A modern twist on a classic that’s comforting enough to cozy up with on the couch and dressed up enough for a dinner party. If you like your tomato soup full of deep flavors without being overly sweet, this is the one for you!
The secrets that give this soup its deep roasted flavor? Caramelized onions, roasted tomatoes and roasted garlic. The grilled cheese croutons are next level thanks to the use of truffle cheese and truffle oil or truffle butter brushed onto the outside of the bread. This is not the old school tomato soup and grilled cheese of your childhood though that is a delicious throwback in its own right. But if you remember that one fondly and crave a next level twist here it is!
Inactive Time: 15 minutes
Active Time: 30 minutes
Makes: 4-6 Servings
Ingredients:
For Roasted Tomatoes & Garlic:
- 8 Roma tomatoes
- Olive oil for drizzling tomatoes
- 1 head of garlic
- Salt and pepper
For Caramelized Onions:
- Olive oil for coating pan
- 1 medium onion
- 1 teaspoon herbes de Provence
- Splash of white wine for caramelized onions
- Salt and pepper
For Roasted Tomato Soup:
- Splash of balsamic vinegar for soup
- 1 14 oz can fire roasted diced tomatoes
- 2 teaspoons kosher or sea salt
- Few grinds if fresh black pepper
- 1 teaspoon of dried basil or Italian seasoning
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- Splash of cream or dollop of mascarpone, or coconut milk if desired to cream up the soup
- 1/3 cup fresh basil torn or chiffonade, plus extra for garnishing soup
For Truffled Grilled Cheese Croutons:
- 4 slices sourdough bread
- 1/2 block truffle cheese, sliced thinly (I like Trader Joe’s) or use your favorite type
- 1 Tablespoon truffle oil or truffle butter for brushing outsides of bread
Directions:
Prep roasted veggies for soup:
Preheat oven to 400.
Slice tomatoes into thirds lengthwise and lay face up on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Cut off top third of garlic clove, wrap in aluminum foil and place in preheated oven along with tomatoes on baking sheet. Roast all for about 30-40 minutes until garlic cloves squeeze out easily and tomatoes have softened and caramelized. Remove from oven and set aside.
While tomatoes and garlic are in the oven, caramelize onions for the soup. Slice one onion into thin slices. Heat a pot drizzled heavily with olive oil over medium low heat. Add onions and stir periodically to sweat. Onions should not get brown too quickly but should cook slowly until translucent and then slowly turn golden between 10 and 20 minutes. If they start to get too brown too quickly reduce the heat slightly and add a drizzle more olive oil if needed. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and herbs after onions are translucent. Once they become golden and look like they are starting to melt add a splash of white wine. Cook another couple minutes until absorbed.
Make Grilled Cheese Croutons:
Brush outside of two pieces of bread with oil or truffle butter. Layer slices of truffle cheese on the inside of two slices of bread and top with prepared slices, oil/butter sides facing out. Heat pan over medium low and add sandwiches. Let cook a few minutes pressing down and flip when undersides are golden. Repeat on other side. Remove when cheese is melted. Cut into small crouton size pieces and garnish soup.
Make the Soup:
To same pot as caramelized onions, add roasted tomatoes and stir. Squeeze cloves from head of roasted garlic into the pot and stir smashing into the tomato-onion mixture. Add 2 teaspoons salt, A few grinds of black pepper, and stir. Add vegetable broth, turn soup to medium-high, and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer 15 minutes. Remove from heat and blend with an immersion blender or transfer a few cups of soup to a blender and blend until creamy then add back to pot. Add a little cream or mascarpone cheese ,if desired, and sprinkle with fresh chiffonade basil. Ladle into bowls and garnish with grilled cheese croutons and fresh sprigs of basil.
Enjoy this recipe or have questions? Feel free to leave a comment!
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