Spiced Tomato Soup

This spiced tomato soup is made with warming Indian spices, canned tomatoes, and freshly grated Parmesan. Make this soup in the Instant Pot or on the stovetop!

Soup weather is here.

It’s a rainy day near the end of summer, and today seems like the perfect day to curl up on the couch with a big bowl of soup.

As much as I enjoy cold soups like gazpacho during the blazing summer heat of July, as September approaches, I want something a little more comforting.

I want soup that will warm me up from the inside out.

Usually I make a classic tomato soup (like my tomato soup from canned tomatoes), but recently I’ve been craving this spiced tomato soup.

I first published this recipe on Champagne Tastes back in January of 2016, right after a massive snow storm had rolled through our town. This is the perfect snow day soup, but it’s also pretty delicious on cool rainy days.

This soup got a facelift today, with new photos and updated directions.

This recipe includes both Instant Pot and stovetop directions. The photos in the post are for the Instant Pot version, but check the second half of the recipe card for the stovetop directions.

Want more soup ideas? Try vegan tortilla soup, homemade cream of mushroom soup, vegetable gnocchi soup, spicy butternut squash soup, creamy pumpkin soup, and vegan pumpkin soup.

What Spices Do I Need?

You’ll need black or brown mustard seeds.

Brown mustard seeds should be easy to find at your local grocery store, but you can also buy brown mustard seeds online.

Black mustard seeds are a little harder to find and slightly more expensive, but will work perfectly if that’s what you have on hand.

You’ll also need ground cumin and (optionally) ground cayenne.

What Type of Canned Tomatoes Should I Use?

This soup is a perfect way to use tomatoes you canned from your summer harvest, but store-bought tomatoes will work perfectly too.

If possible, use whole San Marzano (or Roma) tomatoes, because they are less watery and will make a thicker soup. I usually buy Cento San Marzano tomatoes.

If you can’t find (or don’t have) whole tomatoes, you can swap whatever canned tomatoes you have on hand, but your soup will be a little thinner.

How to Make Spiced Tomato Soup in an Instant Pot

Start by adding olive oil and press the sauté button until the display reads more.

Add the mustard seeds and use a wooden spoon to push the seeds into the oil.

When the mustard seeds begin to pop, add the shallots and the rest of the spices.

Cook them until the shallots begin to brown.

Next, add water and bring it to a simmer.

You’re basically making your own shallot (or onion) broth!

Next, add the canned tomatoes.

Seal the lid, and set the valve to sealing.

Set the timer to 10 minutes.

Some Instant Pots models have a pressure cook button, and others have a manual button.  They do exactly the same thing.

The Instant Pot will take about six minutes to come to pressure. Once it does, it will begin to count down.

When it’s done counting down, it’ll beep.

At this point, carefully release the pressure by turning the valve with a long-handled spoon. I usually cover up the valve with a kitchen towel to prevent splattering.

When the pressure is released, open the lid.

Now you’re going to blend the soup.

You can use an immersion blender (like this Cuisinart immersion blender), or a standard blender with a basin. A standard blender will blend the soup more finely.

If you’re blender shopping, I highly recommend my blender, a Vitamix 750.

Next, stir in the Parmesan cheese.

It should melt as you stir.

Taste the soup. If you prefer it creamier, or if you think it’s too spicy, add some milk or cream.

Serve the soup with some fresh basil and a brie grilled cheese sandwich.  

Enjoy your soup, and stay warm!

This recipe is adapted from a Gujarati-style tomato soup recipe in the book At Home with Madhur Jaffrey.