Instant Pot Tomato Soup

This instant pot tomato soup is the perfect weeknight soup when you have no meat in the fridge! My kids love this hearty tomato soup and I feel good about it because we’ve snuck in some extra veggies and plant-based protein!

I’m a fan of this instant pot tomato soup for many reasons. You can make it with almost no prep! There is barely any chopping and it cooks in the instant pot in 15 minutes. I also love that it has secret added protein and nutrition. I’ve snuck in some protein with the help of yellow split pigeon peas. I also boosted the nutritional value of this soup with extra veggies and walnuts! All of these ingredients blend nicely and thicken this tomato soup making it a heartier meatless meal. We love to pair this with grilled cheese sandwiches on homemade bread. It’s a comfort meal that everyone loves!

Tomato soup and grilled cheese for budget friendly family dinner

My kids request this all the time, even for their birthday dinners. I feel like a lucky mama that they are requesting something so healthy and easy for me to make! I will say that the split pigeon peas have a distinct flavor, and my kids like it. However, the flavor may be too much for some people, so try using fewer pigeon peas and work your way up! I like to include these split pigeon peas because they add so much protein to this soup. I purchased a big bag and Costco one day just to try it, and that’s how this instant pot tomato soup recipe came to be.

instant pot tomato soup and grilled cheese recipe

We love to serve this with grilled cheese sandwiches on homemade bread.

Some Notes & Common Questions

What instant pot do you use or recommend?

I use this 8 qt instant pot and would recommend this 6 qt instant pot if you don’t need an extra large one. I ordered the larger one accidently and wish I had the 6 qt because the 8 qt is a bit cumberson to store. However, if you make lots of bone broth, the 8qt does come in handy because it fits more bones! You can use any immersion blender to blend up this soup, I recommed this immersion blender.

Can I add different veggies?

Yes! That is the beauty of this recipe. The tomato really masks most of the flavors making it the perfect soup to sneak veggies into! Some other veggies I have added in the past include cauliflower and butternut squash. Feel free to get creative!

Where can I find split pigeon peas?

My costco always sells this in a big bag, so I jave lots on hand. However, if your store locally doesnt have it, you can find it here. This is the secret for adding extra protein and thickness to this soup.

Fresh herbs vs dry herbs

I used dried herbs in this recipes because I know I always have that on hand, but if you end up with access to some fresh basil, sage, thyme, or oregano, please sautee that up with the oil right before adding the broth!

Canned vs fresh tomatoes

Fresh is always best, but canned is so practical for busy families. San Marzano has the best flavor, but it’s also pricer then my typical Aldi can of crushed tomatoes. If you ever have a bunch of cherry tomatoes to use up or a fresh garden tomato that will go bad, throw it in this soup!

instant pot tomato soup recipe

instant pot tomato soup and grilled cheese recipe

Instant Pot Tomato Soup

A heartier tomato soup with added plant-based protein.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Course budget dinners, meatless, Soup
Servings 6

Equipment

  • 1 Immersion Blender
  • 1 Instant Pot

Ingredients
  

  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 onion roughly chopped
  • 1 red bell pepper roughly chopped
  • 3-4 whole carrots roughly chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic smashed or rough chopped
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1/4 cup walnuts
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp pepper
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tsp dried basil
  • 1 tbsp honey optional
  • 1.5 cups yellow split pigeon peas
  • 1 28oz San Marzano whole tomatoes or any can of crushed tomatos
  • 4 cups chicken broth homemade bone broth is best!
  • 1/2 cup half & half or cream mix in at the end
  • 1 tsp apple cider vinegar mix in at the end

Instructions
 

  • Turn on the saute function on the instant pot and add oil to the pot. Saute onion, carrots, and red pepper for a few minutes.
  • Push veggies to the side and add garlic, tomato paste, walnuts, and spices to the hot pot. Let those flavors bloom with a quick toast for about a minute, stirring to prevent burning.
  • Mix in split pigeon peas, broth, honey, and tomatoes.
  • Cover the instant pot with the lid, seal it, and set it to high pressure for 15 minutes.
  • After cooking, let it depressurize for 10-15 minutes. Release the pressure and open the lid. Blend with an immersion blender until smooth. The soup will be VERY hot so be careful here.
  • Mix in the cream and a small splash of vinegar. Adjust salt to taste and adjust thickness with additional broth if needed.

Video

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