This is the soup I go to when I need one ready in just about 30 minutes. It’s a tomato oatmeal soup made with rolled oats, along with onions, garlic, a few warm spices and a flavourful chicken broth. The rolled oats soak up so much flavour and result in a creamy and satisfying consistency. The best part is that my kids love it because it has their favourite food: oats!

Orange/red coloured broth with small pieces of oats in a beige bowl with a spoon, with salt and pepper shakers beside it, a second bowl of soup, a small white plate with parsley and torn pita bread on a blue and white diamond tile background.

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Growing up, my mother would always make us quick tomato based soups. It would either be this oatmeal one or another easy tomato vermicelli soup. It’s a great recipe to have up your sleeve when you need something quick on the table, especially because this recipe doesn’t include any protein.

However, I do urge you to use a flavourful chicken or vegetable broth to make it. Store bought is totally fine too. The flavour makers in this quick soup are:

  • The finely diced onions and ensuring they develop flavour and colour.
  • The garlic and warm spices, along with a good quality tomato paste
  • The broth!

As for the oats, it is solely responsible for the best soup consistency! They soak up the flavour and become creamy and silky, making it such a satisfying soup to slurp on. When testing this soup with my kitchen assistant, we both had to take a break from working and have a hot bowl right there and then.

How to Make this Soup in a Few Simple Steps

First, gather your ingredients.

For the oats, I prefer using rolled oats as they will give the best texture. But quick or instant oats will work too but they will more easily blend into the soup. This recipe is not made for steel cut oats as they have a longer cook time.

For the onions, either finely dice them or you can pulse them in a food processor. I find that this way, they melt into the soup a lot better and you don’t end up with some onion bits.

Ingredient shot for Tomato Oat Soup with a white bowl with tomato paste, a green and yellow bowl with rolled oats, a white bowl with chopped onion, a white bowl with chopped garlic, a small pitcher of olive oil, a small plate with salt, pepper, coriander and cumin, a can of chopped tomatoes, and a measuring cup of stock on a blue diamond tile backbground.

To make the soup, start by caramelizing the onions in a soup pot over medium heat, using olive oil. Take your time with this step to build flavour. Stir and cook them for 6 to 7 minutes.

Next, add the garlic, all the spices, and the tomato paste. Make sure you also stir the tomato paste into the bottom of the pot to build its flavour.

Chopped onions being fried in a steel soup pot with a wooden spoon on a marble surface.
Chopped onions and tomato paste being fried in a steel soup pot with a wooden spoon on a marble surface.

Finally, add all of the broth along with the rolled oats. Bring to a boil, the cover and cook for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Taste and adjust for salt and pepper. It’s ready when the oats are soft and the soup has thickened.

Red coloured broth with a wooden spoon in a steel pot on a marble background.
Oatmeal in a red broth with a wooden spoon in a steel pot on a marble background.

Serving and Storage Suggestions

I serve this soup with a small sprinkling of Aleppo Pepper, chili flakes or freshly ground black pepper and garnish with parsley if desired for some colour. It’s typically a starter or a side to our dinners, or served as a light lunch. You’d be surprised how filling it is from the oats!

Store any leftovers in the fridge for a few days, or you can freeze it. This soup is quite freezer friendly and the texture will be good as new once thawed.

Orange/red coloured broth with small pieces of oats in a beige bowl with a spoon, with salt and pepper shakers beside it, a second bowl of soup, a small white plate with parsley on a blue and white diamond tile background.

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5 from 4 ratings

30-Minute Oatmeal Soup (Tomato Based)

Yield: 6 Servings
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 20 minutes
Total: 25 minutes
Author: Amina Al-Saigh
This quick oatmeal soup is made with a base of caramelized onions and tomato paste, along with vegetable or chicken stock. It's a quick soup that uses rolled oats, needs only a few ingredients, and results in a silky soup that's quite addictive!
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Ingredients
 

  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 yellow onion, finely diced
  • 4 large garlic cloves, minced
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, more to taste
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, more to taste
  • 1/4 cup tomato paste
  • 398 ml chopped tomatoes, canned
  • 1 cup rolled oats
  • 6 cups chicken stock, or vegetable stock

To Garnish:

  • 1/4 cup parsley, chopped
  • chili flakes, optional

Instructions
 

  • Place a medium sized soup pot on medium heat and add the olive oil. Allow the olive oil to heat up for a few minutes, then add the finely diced onions. Cook for 5 to 6 minutes until lightly golden. Add the minced garlic and all the spices. Stir and cook for another minute.
  • Move the onions aside in the pot and add the tomato paste. Stir the paste into the base of the pot to caramelize it for a few seconds. Then, combine it with the onions and garlic.
  • Add the chicken stock (or vegetable stock), the chopped tomatoes, and the rolled oats. Stir well. Cover and simmer the soup on medium low heat for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Taste and adjust for salt and pepper. You can also adjust the thickness of the soup to your preference by adding more water or by allowing it to further simmer and thicken. Note that it will thicken more as it cools.
  • To serve, ladle into bowls and garnish with chopped parsley and dried chili flakes if desired.

Notes

Since this soup is quick and doesn’t contain meat, there are three key steps to add lots of flavour:
  • Make sure you soften the onions well until lightly golden.
  • Make sure you caramelize the tomato paste well to add depth.
  • Use a flavourful chicken or vegetable stock instead of water.
Serving: 1Serving, Calories: 330kcal, Carbohydrates: 43g, Protein: 13g, Fat: 13g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 7g, Cholesterol: 7mg, Sodium: 1111mg, Potassium: 673mg, Fiber: 6g, Sugar: 8g, Vitamin A: 256IU, Vitamin C: 11mg, Calcium: 64mg, Iron: 3mg
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