Velvety Tomato Soup, Loaded Up

It's high-protein comfort food

The past few weeks have been a bit taxing if not stressful (at least for me), and on top of that, it’s cold outside. The result has been a craving for tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches.

Growing up, this is a meal that looms large. My mom fixed the condensed Campbell’s kind on the stovetop, enriched with milk rather than water. My dad fried up special, what I thought of as “adult” at the time, grilled cheese sandwiches — they were actually my grandpa’s method, involving mayonnaise, pickle relish, and yellow mustard in addition to the American cheese (sounds like a lot, but it works).

This craving hit me just before Thanksgiving, after packing up our apartment in Brooklyn and heading west for the holiday and my dad’s birthday. Because the family was together, we acted on it — Dad on the sandwiches, me on the soup.

Of course I opted for homemade tomato soup, using Smitten Kitchen’s perfect weeknight recipe, which gets such a round, full flavor in short time by combining tomato paste, cherry tomatoes, and a heap of sweet, sweated onions. And Dad’s sandwiches, rich with all the tangy and creamy condiments, were a bullseye for the comfort I sought.

As I continued thinking about it, the soup seemed like a flexible canvas, and the sandwich could be reformatted in any number of different ways. I played around to treat the soup as the base for an assortment of nutrient- and protein-dense toppings, turning it into a meal to be served on its own.

Here’s where I’ve landed. The tomato soup, which is both bright and deep in flavor, comes together swiftly in one pot. In a skillet, a handful of boosters (paneer or halloumi, greens, and beans) for the protein, fiber, and nutrients get quickly fried up. Then the two unite in a bowl, along with a big scoop of your favorite cooked grain.

I’ve got several notes below for veganizing, enriching, and spicing it up.

At six servings, each bowl provides 32 grams of protein and 10 grams of fiber. But the best part is that none of this fussing with a good thing sacrifices the comfort of the original inspiration.

---

Recipe Video