Creamy High Protein Tomato Soup (with roasted veggies)

Once September hits, I've got soups planned into every week of my recipes. I LOVE soup season!

One of the first soups I fell in love with as a kid was tomato soup. Any time I was sick, my mom would run to Albertson's and get their hot and ready tomato soup with fresh bread.

​It's still one of my favorite soups to this day, but if you know me, you know that I'm always trying to sneak in protein for blood sugar balance. I was determined to make a high protein tomato soup recipe that actually tasted good!

And boy does this tomato soup deliver. It has 10 grams of protein per serving but it's not heavy at all, and the flavor is so authentic to the "original" soup.

Not to mention it's gluten free and dairy free, too!

I know you're going to have this protein-packed tomato soup on repeat this year so let's make it now!

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Why you'll love this recipe

No canned tomatoes: I'm sorry but the difference between good tomato soup and amazing tomato soup is how your tomatoes are prepared, and while this recipe does take more time than others, it is well worth the effort. Roasting the tomatoes with the aromatics brings depth to the tomato flavor, compliments the earthy basil, and means you need less dry seasonings to make the soup taste good. This recipe only uses fresh tomatoes!

Higher in protein: this soup packs 10 grams of protein per serving, which is about seven times more protein than most other tomato soups.

Loaded with veggies: my creamy tomato soup recipe has five different vegetables in it to support your gut microbiome and add a depth of flavor to the soup.

Anti-inflammatory: the entire soup is gluten free and dairy free, and the combination of olive oil with roasted tomatoes helps increase the absorption of lycopene from the tomatoes, a powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent.

Rich in minerals: minerals are the factory workers in your body that power your body at a cellular level. The combination of five different vegetables with bone broth and coconut milk adds a huge diversity in minerals, which will nourish your cells, relieve stress, and keep you hydrated.

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Ingredients you'll need

• Roma tomatoes: three pounds of whole tomatoes to be exact! I prefer roma tomatoes because they're less watery than other tomatoes, but you can use whatever tomatoes you like.
• Cauliflower: a secret ingredient that doesn't change the flavor much but makes the soup really creamy and adds another vegetable to the mix. Since a whole head of cauliflower is too much, I recommend just getting a bag of frozen cauliflower, slightly thawing it, and tossing it right in the pan with the rest of the veggies.
• Aromatics: onion and garlic, the classics. I usually use yellow onion because it's more mild and roasts well, but you could also use a white onion if you need to. You'll also be roasting the garlic cloves whole, so no need to deal with minced garlic!
• Lentils: I've seen some recipes that used small white beans like cannellini beans, but I found their texture to be a bit gritty even after blending. The key to getting some plant-based protein in the soup while also getting that signature creamy texture is lentils. And, while I usually write my recipes with canned legumes to keep things simple, this is one of those few cases where you need the dried beans. Don't worry, though, it's really simple.  
• Bone broth: we're actually using both liquid and powdered bone broth for this recipe. The liquid bone broth cooks the lentils, and the powdered bone broth adds more protein without adding more liquid while also adding a really robust, concentrated tomato basil flavor. Ever since I tried Just Ingredients tomato basil bone broth, I became obsessed and I've been finding delicious ways to use it in my recipes just like this one. If you don't have it on hand, you need to grab some! I promise you will use it so much and it's cheaper per serving than liquid bone broth. Click the linked text to shop and use my code "thewellnourishedmama" to get 10% off your order!
• Nutritional yeast: the third source of plant-based protein that adds a savory note to the soup. If you've never heard of it or used it before, this is a great time to try it because it won't be very obvious but just subtle enough. I love nutritional yeast because it's protein dense (given the serving size) and super rich in B vitamins, which support your metabolism and mental health. It also has a slight cheesy flavor!
• Coconut milk: the non-dairy replacement for heavy cream. I also love coconut milk because it helps balance out the natural acidity of the tomatoes without needing to add sugar to the soup. I also made sure you use the whole can!
• Herbs: I actually tested this soup with dried basil because I was curious if it would still taste good and it does! That being said, I still prefer fresh basil over dried basil. Thankfully, you can use either and the soup will taste amazing! See the recipe card to know how much of each type of basil you'll need.

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How to make roasted tomato soup

While this healthy tomato soup might be a bit more work than the average homemade tomato soup, it's still pretty easy to throw together. The oven and the blender do most of the work!

Below you'll find the basic instructions for the soup, but for all the detailed instructions, please see the recipe card at the end of the blog post.

Step 1: prep the veggies

Preheat your oven and set out a deep 9x13 baking dish. You want this dish to be at least two inches tall because there's lots of veggies! Think of a casserole dish you'd use for lasagna (like this one).

Chop all the tomatoes and onions into quarters (larger pieces), peel the garlic cloves, and slightly defrost the cauliflower.

Bring the bone broth to a boil in your soup pot for the lentils.

Step 2: cook the veggies

Toss all the veggies in some olive oil in the baking dish and roast for 45 minutes.

Meanwhile, once the bone broth is boiling, add in the lentils, turn the heat down to simmer, and cover with a lid. Cook for 15-20 minutes while the other veggies roast.

You'll know when the lentils are done when they are incredibly soft and partially split open.

Step 3: blend the soup

Once the roasted veggies are done and the lentils are cooked, turn the stove and the oven off.

Transfer the roasted veggies (reserve the excess liquid) to the soup pot and add the remaining ingredients. Blend with an immersion blender until smooth.

Add additional salt, pepper, and basil according to taste.

Note: if you don't have an immersion blender/hand blender, you can blend the soup in batches in a food processor or high speed blender.

Step 4: simmer and serve

Once the soup is smooth, pour back into the soup pot and bring to medium heat. Allow it to simmer and bubble until you're ready to serve.

If the soup becomes too thick, you can stir in the reserved liquid from the baking dish and thin it out some more.

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Common questions

Can I make this recipe vegan?

Unfortunately not. Bone broth is derived from animals, and the key to this high protein tomato soup is the bone broth.

What can I use instead of bone broth?

In a pinch, you could use low-sodium vegetable broth or vegetable stock, but that kind of defeats the purpose of making a "protein-packed tomato soup," you know? The powdered bone broth is a key ingredient to this recipe, as it adds more protein without adding more liquid. It is optional (but highly highly recommended), but I don't recommend substituting the liquid bone broth.

Can I used canned tomatoes instead of whole tomatoes?

No. If you want a tomato soup recipe with canned tomatoes, you'll have to search for that on Google specifically. However, if you wanted a boost of potassium, you could add a small can of tomato paste, but you might need some more liquid.

Can this recipe be made in an instant pot or slow cooker?

I have not tested this roasted soup in an instant pot or slow cooker, and one of the things that makes this recipe so unique and flavorful is that the veggies are roasted and not pressure cooked, steamed, or canned.

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Can I make tomato soup for meal prep?

Sure! Store in an airtight container for up to five days in the fridge and reheat in the microwave or on the stove.

Can I freeze homemade tomato soup?

Yes! Let the soup cool to room temperature, then pour into a gallon size ziploc bag, seal, and press into a flat layer. Freeze for up to three months.

Alternatively, you can store your soup in a souper cubes mold to make it easier to reheat a portion of the soup later.

What goes well with tomato soup?

Tomato soup is great because it can be the main dish or a side dish. This means there's lots of options for things to serve with tomato soup like:

• Caprese Grilled Cheese Sandwiches
• White Cheddar Scalloped Potatoes
• The Best Baked Mac and Cheese
• The BEST Garlic Bread
• Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts
• Carne Asada Quesadillas
• Pepperoni Chicken Parmesan
• 30 Minute Chicken Cordon Bleu
• Proteins like grilled chicken, steak, or fish

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More cozy recipes

The BEST Healthy Baked Potato Soup

Instant Pot White Chicken Chili (reader favorite!)

One Pot Chili con Carne (cookbook exclusive)

Healthy Homemade Baked Beans (sugar free!)

Roasted Carrots with Whipped Feta and Pistachios

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I hope you love this variation of tomato soup as much as I do. Just whip up a grilled cheese to go with it and you're set!

Be sure to leave a star rating and review if you loved the recipe so other readers know how you liked it. Enjoy!