Make A Creamier Tomato Soup With A Scoop Of Cottage Cheese

A bowl of wonderfully comforting tomato soup can go a long way in soothing your soul on a cold, rainy day. Whether you pair it with some crispy, fresh-out-of-the-oven croutons or a classic, no-frills grilled cheese sandwich, this delicious stew will win you over instantly. There's something about tomato soup's creaminess that hits our taste buds just right. The usual way to level it up is by adding a bit of parmesan or a splash of heavy cream. But while these additions do a great job in balancing the tomatoes' acidity and making the dish undeniably satisfying, have you ever thought about adding in some cottage cheese?

Cottage cheese is a game-changer for a high protein egg salad, but its protein content is just one of many reasons to use it in your tomato soup. Aside from upgrading the soup's texture, it also boosts the absorption of lycopene — an antioxidant in tomatoes that helps protect our DNA and which becomes more available to our bodies when paired with the fat content in cottage cheese. Mild and slightly salty, cottage cheese is typically vegetarian-friendly and gluten-free, however, some brands might throw in a bit of wheat starch, which acts as a stabilizer and improves its texture. Nevertheless, it will add a whole new layer of richness to the dish, and due to its neutral taste, you'll barely even notice it's there once it's blended with the rest of the ingredients. But which type of cottage cheese should you go for?

Before you grab just any cottage cheese tub from the supermarket shelf, check out these cottage cheese brands, ranked worst to best, and take a look at what the label says. Even though some recipes call for non-fat or low-fat cottage cheese, those options will leave your soup a little less creamy. Meanwhile, the full-fat kind, which boasts at least at least 4% milkfat, packs some serious smoothness, which it will carry over straight into your soup.

Once you've found the brand that best suits your taste, it's time to roll up your sleeves and head to the kitchen. Simply cut your tomatoes in half, pop them in the oven until they soften, and then blend them up with a generous scoop of cottage cheese (don't forget to throw in your favorite herbs and spices). If you'd like to give your soup a fancy twist and maximize its flavor, this is the right time to splurge for San Marzano canned tomatoes. And while it might surprise you, if by any chance you've got canned tomato soup sitting in your pantry, cottage cheese is the quickest way to make it richer and creamier.

So what are you waiting for? Add a dollop of cottage cheese to the mixture, blend it, and simply warm it on the stovetop over low heat. Then just serve yourself a steaming bowl and enjoy just how unbelievably creamy it is.