Comforting Homemade Crockpot Tomato Basil Soup

I love a soup that practically makes itself while you wobble around the house—this Crockpot Tomato Basil Soup is exactly that (sturdy, comforting, and just a touch fancy). It smells like church bake sale meets my grandma’s kitchen: warm tomatoes, basil, and that slow-cooked sweetness that sticks to your memory. One small note — I always keep a crusty loaf from the little general store in town on standby; it’s mandatory equipment.

If you’re the sort of person who adores set-it-and-forget-it dinners (me, always), this recipe pairs beautifully with other slow-simmered favorites like Mississippi chicken for a full, lazy-weeknight spread.

Why this soup becomes your new weeknight hero

• Smooth, tangy crushed tomatoes that mellow into comfort with a spoonful of cream (or coconut milk if you’re steering dairy-free).
• Slow cooking brings out a rounded sweetness — no tomato tin-taste here.
• Basil lifts the whole pot so it never feels heavy (fresh leaves at the end are worth the handful).
• Practical, pantry-friendly ingredients you likely already have (I do my grocery runs at dusk when the stand on Route 19 has the best onions).

A tiny kitchen moment

I stirred this while the rain skittered on the windowsill and forgot for a second I was supposed to be trimming basil — so I used my fingers and made a mess, and the soup tasted better for it.

Simple Ingredients — what goes in the crockpot

• 2 cans (28 oz each) crushed tomatoes
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 cup heavy cream (or coconut milk for a dairy-free option)
• Fresh basil leaves for garnish

Step-by-step Directions — how to make it without fuss

1. In a crockpot, heat the olive oil over medium heat and sauté the chopped onions until translucent.
2. Add the minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.
3. Stir in the crushed tomatoes, vegetable broth, sugar, dried basil, dried oregano, salt, and pepper.
4. Cover and cook on low for about 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours.
5. Before serving, stir in the heavy cream (or coconut milk).
6. Garnish with fresh basil leaves and serve warm.
   (If you want a heartier bowl, stir in torn grilled cheese or serve alongside pasta — we once paired it with sun-dried tomato shrimp with spinach pasta and it was a small-town miracle.)

Cooking Unit Converter — handy little helper

Quick conversions for teaspoons, tablespoons, and cups to make scaling this recipe painless.

Top Tip — one little note that saves the day

Taste for salt before adding the cream — tomatoes can hide a lot of acidity, and a pinch more salt (or a touch of sugar) will make the basil sing; also, if you’re pressed for time, sauté everything in a skillet first and then dump it into the crockpot (my kind of cheat for busy afternoons), and if you like tropical twists, try a weeknight version alongside Hawaiian crockpot chicken for a fun contrast.

Hope this one warms your kitchen as much as it did mine yesterday with a slice of that crusty bread. (Eat slow; it’s Thursday and you deserve it.)

FAQ:

Daily Calorie Needs Calculator — a quick check for portions

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