It was a cloudy, rainy day outside, so soup was on my mind. Also, I’d just finished baking a new loaf of bread. Soup and freshly baked bread (click to view recipe) – the perfect combination!
So this tomato soup recipe is a protein-rich version of the everyday favorite soup. Since we vegetarians are always protein deficient, I try to make protein-rich soups by adding legumes, beans, or quinoa. This tomato soup is made with tomatoes and quinoa.
This spicy and tangy soup not only tastes great, it’s wonderful for clearing out the sinuses too, lol.
INGREDIENTS
- 1/2 cup cooked quinoa
- 2 large tomatoes, chopped finely
- 2 cups water (or as needed)
- 8-10 curry patta** leaves, chopped coarsely (see image below)
- 1 heaped tbsp fresh, minced garlic
- ½ tsp cumin seeds (whole jeera)
- 1/4 piece whole cinnamon
- 1 tsp ghee [or oil if you are a vegan)
- 1 tsp black pepper (coarsely powdered form)
- I/2 cup chopped cilantro
- 1-2 tsp lime juice
- 1/2 tsp sugar (optional)
- Salt to taste
DIRECTIONS
- Soak the quinoa for 30-40 minutes. Rinse 3-4 times with hot water.
- Cook the quinoa until ready.
- In a small pan, heat oil/ghee and add the cumin seeds. When they begin to pop, add the cinnamon, minced garlic, and chopped curry leaves.
- Add the chopped tomatoes and cooked quinoa.
- Add 2 cups water (or as desired to get a soup consistency)
- Allow the mixture to simmer for 15-20 minutes on low to medium heat, stirring constantly.
- Add crushed black pepper powder, salt, sugar, and lime juice to taste.
- Top with finely chopped cilantro.
- Serve hot.
Protein-rich Tomato Soup
Curry Patta leaves (shown below) are fragrant and filled with goodness – from improving heart health and having pain relieving properties to helping reduce blood sugar and having anti-inflammatory and antibacterial effects. You can buy a small bag of curry patta leaves for ~ $2 at local Indian grocery stores.
P.S. I forgot to take photos at each step along the way so this post is a little light on images.
