Add oil over medium heat in a large pot. Add the onions and cook until softened, for 4 to 5 minutes.
Add the garlic and cook for another minute before adding the salt. Deglaze the pot with a splash of the vegetable broth, if necessary.
Add tomato paste to the pot and cook for a minute. Add the sugar and dried basil and give everything a stir.
Add the canned tomatoes (with the liquid!) and the vegetable broth. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. (Add more salt at this stage if desired)
Add the soup to the blender along with cottage cheese. Blend until smooth. You might have to do this in two batches, depending on how large your blender is. Just be careful when blending hot soup by making sure there’s a way for the steam to release by not filling the soup to the top. I remove the center of the lid to my Kitchenaid and cover the gap with a linen napkin.
Serve as is or top with your favorite garnishes like parmesan, basil, and pepper.