Shortcut Polish Tomato Soup

A vegan version of my Grandma’s Polish Tomato Soup. While this recipe is not authentic, it reminds me exactly of her Zupa Pomidorowa that I grew up with. This shortcut recipe is super quick and easy, flavorful, and so delicious! Ready in less than 30 minutes!

Ingredients you need

Ingredients notes and substitutions

Tomatoes ~ I have tried this recipe using crushed tomatoes and tomato purée, but tomato sauce gives the best flavor and smooth texture. You need just one 15-ounce can. This soup is supposed to be fairly thin and this creates the perfect ratio of tomatoes to broth, so resist the urge to add more!

Broth ~ There are plenty of options for vegetable broth on the grocery store shelves. Use your favorite. I usually try to use a low-sodium variety.

Seasoning ~ Chicken broth has a richer flavor than vegetable broth. To make up for this, I use a vegan chicken bouillon cube. They can be quite salty, which is why I generally try to use low-sodium vegetable broth.

Once the soup has simmered, taste and add additional salt and/or pepper to your liking. Personally, I find it doesn’t need salt and pepper at all.

Yogurt ~ Tradition Polish tomato soup uses Polish cooking cream, which is similar to American sour cream. I don’t generally care for vegan brands of sour cream, but I have found that vegan unsweetened, plain yogurt works great. It’s creamy, a bit sour with a hint of sweetness, and hits all the right notes.

I have used vegan plain, sweetened yogurt in a pinch and it still turns out great. If you can only find sweetened, plain yogurt, add a teaspoon of lemon juice if you find it needs more tang.

Noodles ~ Most Polish recipes call for egg noodles, or kluski. Obviously, that’s not an option in vegan cooking. I recently found egg-free ribbons that are very similar to egg noodles, so that’s what I use. They are also my favorite for my Vegan Mushroom Soup, which is a veganized version of my family’s Polish recipe. Free free to use your favorite vegan noodle or pasta.

As an alternative, you could make this vegan Polish Tomato Soup without noodles, or with rice, if you prefer.

Extras ~ Every once in awhile my Grandma would add chopped carrots to her tomato soup. I used to love finding those soft, sweet chunks in my bowl.

In the interest of keeping this soup as quick and easy as possible, I left them out of the recipe, but if you feel inclined, add 1 or 2 chopped carrots when you add the tomatoes and broth and let the soup simmer until they are tender. You can purée part or all of the soup depending on how many chunks you want to remain.

How to make the recipe

Please scroll down to the recipe card for exact ingredient measurements and instructions.

Add about 1 cup of vegetable broth to a pot over medium heat and add in the bouillon cube. Whisking occasionally, simmer until the bouillon cube is completely dissolved.

Add the remaining vegetable broth and tomato sauce. Bring to a gentle boil, then decrease heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes.

Add the vegan yogurt to a bowl with 1 cup of the hot soup and whisk until smooth. This will temper the yogurt so it doesn’t clump up when added to the soup. Add that mixture back to the soup pot and stir to combine.

Taste and adjust seasoning as necessary to your liking.

If using noodles, cook them separately according to package directions. Serve the soup with as many noodles as you like.

Storage and freezing

Fridge: Store this soup in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Store noodles separately from the soup.

Freezer: You can also freeze this vegan Polish tomato soup. Let it cool completely before transferring to a freezer-safe container or plastic bag. It should keep well for up to 4 months.

Reheat: From frozen, thaw the soup in the fridge overnight. Gently reheat in a pot on the stove over medium-low heat until warmed through or transfer it to a microwave-safe bowl and reheat in the microwave in 15 to 20 second intervals until warm.

Pro tips and tricks

Tomatoes and yogurt brands can vary in sweetness and acidity.

~ Be sure to look for unsweetened, plain vegan yogurt. If there is a vegan brand of sour cream that you like, you could use that instead.

~ If your soup tastes too sweet, add a teaspoon or two of lemon juice or vinegar.

~ If your soup tastes too acidic, add a teaspoon of sugar.

~ Use low-sodium vegetable broth, as the vegan chicken bouillon is quite salty already.

~ Serve over noodles or rice.

FAQs

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