Instant Pot Creamy Tomato Fennel Soup…one of my favorite soups for a cold winter night.
So here we are in March, so that means Spring just may be around the corner. We can only hope. It’s been a loooong snowy winter here in MN. Seriously, I need sunshine, warmth, farmer’s markets, prosecco on the patio, etc. etc. While it’s still cold out, I will continue to share warming recipes like this Creamy Tomato Fennel Soup. Who doesn’t love a creamy, rich, bowl of tomato soup? Add some crusty bread or grilled cheese on sourdough bread and OMG!
I hope the sight of fennel does not turn you away from this amazing soup, because seriously, it’s delicious. The soup really doesn’t have a strong fennel taste at all, but just provides a nice flavor in the background. I never thought I even liked fennel. For years I avoided this weird looking vegetable lurking in the produce section. It wasn’t until I had it roasted in the oven with a drizzle of olive oil and parmesan cheese that I fell in love.
Fennel has a slight licorice-like flavor that I find is not too overpowering. It’s also loaded with vitamins and minerals…always a plus. It’s great in this soup, but as I previously mentioned, it’s delicious roasted in a 350 degree oven with just a drizzle of olive oil, salt, pepper and some parmesan cheese. Bake for about 30 minutes or until fork tender. It’s so yum!
Now, back to the soup. This soup can be made on the stove top or in the instant pot and the results are the same. It’s easy, simple, and delicious. Did I mention it’s dairy free? Yup, no heavy cream here my friends. We are getting all this creaminess form a simple cream made from cashews.
Awww Cashew Cream..so creamy and so good! I call it the secret weapon that vegans have to make dishes creamy without dairy. Who knew? Seriously, we are talking raw cashews and water, that’s it. I’m telling you that when you taste this soup, you won’t believe it. I love using cashews for the mild flavor they have. You can also use cashews for making yogurt and the best dairy free cheesecake. Have you tried my No Bake Lemongrass Cheesecake Bites with Candied Ginger Crust? They are delicious!
Last but not least, the toppings. You gotta have toppings. They just complete the soup. Like a great scarf, that just pulls everything together with a pop of color and texture. For this soup I love to top it with seasoned croutons. Nothing fancy, just plain bagged croutons will do. If you have never put them on your soup, you are in for a treat. A complete soup game changer for sure.
I also like to add some fresh basil, or if you’re not vegan, you could sprinkle some parmesan cheese on top. If you really want to take things over the top, you could add some of the roasted fennel I told you about..that would take this soup to the next level.
And now I’m off to dream about SPRING!
PrintInstant Pot Creamy Tomato Fennel Soup (Vegan)
Description
This Instant Pot Creamy Tomato Fennel Soup is so easy and delicious. Made with cashew cream, fire roasted tomatoes and lots of fresh ingredients.
Ingredients
Soup Ingredients:
- 1 onion (diced)
- 3 cloves of garlic (minced)
- 1 fennel bulb (sliced thin)
- 1 28oz. can fire roasted tomatoes
- 2 t. greek seasoning (Recipe Here)
- 1 32 oz. veggie broth
- 2 T. tomato paste
- 1–2 t. salt
- 3–4 leaves basil (chiffonade)
- croutons & parmesan for garnish
Cashew Cream Ingredients:
- 1 C. raw cashews (soaked overnight)
- ¾ c. water
Instructions
Cashew Cream Instructions:
- To make cashew cream, soak cashews overnight in water.
- Drain and add to high speed blender with water.
- Blend until smooth and creamy.
- Set aside.
Soup Instructions:
- Place olive oil in instant pot.
- Set to sauce mode and add onions, garlic and fennel. Saute until soft.
- Add remaining ingredients except garnish and cashew cream.
- Hit cancel button and set to manual for 10 minutes.
- Let natural release for 10 minutes.
- Remove soup and blend in high speed blender until smooth.
- Add back to pot and stir in cashew cream.
- Top with optional garnish of fresh basil and croutons.
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