Crockpot Tomato Soup With Cottage Cheese

In a skillet over medium heat, sauté the diced onion and minced garlic in olive oil for about 5 minutes, until softened.
Transfer the onion and garlic mixture to your crockpot. Add the diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste, oregano, thyme, salt, pepper, and vegetable broth. Stir well to combine.
Cover and cook on LOW for 6-7 hours or HIGH for 3-4 hours, until the tomatoes have broken down.
Use an immersion blender to purée the soup directly in the crockpot until smooth (or blend in batches in a regular blender). Check the seasoning and adjust as needed to taste.
Reserve about 2 tablespoons of cottage cheese, and add the remaining to the crockpot. Also, add the chopped basil. Blend again until fully creamy and velvety.
Optional: Whisk or blend the reserved 2 tablespoons of cottage cheese until smooth for garnish.
Ladle soup into bowls and top with the blended cottage cheese, chopped basil, and halved cherry tomatoes. Serve hot with crackers or crusty bread.