Instant Pot / Slow Cooker Tomato Soup (Paleo, Whole30, Low FODMAP Option)

Tomato soup is one of the the BEST, most comforting soups to warm up with in cold weather. This Instant Pot / Slow Cooker Tomato Soup recipe is a cinch to make and tastes 1,000,000 times better than anything you can get from a can. Nutrient packed and yet - oh, so tasty - this tomato soup recipe is also Paleo and Whole30 compliant with an option to make it low FODMAP.

Tomatoes: A Love / Hate Relationship

I've never liked raw tomatoes. Some people who love tomatoes tend to think this is absurd and always try to convince me that I actually like raw tomatoes.

My dad was one of these people. When I was a kid, he once offered to pay me $50 to eat a raw tomato. I didn't do it. I don't like raw tomatoes. Until the day he died, I believe my dad thought I secretly liked raw tomatoes. I don't.

My husband is another one of these people. He once said that before he dies, he would like to see me eat a raw tomato. Seriously, Jeff? That's what you want to see me do before you die? ... I told him that he's going to die with that wish woefully unfulfilled.

I just don't like raw tomatoes. Why is this so hard for people to accept? Why is it so important to other people that I like tomatoes?!?!

The thing is, I do like tomatoes - when they're cooked. I actually love cooked tomatoes and things made with cooked tomatoes, like ketchup, spaghetti sauce and - of course - this tomato soup. No one gives me any credit for this.

It's all about liking raw tomatoes. Sigh.

Tomato Soup: A Childhood Favorite

As a kid, my mom sometimes made me canned tomato soup for lunch. She would cut little triangles out of bread to make little bread "sailboats." It was adorable.

Due to my dietary issues, I can't eat the canned stuff anymore (nor the bread sailboats, depending on the type of bread, for that matter). Although, having made tomato soup myself with my Instant Pot and Slow Cooker, I can't say I ever want to eat the canned stuff again, although it is pretty convenient to have on hand.

Using the Instant Pot to make tomato soup, you can achieve such amazing depth of flavour in just minutes. Or, if you prefer to use a Slow Cooker, this amazing flavour can be achieved over the course of the day when you're doing other things. Either way, it's damn good soup.

Paleo + Whole30 with a Low FODMAP Option

This Instant Pot / Slow Cooker Tomato Soup is compliant with the Paleo and Whole30 diets. If you're doing a Whole30, this tomato soup on its own is not what the Whole30 folks would deem a full Whole30 meal. Per the Whole30 guidelines, you'll want to add some protein to the soup or eat something with protein alongside the soup.

As far as FODMAPs go, as this Instant Pot / Slow Cooker Tomato Soup recipe calls for two full, 28 ounce cans of diced tomatoes with their juices, this is over the recommended amount per Monash University's Low FODMAP Diet App. However, if you eat a low FODMAP diet but find that the FODMAP fructose doesn't bother your stomach, you may choose to use canned tomatoes over fresh tomatoes.

Otherwise, to keep this recipe low FODMAP, I have added an option to use 6 cups of chopped common tomatoes instead of the canned diced tomatoes. I have tested this recipe using both canned and fresh and think both soups taste equally as delicious. Jeff actually preferred the version using fresh tomatoes.

Necessary Equipment

Instant Pot Tomato Soup

The equipment I use to make this tomato soup in the Instant Pot includes:

• 6-quart Instant Pot, 8-quart Instant Pot (this recipe has been tested in both), or another comparable electric pressure cooker
• Chopping board
• Chopping knife
• Measuring spoons and cups
• Plastic spoon for scraping and stirring
• Immersion blender
• Stirring spoon
• Ladle

Slow Cooker Tomato Soup

The equipment I use to make this tomato soup in the slow cooker includes:

• Slow Cooker (I use an older model of this 6-quart Crock-Pot)
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Large skillet
• Heat-resistant spatula
• Stirring spoon
• Ladle

Instant Pot / Slow Cooker Tomato Soup: Ingredients & Success Tips

Garlic-Infused Olive Oil

To add garlic flavour to this Instant Pot / Slow Cooker Tomato Soup recipe without actual garlic, I use 3 tablespoon of garlic-infused olive oil. This gives the tomato soup a robust garlic flavour as well as adds some healthy fat.

Produce

Tomatoes

Unlike most of my other recipes that are primarily meat-focused, produce is the star of this recipe. I can tolerate and prefer to use canned tomatoes as it makes things so much easier, but as mentioned above, if needing to use the low FODMAP option, the version with chopped tomatoes is just as yummy (yummier in Jeff's opinion). If using the chopped tomatoes, try to save as much juice from them as possible to add to the soup. Scrape it off your cutting board with a knife into the Instant Pot or Slow Cooker.

Leek, Dark Green Leaves Only

To add some oniony flavour without onions, I use the dark green leaves of a leek and finely chop them. I actually prefer cooking with leeks now over onions as they don't make me cry when I chop them, and the onion flavour is more subtle, which I find ideal.

Carrots

In addition to tomatoes and leek, I also add some fresh carrots to my tomato soup. I find that the carrots bring down the acidity level created by the tomatoes. Plus, carrots are chock full of nutrients, so why not?

To start the recipe, I sauté the leek and carrots in the garlic oil for 3 minutes, either directly in the Instant Pot or in a skillet on the stove. Then, I add chicken bone broth to deglaze the pan and then the tomatoes.

Seasonings

This recipe is not for those who enjoy bland tasting food. I prefer my food flavour packed, so I add copious amounts of salt, ground black pepper, dried chives (one of my most favourite low FODMAP ingredients), Italian seasoning (typically using my homemade recipe but low FODMAP versions can also be found in stores), and fennel seed. If you prefer smaller amounts of salt and pepper, by all means add as much to suit your own personal taste. Be sure to taste the soup and adjust the seasonings to your liking before serving.

Coconut Cream

After the soup has cooked and I've blended it smooth with an immersion blender, I add some coconut cream. This brings down the acidity of the soup and adds some more healthy fat, which gives it a great flavour.

Serving Options

As I don't eat a strict Paleo diet, when I'm not doing a Whole30, I eat this soup with a grilled cheese sandwich made with sourdough bread, lactose-free cheese, and ghee. This is a low FODMAP serving option that's just heavenly dipped in the tomato soup as well as incredibly filling.

For Paleo/Whole30 serving options, as I mentioned above, you can add some cooked chicken to the soup (although I have not tried or tested it myself) or eat a protein alongside the soup.

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