This protein tomato soup with a secret ingredient contains THREE portions of vegetables per serving. Vegetable broth and tomato paste create a flavorful base, while fresh tomatoes, onion, zucchini & carrot provide vitamins & minerals. It can be made using a regular or immersion blender.
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This protein-packed tomato soup can be served as a main dish or side. It's chock full of flavor and nutrients but also a breeze to make. Gab your favorite apron, and let's get cooking.
💌 Why I Love This Recipe
- Super Rich in Protein. Thanks to a secret portion of lentils, this is a high-protein vegetarian soup that will keep you satisfied for hours.
- Hidden Veggies. This delicious fresh tomato soup supercharges you with not just one or two but THREE portions of veggies per serving.
- Make in Batches. The creamy texture makes it perfect for freezing! Pour it in an airtight container, pop it in the freezer, and you've got your busy weeknight dinner sorted!
- Tastier than shop-bought. If you find yourself reaching for a can of cream of tomato soup often, this low-fat alternative will give your tastebuds a real treat.
- Triple the protein. Serve these with roasted lentils or roasted pepitas for a satisfying crunch and extra protein boost.
And just in case you're a cooking newbie, you'll be getting step-by-step photos with instructions. Let's go!
🛒 Ingredients
This delightful creamy soup requires just cupboard essentials and a few additions.
- Tomatoes. If you can, opt for flavourful vine or heirloom tomatoes for a rich & tangy base for the soup.
- Tomato sauce (tomato passata). Look for those that only have 1 ingredient - tomato. Usually sold in glass bottles (Europe) or cans (US).
- Zucchini (courgette). Contributes to a mild and tender texture while adding another vegetable serving.
- Red lentils*. The key ingredient that adds a creamy texture and this soup's signature protein boost.
- Carrots. Enhance the nutritional profile and add a subtle sweetness.
- Onion & garlic. They provide a rich, savory, and aromatic base. Skip garlic if you're not a fan.
- Hemp seeds. They are an incredibly rich & complete source of protein. Can be substituted with pumpkin or sunflower seeds.
- Fresh basil. To complement the tomato flavor and add some visual texture when serving.
- Olive oil, salt & vegetable stock. To provide a rich and savory backdrop. I used a stock cube, but you can use homemade or any other store-bought veggie stock.
- Dry herbs & spices. I used black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika & turmeric to add a hint of spice and elevate the overall complexity of flavors.
Red lentils in this recipe can be replaced by other lentils, such as green or brown. It will still add the protein & creamy texture, but your soup might end up less vibrant in color.
👣 Step-by-step
This is a visual guide to making our protein-rich classic tomato soup.
If you're looking for the full recipe featuring all the measurements, make sure to check out the recipe card at the bottom.
- Heat the pan. Heat olive oil in a large pan, then add garlic and onion.
2. Sauté the aromatics. Sauté on low heat while stirring for about 4-5 minutes or until the onions are slightly translucent.
3. Add veggies. Add the rest of your vegetables & seeds. Gently saute for another 5 minutes. Stir occasionally.
4. By now the veggies should be tender.
5. Boil & simmer. Add stock, tomato sauce & lentils. Then, bring to a boil and let simmer for about 15-20 minutes until both the lentils and the carrots are soft.
6. Blend. Transfer to a blender or food processor. Add balsamic vinegar and all the seasoning. Blend until smooth and adjust the consistency if desired by adding more vegetable stock.der
You can also blend it with an immersion blender instead.
Serve. Serve with fresh garlic bread, roasted pepitas for crunch, homemade pesto for extra flavor, or zingy lime crema for smoothness.
Extra tip - If you want an additional crunch & protein source, sprinkle my roasted pepitas or roasted lentils on top. It's the most addicting healthy topping!
👨🍳 Expert Tips
Use High-Quality Tomatoes.
- I recommend splurging on good-quality tomatoes on the vine or heirloom tomatoes. They're a lot more flavorful than other varieties. If you're on a budget, check out the next tip instead.
No fresh tomatoes? No problem.
- If fresh tomatoes aren't in season or if you want to save some money, use canned tomatoes instead. Good-quality canned tomatoes are often way cheaper than any fresh tomatoes. They are canned at their peak ripeness, making your soup extra tasty all throughout the year.
Chop them Thin
- As this is a blended soup, you don't need to worry about cutting things into exact pieces. However, carrots take longer to cook than other veggies, so make sure to chop them into small pieces.
Adjust Thickness as Needed.
- Tailor the consistency of your soup by adjusting the amount of liquid. If it's too thick, add more broth or water; if it is too thin, let it simmer longer to reduce.
Finish with Fresh Herbs.
- Garnish this creamy tomato soup with your favorite fresh toppings. Basil, thyme & parsley work particularly well.
🥕 Ingredient Substitutions
- Olive oil can be substituted with other vegetable oils like sunflower oil.
- Garlic powder can be replaced by onion powder if preferred.
- Carrot can be replaced by red pepper, but it will change the flavor.
- You can add cannellini beans (small white beans) in addition to the lentils.
- Add a teaspoon of brown sugar if you use out-of-season tomatoes that taste bland.
- If you like smoky flavors, you can use canned fire-roasted tomatoes instead of fresh.
🥖 Serving Ideas
- Crunchy Garlic Bread. My twisted herb-infused garlic bread makes a delicious side to dip into the soup.
- Classic Dinner Rolls. You can't go wrong with these family-favorite fluffy dinner rolls.
- Top With Salsa. Add a dollop of this irresistible lime avocado crema for additional healthy fats.
- Dairy-free Pesto. Swirl some of this vibrant homemade pesto into the soup just before serving.
- Crunchy Arugula Salad. Try it with this tasty, fresh & crunchy arugula salad.
❓ FAQ
Here are some reader questions I received about making this protein tomato soup.
There are about 17 grams of protein per serving. The entire recipe makes about 4 servings.
Yes, you can use green lentils -it might just end up slightly less vibrantly red, but the taste will be more or less the same.
Yes! Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge. Eat within 3 to 4 days, and ensure it's piping hot before serving again.
👋 Conclusion
As always, if you have any trouble making this recipe, leave a comment in the comments section below. I'll be happy to help you out in case you get stuck!
Made this soup? Please consider taking the time to leave a short review. This helps my blog tremendously & makes sure other readers get even more feedback on this soup.
🍴Recipe
Healthy High Protein Tomato Soup - Creamy Secret Ingredient
EQUIPMENT
- Knife & chopping board
- Blender, immersion blender or food processor
INGREDIENTS
- ½ teaspoon olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic chopped
- 1 small onion chopped
- 4 large tomatoes chopped
- 1 small courgette / zucchini chopped
- 3 small carrots thinly sliced
- 5 tablespoon hemp seeds
- 3 cups (500 ml) vegetable stock or more to taste
- 2 cups (400 ml) tomato sauce also called tomato passata
- ½ cup (55 g) red split lentils dry
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
SEASONING
- 6 small leaves fresh basil reserve some for serving
- 2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika powder
- salt and black pepper to taste
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
INSTRUCTIONS
- Heat the pan. Heat olive oil in a pan, then add garlic and onion.½ teaspoon olive oil, 4 cloves garlic, 1 small onion
- Sauté the aromatics. Sauté on low heat while stirring for about 4-5 minutes or until the onions are slightly translucent.
- Add veggies. Add the rest of your vegetables & seeds. Gently saute for another 5 minutes. Stir occasionally.4 large tomatoes, 1 small courgette / zucchini, 3 small carrots, 5 tablespoon hemp seeds
- Boil & simmer. Add stock, tomato sauce & lentils. Then, bring to a boil and let simmer for about 15-20 minutes until both the lentils and the carrots are soft.3 cups vegetable stock, 2 cups tomato sauce, ½ cup red split lentils
- Blend. Transfer to a blender or food processor. Add balsamic vinegar and all the seasoning. Blend until smooth and adjust the consistency if desired by adding more vegetable stock.1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar, 6 small leaves fresh basil, 2 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon paprika powder, salt and black pepper, ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
- Serve. Serve with fresh garlic bread, roasted pepitas for crunch, homemade pesto for extra flavor, or zingy lime crema for smoothness.
Notes
Nutrition
Disclaimer: The nutritional information above is calculated automatically. The author of this post cannot guarantee 100% accuracy of this data.
Annaliese says
Hi! Making this for dinner tonight and it looks delicious. Just curious how much onion to use? It's listed in the steps to use onion, however onion is not mentioned in the ingredients list. Thanks in advance!
Tajda Ferko says
Hi Annaliese, thanks for noticing! Just updated this recipe - you will need 1 onion 🙂 So intrigued to hear what you think of the soup - would love to hear your feedback. Thank you for stopping by and have a lovely rest of the week x
Annaliese says
I just made this for the 4th time and wanted to comment about how much I love it- and realized I already commented back in November! This recipe is delicious- and pretty unbelievable how nutritious it is. Thank you so much for creating it!!
Tajda Ferko says
Ahh, thank you so much for your wonderful review Annaliese. So happy to hear you enjoyed the soup so much! xx
Chelsea says
Absolutely delicious! A very simple recipe and is easy to make, but is also so incredibly flavourful and filling. Would highly recommend!
Tajda Ferko says
Thank you Chelsea, I'm so excited to hear that!
Marley says
Could I use green lentils? Will it have any affect on the recipe? Thanks!
Tajda Ferko says
Yes, you can absolutely use green lentils -it might just end up slightly less vibrantly red but the taste will be more or less the same.