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Creamy Moroccan Tomato Soup. The cozy weeknight soup that’s quick, easy, and healthy too. Pantry staple canned tomatoes, smoky, fiery Moroccan harissa sauce, and creamy coconut milk, all come together to create a delicious rich bowl of tomato soup that’s a flavorful twist on the classic. Serve each bowl topped with crispy chickpeas for a completely vegan tomato soup that made in 45 minutes or less. Serve with garlic naan or a simple grilled cheese, for the perfect meal any night of the week.
I’ve decided I need to get back to my creative roots. Throughout my childhood I’d flip through fashion magazines and spend my weekends rearranging my bedroom. When that got boring, I’d stroll over to my grandparents. Once there, my grandma would let me play in her in closest and dress the manikin she had in her bedroom. My Nonnie had the most beautiful clothes, so as you can guess, this was one of my favorite activities. Once I’d finished, I’d make my way downstairs, to play in the kitchen and help her set the dinner table.
I’ve always loved design and putting things together. Basically, I’ve always loved being creative and trying to make everything pretty. Or at least pretty to my eyes. As I began cooking and then writing Half Baked Harvest, all of that creative energy was poured into making food look gorgeous. And for the last 6 1/2 years I’ve worked so hard to grow my creative “eye” in this space.
And I could not love it more. I love fashion, and I love home decor, but food is most definitely my niche.
That said, I realized this weekend that I miss doing the other things I used to love so much. I was looking around my house and it’s so blah and boring. I’ve spent so much time working, that everything else fell to the wayside, I’m sure so many of you can relate. I really want to make it a goal to spend a couple of hours each week doing other things I love. I know in the long run it will only feed my creativity and make Half Baked Harvest that much better. I’m excited.
No real reason for sharing this, it’s just what’s currently on my mind as I sat down to write this post. Maybe sharing my thoughts with you all will hold me accountable…crossing my fingers my reasoning works!
In other news, I did make us some soup to cozy up to this week!
I said a couple of weeks ago that I was kind of over soup, I’ve made so many this year. But then I had this idea for a grilled cheese (recipe coming soon). Nothing goes better with a grilled cheese than a creamy bowl of tomato soup. Originally, I wasn’t planning on sharing this recipe. But when it turned out so good, I knew it was one that I needed to share. My reason for hesitating is that it’s a little different. But it’s such a delicious, cozy, and healthy bowl of soup, so why not share it, you know?
Plus, as much as we’re all craving spring, it is still very much winter, and very cold. So soup weather!
The base of this soup is pretty simple. It still has your standard onion, garlic, and tomato mix. But I’ve added smoky and fiery harissa sauce to give the soup a kick of both flavor and heat. If you’ve never had harissa, it’s a Moroccan condiment that usually consists of pureed roasted red peppers and spices. It’s kind of like Moroccan salsa. You can find it at places like Whole Foods, and Trader Joe’s, possibly even your local grocery store. My Kroger owned grocery store carries it. You can also just purchase it online at Thrive Market, or via Amazon (both are obviously very convenient).
The harissa is KEY in this tomato soup. It adds all the flavor and really sets it apart from the traditional bowl of tomato soup. In addition to harissa, I also used canned coconut milk, to give the soup a nice smooth and creamy texture and a slight hint of coconut flavor.
It’s DELICIOUS and keeps the soup 100% vegan too. While, I topped the soup with goat cheese, you can do what you like, and add or omit the cheese. You know me though, gotta have some cheese.
Lastly, I crisped up some chickpeas for a little bit of protein and crunch. This is completely optional, but I do love the texture they add to the soup.
And as for the grilled cheese? More on that tomorrow…
Until then, I hope you all have a great start to your week!
If you make this Moroccan tomato soup, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to also tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Creamy Moroccan Tomato Soup.
Servings: 6
Calories Per Serving: 800 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, smashed
- kosher salt and black pepper
- 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 2 (28 ounce) cans diced fire roasted tomatoes
- 2-3 tablespoons harissa sauce
- 2 teaspoons honey, or real maple syrup
- 1 can (14 ounce) full fat coconut milk
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro or basil, chopped
- 4 ounces goat cheese, crumbled (optional)
- crispy chickpeas, for serving (optional) (optional)
Instructions
- 1. Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. When the oil shimmers, add the onion and garlic, and season with salt and pepper. Cook 5 minutes or until the onion is fragrant and beginning to caramelize. Add the thyme, paprika, and cumin, cook another minute. Stir in the tomatoes, harissa, and honey. Cook 5 minutes until bubbling. 2. Pour in the coconut milk. Transfer the soup to a blender and puree until mostly smooth. Return the soup to the pot and place over medium heat, Stir in the cilantro and half of the goat cheese, if using, and season the soup with salt and pepper. Thin with more coconut milk, if desired. Cook until warmed though, 5-10 minutes. 4. To serve, ladle the soup among bowls and top with goat cheese, cilantro, and chickpeas. I recommend serving with a grilled cheese on the side!
There’s nothing better than creamy tomato soup and I love these flavors – can’t wait to try this!
I hope you love this Laura! Thank you! xTieghan
I recently discovered Half Baked Harvest and want to try all the delicious sounding recipes (also ordered the recipe book today). I tried the Moroccan Tomato Soup this afternoon. It’s very good, super easy, and I will definitely be making it again. And the aromatic spices are making my kitchen smell fantastic on a cold winter day!
I am so glad you loved this recipe, Maggie! And I hope you love all of the recipes in the book! Thank you so much! xTieghan
Hi, I like your blog, but, as someone who lived in Morocco, I agree with another commenter that calling this Moroccan doesn’t feel right. Sure, harissa is Moroccan. But coconut milk, basil, and goat cheese do not appear in Moroccan cuisine. There is, however, a wonderful traditional tomato soup called harira. But it disappoints me when food/design/style blogs label things Moroccan to appropriate a sense of the “exotic,” without demonsting an authentic understanding of the culture being referenced. Maybe “Tomato Soup with Moroccan Harissa” is more accurate.
Hi Ashley! Thank you so much for this. I hope you know that I in no way meant to offend anyone by the title of this recipe! I really like to throw my own spin on traditional recipes and that is where the name is coming from. I will be more careful in the future!
Quick question: is it two 14 ounce cans of fire roasted tomatoes (for a total of 28 ounces)? Or two 28 ounce cans. Thank you!!
Hey Jamie! It is 2 (28 ounce) cans. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you! xTieghan
Hi maybe I’m just stupid hahah Are you saying two cans that are each 28 ounces or two cans that are each 14 ounces? When you put the 28 in parentheses it looks like you mean a TOTAL of 28 ounces, so two 14 ounces cans. Thank you I can’t wait to try this!!!
Hey Kari,
You will want to use 2-28 ounce cans of diced tomatoes. I hope you love this recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
Omg, yes this soup is a definite must try!
Thank you so much Tori! xTieghan
So love hearing that you want to make time for other creative outlets. I’ve been going going through a similar thing. A friend and mentor of mine encouraged me that if I took the time to do it that I’d be amazed at how it would actually make me more productive.
So, instead of thinking about it as something that “takes away time” from work, I decided to make a shift in my mind about how I thought about it…thinking about it as not just something that I enjoy doing, but also as something that will add to my productivity. And guess what? It has! My mental clarity, emotions and focus have so improved. It’s made me better at everything I do.
Looking forward to hearing how it goes as you start making time for the creative things that are in your heart to do. May they add much life to you!
I love that way of thinking! Thank you so much Jeannine! xTieghan
I admire your creativity but calling this soup Moroccan is wrong on so many levels. Adding harissa to a random soup DOES NOT make it Moroccan, honey and harissa soup on the other hand makes completely sense. Very disappointing.
Hi Nads! Thank you so much for your comment! I know not everything in the recipe would be traditional, but I like to use different ingredients when I am creating my recipes! xTieghan
Looking soo delicious ??
Thank you!
This soup looks AMAZING! I love tomato soup and I love harissa, so I need to try this ASAP. Also, Trader Joe’s carries a harissa salsa that is the bomb. I would definitely recommend trying it!! 🙂
Thank you so much Sarah! I will try it out! xTieghan
I have all of the ingredients so I was gonna make this tonight! It looks amazing and perfect for this comfy, windy weather we are having in the Northeast. But something tells me I’ll regret not waiting for your grilled cheese recipe 🙂 love your blog!
Thank you so much Cathy! I hope you’re staying warm! xTieghan
I am definitely making this for dinner tonight. It looks delicious! The link you have to the crispy chickpeas is broken by the way.
Thank you for letting me know! I hope you love this recipe, Amber! xTieghan
if there’s chickpeas involved, I’m in!!
YES! I hope you love this Ruth! xTieghan
I’m so with you concerning making time for other things to create “life balance” in my days. I do believe it releases more creativity to work with. And speaking of creativity, I love how you bring a twist to everyday recipes. This Creamy Morrocan Tomato Soup looks out of this world. And truly the perfect complement is a simple grilled cheese sandwich. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you so much! xTieghan
What if you only have Harissa powder/spice and not the paste?
You can use 1-2 tablespoons harissa powder, but I would also add a red pepper for flavor. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you! xTieghan
a) this soup looks super, super delicious.
b) I totally get what you mean with the creativity thing – I’m actually finding my recipes, blog writing and photography have got better in the past 6 months as I started to pick up one of my old creative hobbies again – creative writing – I stopped when I started getting paid for my regular writing so focused on that, but I think focusing our other creative muscles can help us overall!
Thank you so much Rachel! I love that you picked up creative writing again, that is so great! xTieghan