Minimalist Baker

Super Garlicky Tomato Soup with Smashed White Beans

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Is there ever such a thing as too much tomato soup? The answer is no. And most definitely not when there are grilled cheese sandwiches around.

This super garlicky version has coconut milk for dairy-free creaminess, red pepper flakes for a little kick, and smashed white beans for fiber and satisfaction. It’s balanced, warming, and comes together in just 30 minutes with 1 pot and 10 ingredients . Let’s make soup!

Inspiration

We’ve previously shared versions of tomato soup with basil , roasted red peppers , and spicy chipotle peppers , but this latest recipe has a new twist: white beans and LOTS of garlic! The inspiration came from a highly-rated New York Times recipe that we adjusted to make dairy-free, a little spicy, thicker, and super balanced.

How to Make White Bean Tomato Soup

It all starts with smashing TEN cloves of garlic (using the bottom of a heavy pan, which releases their flavor). This method is way faster than chopping, meaning more garlic, less work — that’s our jam!

We sauté the garlic in olive oil to soften it and infuse the oil with flavor . Then we add red pepper flakes for a little heat and tomato paste for richness, sautéing to enhance its natural sweetness.

Next come the white beans for fiber and protein , plus crushed tomatoes, vegetable broth (or water), and salt.

We let it simmer for 15-20 minutes for the flavors to develop, then smash just some of the white beans to thicken the soup and create textural variability.

The remaining ingredients are maple syrup for balancing the acidity of the tomatoes and coconut milk for a creamy finish . We also love garnishing with vegan parmesan cheese for a rich and salty touch.

We hope you LOVE this white bean tomato soup! It’s:

Creamy
Garlicky
A little spicy
Quick & easy
Fiber-rich
Balanced
& SO comforting!

While a filling meal on its own, this soup is the perfect companion for (vegan) grilled cheese sandwiches or garlic bread .

It would also pair nicely with a salad or roasted vegetables. Try it with our Perfect Roasted Asparagus , 5-Minute Green Salad with No-Mix Tahini Dressing , or Vegan Ricotta & Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto Salad .

More Comforting Soup Recipes

If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo  @minimalistbaker  on Instagram. Cheers, friends!

Super Garlicky Tomato Soup with Smashed White Beans

An intensely garlicky yet bright, rich tomato soup elevated with smashed white beans. Swirled with coconut milk, perfectly balanced, and intensely satisfying. Dip in a grilled cheese and call it a party. Just 1 pot and 30 minutes required.
Author Minimalist Baker
Print
4.96 from 23 votes
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 4 (generous bowls)
Course Entree, Soup
Cuisine Gluten-Free, Vegan
Freezer Friendly 2 Months
Does it keep? 4-5 Days

Ingredients

US Customary – Metric
  • 10 medium-large garlic cloves, peeled
  • 3 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil or olive oil
  • 1 tsp red pepper flakes (omit or reduce for less heat)
  • 2 Tbsp tomato paste (we prefer Bionaturae brand)
  • 2 (15-oz.) cans white beans, slightly drained (we prefer cannellini // or ~3 ½ cups cooked homemade beans )
  • 1 (28-oz.) can crushed tomatoes (organic when possible)
  • 1 cup vegetable broth (or water)
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt (plus more to taste)
  • 1-2 tsp maple syrup (plus more to taste)
  • 1 (14-oz.) can light coconut milk*, well shaken ( DIVIDED // use full-fat for richer flavor)

FOR SERVING optional

Instructions

  • On a cutting board, smash the peeled cloves of garlic using the bottom of a heavy skillet or pan until flat and slightly broken apart.
  • To a large saucepan or pot over medium-low heat, add the olive oil then add the smashed garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly golden brown. Then add the red pepper flakes and tomato paste and stir. Cook for another few minutes, stirring occasionally.
  • Add the (slightly drained) white beans, crushed tomatoes, vegetable broth or water, and salt. Bring to a low boil, then partly cover, reduce heat, and simmer until slightly thickened and fragrant — about 15-20 minutes. The longer it simmers and reduces, the richer the flavor will become.
  • Use a potato masher or the back of a wooden spoon to smash some of the beans (roughly half). Add the maple syrup and one quarter of the coconut milk (reserving the rest for serving) and stir.
  • Season to taste, adding more maple syrup for sweetness / to balance acidity, salt to taste, red pepper flakes for heat, or coconut milk for subtle sweetness / creaminess.
  • Serve hot. Garnish with remaining coconut milk and a pinch of red pepper flakes. Vegan parmesan cheese is also a nice optional touch. Delicious on its own, but elevated when paired with a (vegan) grilled cheese .
  • Store cooled leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days, or in the freezer for up to 2 months.

Video

Notes

*An alternative to coconut milk would be to use cashew cream .
*Heavily adapted from The New York Times .
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate.

Nutrition (1 of 4 servings)

Serving: 1 bowl Calories: 529 Carbohydrates: 52.9 g Protein: 15.9 g Fat: 29.9 g Saturated Fat: 17.6 g Polyunsaturated Fat: 1.3 g Monounsaturated Fat: 7.4 g Trans Fat: 0 g Cholesterol: 0 mg Sodium: 897 mg Potassium: 1290 mg Fiber: 13.3 g Sugar: 14.5 g Vitamin A: 688 IU Vitamin C: 22 mg Calcium: 162 mg Iron: 6.9 mg

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All comments I made this Questions

  1. Linda says

    OMG! I made this last week and could have eaten the whole thing myself. I love the roasted garlicky flavor. I used a bit of sugar and condense milk because I didn’t have the maple syrup or coconut milk on hand.

    I’m making it again right now, but I am going to use it as a pasta sauce with rigatoni and white beans. Thanks for this great recipe!!

    Reply

    • Support @ Minimalist Baker says

      We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Linda! Love your creative swaps and idea to have it with pasta =) Thank you for sharing! xo

      Reply

  2. Ellie says

    Made this tonight, it was delicious!! Thank you so much! We made double which worked well, although I misread the maple syrup as tablespoons rather than teaspoons – I added three tablespoons and stirred before noting my mistake. It was a relief that it still tasted great! I had some lemon at the ready to try to calm the sweetness down but didn’t need it. We could only find fire-roasted crushed tomatoes and perhaps that helped. We paired it with an artichoke and spinach grilled cheese sandwich and it was a perfect comfort dinner!

    Reply

  3. Gemma says

    This looks absolutely amazing! Going to give it a try at the weekend, this may be a stupid question but if I swapped the canned tomatoes for fresh tomatoes would it be the same weight? Thanks 😊

    Reply

    • Support @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Gemma, we haven’t tested it with fresh tomatoes, so we aren’t sure on a precise amount. For fresh tomatoes, we would recommend slicing a small “X†at the bottom of each tomato, blanching them in boiling water for 1 minute, then peeling. Then you should be able to use them in place of the canned tomatoes. The flavor will vary based on the tomatoes you’re starting with, so keep in mind you can add more tomato paste for greater depth of flavor. Hope that helps! Let us know how it goes!

      Reply

  4. Sigrid says

    This looks delicious! Any other suggestions to use in place of the coconut milk and cashew cream? I’m allergic to both 😩

    Reply

    • Support @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Sigrid, perhaps almond or rice milk? It won’t be quite as rich and creamy, but should still be tasty =)

      Reply

  6. Deborah Weisblatt says

    Delicious and easy! I had two servings and hubby ate the rest…and he’s not a vegetarian/vegan!!! Thanks for this yummy recipe!

    Reply

  7. Amy says

    I didn’t have the time or energy to make dinner and then I remembered that I had saved this recipe. Wow, this is a keeper! Only deviation from the recipe was that I used diced tomatoes instead of crushed because that’s all I had, and it was fine. I blitzed the whole mixture just a few short spurts with an immersion blender and it was the perfect texture… not too smooth, not too chunky… just right. So delicious! Added bonus is that there’s no chopping at all! I hate chopping, especially garlic! This’ll be a recipe in heavy rotation.

    Reply

  8. RunningPath says

    Saw this in my inbox today and made it for dinner tonight!! Almost exactly as written, but I used my immersion blender so the kids would eat it :) I did end up adding more broth as I blended it to get it to my preferred consistency.

    So okay. This is my favorite tomato soup I have EVER made. (And I’ve made a lot.) It is super easy to make and incredibly delicious. It’s perfect without any additional herbs or spices, too, just as is. We can’t stop eating it even though we are full. This is now my go to tomato soup forever.

    Reply

  9. Rebafay says

    Delicious! I used tomato bouillon instead of veg broth and added the whole can of coconut milk to the pot, otherwise made as written. I may have been too generous with the crushed red pepper, so next time I’ll back off on that but otherwise this is perfect!

    Reply

  10. Lindi says

    Delicious, simple, quick. A definite keeper recipe. I used chopped instead of crushed tomatoes, cashew cream and just the canned beans I had on hand & it was still super tasty & filling

    Reply

    • Support @ Minimalist Baker says

      We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Lindi. Thank you for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications! xo

      Reply

  11. Nathalie says

    Absolutely fabulous and so easy to prepare! I’m an exhausted teacher just trying to make it through the last five weeks of school. This was the perfect dish to make without having to expend much energy in the process.

    Reply

  12. Li says

    I can’t wait to make this but I do have a question first! Could I blend the soup at the end for a creamy rather than chunky texture? Would that ruin the recipe? Thank you!

    Reply

  15. Joanne says

    I made this tonight and doubled the recipe so we have leftovers for lunch this week. It was so good!!! We’ll be making this again! Thanks for posting! : )

    Reply

  17. Diane says

    Made this garlicky tomato soup today and just love everything about it! The recipe was easy and had most of the ingredients before shopping. Thanks for all the tips! This will be a regular meal in our house! YUM!

    Reply

  18. Keri says

    Omfg. This soup is spectacular.
    I misread “crushed tomoatoes” for “chopped” but it turned out great. Less rich, I would assume.
    Immersion blended half, instead of mashing…and, sadly, had to omit the coconut milk so the teen would eat it.
    Wondering how a dollop of sour cream would decorate both soup and taste buds.
    Thank you so much for this recipe.

    Reply

    • Support @ Minimalist Baker says

      Yay! Thanks so much for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications, Keri. So glad you enjoyed this soup!

      Reply

  19. Sherry says

    We loved this. I used chicken stock but other than that, made as per the recipe. Great flavor and very filling. It will go into the rotation!

    Reply

    • Linda says

      I don’t think I will like coconut milk. Sounds like it will be too sweet and add a coconut flavor instead of milky creaminess. Can I just add sour cream or is there something special the coconut y adds?

      I know sometimes I read recipe ingredients and think that they won’t taste good together but when I try it it’s delicious. So I was just wondering why you’re suggesting coconut milk is it for vegans or is there something special that the coconut milk will add to the flavor?

      Reply

      • Support @ Minimalist Baker says

        Hi Linda, if not dairy-free, you could use heavy cream. We used coconut milk for a rich, dairy-free soup.

        Reply

  21. Curt says

    Yup, the taste-to-effort ratio here is amazing.

    I made it w/ chickpeas, b/c that’s all I had, and used only one can, partly b/c I’d eaten hummus for lunch and was afraid of eating too many chickpeas w/in 24 hrs, if ya know what i mean. ;-)

    next time i think i’ll make it with fire-roasted tomatoes.

    Anyone who likes this idea of mashing up beans to make a thicker, creamier soup really needs to try the romesco soup recipe on this site.

    Thanks for the easy goodness once again!

    Reply

  22. Jess says

    Just made this soup for a vegan Earth day dinner and it is delicious! Love the garlic and chili flavour that comes through. I didn’t have white beans so I used chickpeas and pureed the whole soup. It worked quite well but I can see white beans being even creamier! Thanks for the recipe. Will be making again.

    Reply

    • Support @ Minimalist Baker says

      We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Jess! Thank you for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications! xo

      Reply

    • Nadia says

      Can this be made in a slow cooker? We’re having a soup off at work and a slow cooker is the most practical. Or perhaps make ahead and reheat in the slow cooker? Any tips would be appreciated!!

      Reply

      • Support @ Minimalist Baker says

        Hi Nadia! We haven’t tried this in a slow cooker so we aren’t sure if it would work. We think making ahead and serving in a slow cooker would be best! Hope this helps!

        Reply

    • Support @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Shirley, we think that would be fine, but haven’t tried it ourselves. Let us know if you give it a try!

      Reply

    • Ringy says

      Made this today and it is delicious and very easy to make. You would think the amount of garlic is overkill but it works :) Just make sure you don’t burn the garlic in the oil, I did and had to start over. I also added no salt and just used water instead of the vegetable stock.

      Reply

  24. Sara says

    This was so good and so filling!! Loved the flavors in it! I did have to sub kidney beans for white beans but will make again . Thanks so much!!

    Reply

  25. Bob Grace says

    The vegan muffin recipe that you suggested to use unbleached
    muffin cups or paper I cannot find in St Catharines. Any suggestions?

    Reply

    • Support @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Bob, you can use any muffin liners available or grease the pan and sprinkle with (GF) flour. Hope that helps!

      Reply

    • Kyla says

      This was delicious! I didn’t have white beans (seems to be a trend for those of us commenting), so used 2 cups of dried red lentils (rinsed) and increased the veggie stock to 4 cups total, then blended at the end. Really creamy and filling, and so quick. Extra delicious topped with MB’s vegan parmesan.

      Reply

    • Support @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Sita, it won’t be quite as rich and creamy, but would probably work okay. Let us know if you try it!

      Reply

    • Emily says

      Not sure if this would be an issue, but soy milk tends to curdle when mixed with acid. The acidity of the tomatoes but give a bit of a weird texture. What about almond or rice milk?

      Reply

  28. Nina says

    Hi, thanks for the fabulous recipeðŸ‘ðŸ‘👠I have to avoid coconut. Could I replace with oat cream? Or do you have any other ideas? I wondered if I were to add a few cashews when cooking the soup and then blend the nuts with a ladle or two of soup, if it would work? Thanks. Stay safe….

    Reply