High Protein Tomato Soup

Posted: Feb 1, 2024 Last Modified: Feb 1, 2024 by Carmy · This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

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This high protein tomato soup with cottage cheese is a deliciously creamy and cozy soup that is perfect for any meal. You only need a handful of ingredients and you can have this healthy tomato soup ready in no time.

Overhead view of a bowl of high protein tomato soup topped with grated parmesan cheese, freshly cracked pepper, and basil leaves.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

I love tomato soup, this blog has quite a few versions from a freezer-friendly dairy free instant pot tomato soup, tomato garlic tomato soup, roasted corn and tomato soup, and tomato potato soup. While I love tomato soup, it’s usually not very filling.

However, this tomato soup is different. It has a secret ingredient… and it’s cottage cheese! Thanks to the addition of cottage cheese, the usual 5g of protein in tomato soup is bumped up to 11g, making for a more filling dish.

It’s also a super easy recipe to make as you simply simmer and then blend up the soup. You’ll have this recipe ready for dinner (or meal prep) in no time.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Ingredients needed to make high protein tomato soup with cottage cheese.

oil — I use olive oil to saute my onions, but you can use any neutral oil of your choice.
onion — I use a small yellow onion but feel free to use a large onion or onion of your choice.
garlic — I always recommend freshly minced garlic over minced garlic in a jar. I usually buy a large batch of garlic and run it through the food processor to mince before freezing, so I always have minced garlic on hand.
tomato paste — adding tomato paste will increase the tomato-y flavor of the soup and help thicken it.
dried basil — what’s tomato soup without some basil? Adding dried basil to the soup and simmering it really infuses the basil flavor into the soup versus just stirring it in at the end.
sugar — a small amount of sugar can help round out the flavor as it helps counteract the acidity of the tomatoes.
canned tomatoes — canned whole tomatoes are ideal. Make sure to keep and add the liquid that’s in the can.
vegetable broth — I use low-sodium vegetable broth, but you can use any broth. While water can be used a pinch, I highly recommend broth as it adds way more flavor.
cottage cheese — cottage cheese is a wonderful source of protein, so it’ll leave you feeling satiated. Half a cup of 2% MF cottage cheese (110 grams) has 12 grams of protein! It’s soft, white, and creamy, and it comes in different milk fat levels and curd sizes. I’m using 2% MF (2% milk fat), but I usually just pick whichever container is on sale! Once blended with the soup, it thickens the soup and makes it delightfully creamy.
salt & pepper
garnishes — optional garnishes include fresh basil and parmesan.

How to Make High Protein Tomato Soup

Set of two photos showing oil and onions added to a pot then cooked with garlic.

Add oil over medium heat in a large pot. Add the onions and cook until softened, for 4 to 5 minutes.
Add the garlic and cook for another minute before adding the salt. If the bottom of your pot starts browning, you can deglaze it with a splash of the vegetable broth. It’ll add more flavor to your soup! You deglaze by scraping the bottom of the pot after adding the liquid.

Set of two photos showing tomato paste and dried basil added to the pot of onions and garlic.

Add tomato paste to the pot and cook for a minute.
Add the sugar and dried basil and give everything a stir.

Set of two photos showing canned whole tomatoes and broth added to the pot.

Add the canned tomatoes (with the liquid!) and the vegetable broth. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occassionally. (Add more salt at this stage if desired)

Set of two photos showing before and after soup being blended with cottage cheese.

Add the soup to the blender along with cottage cheese. Blend until smooth. You might have to do this in two batches, depending on how large your blender is. Just be careful when blending hot soup by making sure there’s a way for the steam to release by not filling the soup to the top. I remove the center of the lid to my kitchenaid and cover the gap with a linen napkin.
Serve as is or top with your favorite garnishes like parmesan, basil, and pepper.

Overhead view of a pot with high protein tomato soup topped with grated parmesan, pepper, and fresh basil.

Recipe Tips and Notes

I use a Vitamix.
For extra flavour, I like adding some air fryer roaster garlic to the soup.
Try serving this soup with no-knead bread, air fryer garlic bread, air fryer croutons, or sourdough croutons to make this heartier.
You can use dried Italian seasoning in place of the dried basil.
To make this high protein soup even more hearty, you can add some rinsed and drained navy beans to the blender.

Four meal prep containers with high protein tomato soup topped with grated parmesan and freshly cracked pepper.

Make Ahead Tips

Meal prep: allow the tomato soup to cool before you store it. Once cooled, transfer leftovers to an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days .
Reheat: you can reheat the tomato soup on the stovetop or microwave until warmed through.
Freezer: I do not recommend freezing this tomato soup with cottage cheese as the cottage cheese might separate and change its texture when thawed and reheated.