Though only one of my 3 kids likes tomatoes, Tomato Soup is something that all 5 of us love, so it’s in steady rotation around here. 🍅
I love to freeze perfect summer tomatoes to use for this in the winter, but the truth is, we eat tomato soup often, and my stash disappears quickly. I’m grateful for canned tomatoes for this exact reason. For my 2 kids who eat dairy, crispy, melty grilled cheese croutons are the thing that makes this meal an absolute favorite!
This soup freezes beautifully, it’s made in the blender and works well for lunch, making it an all around win! Of course, this meal can be made gluten free by using gluten free bread, and it can also be made dairy free by using dairy free cheese.
Roasted Tomato Soup
(serves 3-4)
2 beefsteak tomatoes, cut into chunks
1 medium red onion, sliced
1 bell pepper, cut into chunks
1 large clove of garlic, peeled and smashed
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 teaspoons fresh thyme, divided
28 ounce can whole, peeled tomatoes
4 cups vegetable broth
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
Fresh black pepper to taste
1/2 teaspoon sugar (optional)
1/8 teaspoon cayenne (optional)
Method
Preheat the oven to 375 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and add the chopped fresh tomatoes, onions, peppers and garlic.
Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with 1 1/2 teaspoons of fresh thyme. Roast for 15-20 minutes or until the vegetables have softened and become fragrant.
Place the roasted vegetables into a blender.
Add the canned tomatoes (including juices), vegetable broth, remaining fresh thyme, salt and pepper.
Blend together until smooth. Taste to determine whether more salt or pepper is needed. If you find the flavor too acidic, you can add 1/2 teaspoon of sugar. If you like it spicy, you can add cayenne.
Grilled Cheese Croutons
4 pieces of sourdough bread
4-5 ounces sharp cheddar cheese
1-2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Method
Preheat the oven to broil.
Place sourdough slices on a baking sheet lined with foil and smear butter on one side of each slice. Place that butter side down and add cheese on top of each slice. Place into oven, open faced.
Broil for 1-2 minutes or until cheese is nice and melty.
Place two open-faced sandwiches together to create two closed-faced grilled cheese sandwiches. Let cool for about 5 minutes and cut into crouton chunks.
