much better. I can a lot so I made a double batch and after I took enough out for dinner I canned the rest. Thank you so much for this wonderful recipe!
Roasted tomatoes are a great addition. I think you just invented the T4!!
Ciao,
L
Is there something that could be substituted for the potato? This sounds really yummy :)
Yes, you could do a burre blanc on the side: 2 tablespoons butter and 2 tablespoons of flour in a small saucepan heated until it all comes together and bubbles. Then, stir into the soup (sans potato) after pressure cooking and simmer until it reaches the desired thickness.
Enjoy!
L
that won’t work :( my son has multiple allergies and can’t have those either (he is on SCD). The potato is for thickening I am guessing? I wonder if pureed beans, butternut or onions might work
A doctor would know the best substitutions appropriate for your son’s diet. I cannot make any recommendations based on his medical condition(s).
Though to answer your question: Yes, the goal of the potato and burre blanc are to thicken the soup.
L
Thanks :)
Dear Suzanne,
At our café, we make tomato and roasted red pepper soup with cannellini (white kidney beans). Vegans love it! We add freshly grated parmesan (for those who are not lactose intolerant) or freshly chopped basil. It’s one of our top-sellers!
Nova Scotia Nan
Wow, I made this last night and it was delicious! The potato made it so creamy- I can’t believe that it didn’t have any cream or cheese in it! I’ll probably even cut down on the butter a bit next time. This tasted like a healthy version of cream of tomato soup (one of my all time favorites)!
I got an InstantPot for Christmas so I’ve been searching around for recipes and I love your website. I know it is going to be very helpful for me!
Executive summary: Yum
Detailed report: Yum. Yum. Yum. But next time I will try adding a little sumac. Somehow it makes tomatoes even tomato-ier.
Tried this again. I halved the. quantities and christened my new baby KR2.5. Added a pinch of sumac with the pepper and just a sliver of garlic. Took excellent to superb. Just rounded the flavones out just that little bit more.
I made this the other night, and it is delicious! It was even better for lunch the next few day. We enjoyed it with some parmesan sprinkled on it. I never knew that potatoes could make soups so creamy.
Hi Laura,
Can you give me the weight for your ” 3 heaped tablespoons” please.
I assume you are using American tablespoons, and mine are 25% larger (20ml) which makes conversions tricky. Basically I am wondering if I can get away with a 140g tub of tomato paste. It makes it easier to measure and saves waste. Though I usually freeze leftover.
Clearly “heaped” anything is not a critical measure, but I cannot get my head around whether I am using roughly the right quantity or double or triple. The latter is probably getting away from a valid adjustment.
Never mind. I simply tried it with a full 140g tub. Worked great.
Greg, my American measuring spoons show 15ml for the Tablespoon.
Ciao,
L
I hate to waste what is leftover in the 6 oz. can of tomato paste. If I used the whole can, would I need to increase the water? I made it just like the recipe calls for and it came out so good. I want to make it regularly, but I just can’t stand to waste that tomato paste – LOL!
Ann, separate the portions of tomato paste into what you need for each recipe, and then freeze. Or, see on the can if it is double of triple tomato concentrate and then add twice or thrice the water to make “passata” (tomato puree). It’s not an exact measurement so do the last portion of water in bits until you get a passata-like consistency.
Ciao,
L