Firstly, press SAUTE on Instant Pot. Next, add Olive oil (or butter) and once it's hot, add bay leaf and minced garlic and saute for 30 seconds.
Next, add onions and saute until they soften.
Then add carrots, red bell pepper, diced tomatoes, vegetable broth (water), black pepper powder, and salt. Carrot adds creamy texture, sweetness and brings bright color to the dish.
Red bell pepper gives a nice smoky flavor and color to the soup. But it's optional. You can also use celery for this recipe.
Close the lid securely, and turn the vent to "SEALING". Select the PRESSURE COOK/MANUAL (High Pressure) setting and set the cooking time to 6 minutes.When the instant pot beeps, allow the pressure to release naturally before removing the lid.
Remove the Bay leaf and puree the soup until smooth using an immersion blender. ( Or transfer the mixture to a traditional blender in batches and puree until smooth).Then strain the puree using fine mesh sieve and discard the residue, but this step is optional.
Add dried basil, black pepper powder, heavy cream (or milk or half and a half), and stir well. It is entirely up to you which of these three you want to use; remember that the higher the fat content, the creamier the soup. Adjust seasoning at this stage.
If you think the soup is too thick, you can add water or milk and simmer it for 2 minutes.
Serve hot and top with croutons and a drizzle of heavy cream.
Stovetop Pot Method:
Follow the same steps as above for STOVETOP, instead of pressure cooking here we have to cover the pot and simmer until the tomatoes and other vegetables are soft, about 20 minutes and blend.
Dice Veggies into the same size: Dice the tomatoes and other veggies roughly the same size (about 1-inch cubes) for even cooking.
Saute the Aromatics: Be sure to sauté the aromatics, like onion and garlic, in a little olive oil or butter first, it will help to elevate the soup flavors.
Canned Tomatoes: You can also use canned diced, or crushed tomatoes instead of fresh ones.
Roasting Tomatoes: You can also roast the fresh tomatoes in the oven or air fryer before using them in the soup.
Variations
Extra Creamy Texture: For a richer, creamy tomato soup, I have added heavy cream to the soup. You can substitute it with cream cheese, sour cream, greek yogurt, or Parmesan cheese.
Vegan: You can substitute heavy cream with coconut cream, full-fat coconut milk, or almond milk to make vegan tomato soup.
Herbs: If you don't have basil, try adding different dried or fresh herbs like Italian seasoning, thyme, chives, etc.
Other Veggies: You can also add diced celery, and beetroot to this soup to make it extra nutritious.
Note: Nutrition values are my best estimates. If you rely on them for your diet, use your preferred nutrition calculator.