An easy slow cooker soup recipe, this Tomato Basil Soup is full of tomato flavor, is super creamy, and is easily a family favorite!

Tomato Basil Soup

This slow cooker Tomato Basil Parmesan Soup is a favorite of mine, and is so delicious and full of flavor! It doesn’t take long to get everything prepped, and then you let it do it’s magic in the slow cooker all day long. I love that this soup is creamy but that it also has some vegetable chunks in it. It’s perfect with grilled cheese sandwiches for dinner!

I am a soup person all year long, but I think this Tomato Basil Soup is a soup recipe that really lends itself to being an all year round soup. You can use fresh tomatoes in the late summer, or use this recipe as an easy, light dinner any time of the year. And since basil is plentiful in the summer, that’s just another reason to make this soup when it’s warm!

How To Make Tomato Basil Soup

This recipe only takes a few minutes to throw together before it cooks in the slow cooker. When it’s almost time to eat, you finish it up and then you get to enjoy a delicious soup! Here are the steps – make sure to check out the full recipe and ingredient amounts below!

Start by throwing most of your soup ingredients into your slow cooker. This will be the chicken broth, tomatoes, celery, carrots, onion, some of the basil, a bay leaf and oregano. Cover it and cook.
When it’s about an hour until you are ready to eat, take half of the soup and transfer it to a blender and process it until it is smooth. Then pour that back into the slow cooker.
In a saucepan, melt the butter, then whisk in the flour. Whisk about 1 cup of the hot soup into the pan, then whisk in a few more cups. Transfer all of that back to the slow cooker. This will thicken your soup.
Stir in the parmesan cheese, half and half, plus the remaining basil. Cook for one more hour before serving.

Other Methods

I love that this can cook in the slow cooker all day, but here are a few other ways you can make this recipe.

On the Stovetop

Melt a bit of butter or olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven. Add the carrots, celery and onion and cook until soft. Stir in the broth, tomatoes, half of the basil, the bay leaf and the oregano. Bring it to a simmer and let it cook until it is warmed through.

Take half of your soup and transfer it to a blender and process until smooth. Return it to the soup pot.

In a saucepan, melt the 1/2 cup butter, then whisk in the flour. Whisk in 1 cup of the soup, or more as needed, then pour all of that back into your soup pot. Stir in the parmesan, half and half, and remaining basil and simmer on low for 30-60 minutes before serving. Test for seasoning and add salt and pepper, if needed.

In the Instant Pot

Press saute on the Instant Pot and heat a little bit of butter or olive oil. Add your carrots, celery and onion and cook until the vegetables are soft. Turn the Instant Pot off. Stir in the chicken broth, tomatoes, half the basil and the oregano. (You can skip the bay leaf for the Instant Pot version).

Secure the lid and set the valve. Press high pressure for 5 minutes.

When the time is done, let the pressure naturally release for 5 minutes then quickly release any remaining pressure.

Take half of the soup and transfer it to a blender and process until smooth. Return to the pot.

Set the pot on saute while you make the roux.

In a pot on the stove, melt the butter and then whisk in the flour. Add 1-2 cups of the soup to the flour mixture and whisk until smooth. Continue to cook until slightly thickened. Return the mixture to the Instant Pot.

Stir in the parmesan, half and half and the remaining basil. Keep it on saute until it is warmed through. Test for seasoning and add salt and pepper, if needed.

Tips and Tricks

You can make this vegetarian by using vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.
Do not drain the tomatoes. You’ll want the liquid.
If you want a completely smooth soup, feel free to puree all of it instead of just half.
If you don’t want your soup thickened as much, you can leave out the roux by skipping the butter and flour. Just add the parmesan and half and half straight to the soup.
I use a slow cooker similar to this one and I have this Instant Pot.

More Soup Recipes

Lasagna Soup Recipe
Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup
Broccoli Cheese Soup
Ham and Bean Soup
Chicken and Gnocchi Soup

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