This Creamy Tomato Tikka Masala Soup is the ultimate in flavor. With aromatic spices in a creamy, rich tomato broth it’s the perfect comfort food.

I refuse to subscribe to the notion that there is a “Soup Season”.  Sure, winter and fall are much more conducive to warming, comforting bowls of the steamy stuff, but there is something so cozy about soup and it can often make for a nice, one pot, fuss free meal, no matter the season.

As a lover of all things Indian-spiced I am constantly experimenting with dishes that are inspired by those very distinct spice blends. Since my husband is the exact opposite and prefers to avoid many of those spices, like the plague (he had a bad Indian restaurant food poisoning incident that forever ruined him) I dont get to play nearly as often as I would like.

On a rare night at home alone, recently, I was experimenting with a creamy garam masala spiced dish, somewhere between chicken makhani (butter chicken) and tikka masala, I was making the sauce creamy with coconut milk instead of heavy cream and as I was adding the tomatoes and broth, I found I had gone a little too far with the liquids, my sauce turned more to a soup and I simultaneously fell in love with this accidental dish. Creamy Tomato Tikka Masala Soup.

It’s the happenstance cooking that oftentimes yields my favorite results. So I tested a few more times and ended up here, with a rich and creamy, comforting take on the standard tomato soup. With the creaminess of the coconut milk and the shredded chicken, it’s super satiating and filling and you can serve your favorite veggie on the side. I like a big salad or roasted broccoli or Brussels sprouts, maybe with complimentary spicing.

As usual, customize this soup to your liking by adjusting the heat, adding using heavy cream if you’d rather, topping with dairy-free coconut yogurt (which is my preference) or cow, goat or sheep’s milk yogurt, instead.

Creamy Tomato Tikka Masala Soup

gluten-free, grain-free, nut-free, egg-free, dairy-free, paleo, whole30, veg-options

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Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 35 minutes minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes minutes

Servings: 4 -6 servings

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Ingredients 

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• 4 tablespoons ghee, unsalted butter or coconut oil
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, minced or finely grated
• 2 teaspoons finely grated or minced fresh ginger, or 1 teaspoon dried
• 1 ½ tablespoons garam masala
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons ground coriander
• ½ teaspoon cardamom
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• 2 teaspoons ground turmeric
• 1 cinnamon stick
• ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, optional
• 2 cups low sodium chicken stock*, homemade bone broth is a great option
• 1 28-ounce can or jar crushed or diced tomatoes
• 1 can full fat coconut milk, or 1/2 cup heavy cream
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 2 lbs cooked chicken, skin removed, shredded (optional, leave off and swap in veg broth for a vegetarian soup)
  
  

For serving:

• ¾ cup cilantro leaves and tender stems, coarsely chopped
• yogurt, cow, goat, sheep milk or coconut milk, heavy cream or coconut cream, for serving
• lemon or lime wedges
• red pepper flakes
• chopped fresh tomatoes
• scallions or chives

Instructions

• Heat ghee, butter or coconut oil over med-high heat in a heavy soup pot or dutch oven. Sauté the onion for 3-5 minutes then add the garlic and ginger for an additional 1-2 minutes. Add the garam masala, cumin, coriander, cardamom, paprika, turmeric, and the cinnamon stick. Sauté for a few minutes longer until spices are fragrant.
• Add to the pot, 2 cups of chicken stock, crushed tomatoes and coconut cream. Simmer for about 30 minutes.
• Remove the cinnamon stick and turn off the heat. Using an immersion blender, or high speed blender, purée the soup until smooth and creamy. Add back to the pot if poured into stand alone blender. Season with salt and pepper, add shredded chicken, stir well and serve topped with your preferred toppings.

Notes

you can also use vegetable broth
this is a great use for leftover rotisserie chicken, you can also use cooked chicken breasts or thighs.