As the weather cools down, few things are more comforting to me than a big, warm bowl of soup. Creamy tomato soup is a classic for a reason, and when you pair it with grilled cheese it’s like a hug in a meal. In the past, I’ve made tomato soup from scratch by roasting down the tomatoes with onions, garlic, and bell pepper to add a richer, almost caramelized depth of flavor.
But when I don’t feel like going through the effort and don’t want to turn to a canned option, a recipe I found on TikTok will do the trick. Not only does it only require just three ingredients, but it’s also high in protein. The secret ingredient? Cottage cheese.
I’m not typically the biggest fan of cottage cheese and I don’t like to eat it plain, but after trying it in a four-ingredient brownie recipe, I think I may have been converted. So I decided to give it a go and see how it stacked up.
How to make high-protein tomato soup
If you’re a cottage cheese lover, then you likely already have everything you need at home. This quick and easy soup recipe requires just three ingredients: 1 cup of marinara sauce, 1 cup of cottage cheese, and 1 cup of broth.
To make the soup, simply add the ingredients to a blender and blitz them together until smooth. Then, pour the mixture into a saucepan and heat it over medium heat for about 5 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Finally, pour the soup into a bowl, and serve it up with whatever you like!
My honest review
Making the soup couldn’t be easier. In fact, it took me about 10 minutes from start to finish. Visually, it looked and smelled good, although I did notice the oil from the sauce pooling at the top. (I used Rao’s Creamy Marinara sauce, as it’s all I had on hand, which is made with butter, but this could potentially be avoided if you use a different sauce.) I didn’t have any bread on hand at the time (otherwise I would have made a grilled cheese to pair with it), but topped it with a few leaves of fresh basil and dug in.
The tomato soup has a good, rich flavor, thanks to the ingredients of the sauce (Italian peeled tomatoes, cream, Parmigiano-Reggiano, and onions, to name a few), and the cottage cheese itself boosts the cheesy flavor even more. However, it does also add a bit of tartness and a puckery mouthfeel. Still, it’s creamy and makes a nice weekday lunch. And at 26 grams of protein per cup, it’s a foolproof way to sneak some extra protein in without thinking about it too much.
A few tips
- Bone broth: If you’re looking to amp up the protein content even further, you could swap in bone broth, which can contain 8 to 15 grams of protein per serving.
- Top with croutons: If you’re not feeling a grilled cheese or are looking for something lighter, a few croutons sprinkled on top would add a lovely crunch.
- Try flavored sauces: Classic marinara is a great start, but you could amp up the flavor with a funky flavored sauce. I’m curious to try this recipe with Sauz Miso Marinara next time.
(Alexandra Foster is an assistant editor for TheKitchn.com, a nationally known blog for people who love food and home cooking. Submit any comments or questions to editorial@thekitchn.com.)
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