Creamy Tomato Soup + Cauliflower Crust Grilled Cheese

August 17, 2015

Creamy Tomato Soup + Cauliflower Crust Grilled Cheese
Eating soup in the summer is an act of defiance — especially during a heatwave.
I’m not talking about eating cold soups such as gazpacho or vichyssoise. I’ve never been a fan of gazpacho. It makes me wish I had tortilla chips while at the same wondering why I am eating salsa with a spoon.
I’m talking about hot soups what warm you from the inside out. Soups you crave when the wind is howling outside, snow is falling, and all you want to do is curl up on the couch with a blanket and a warming bowl of homemade soup.
But when outside it’s 95º and humid, with not even a hint of breeze, and clouds of mosquitoes hum looking for breakfast, eating hot soup means disobedience.
That’s the kind of rebel I am.

Creamy Tomato Soup
To me rebelling is more than just standing out from the pack. It’s about establishing my identity and making others notice me.
I, for one, am sick of following the herd and feeling ordinary.
It’s not like I need to prove myself to anyone, or that I force myself to be a rebel because it’s cool. I’m a rebel because I enjoy defying things and because I don’t want to live inside the lines.
And forget about tattoos, piercing, drugs, or getting wasted at 10am. Eating hot soup during the summer: that’s a revolutionary act.
Ha!
Creamy Tomato Soup + Cauliflower Crust Grilled Cheese
All kidding aside, there’s something very back-to-school-ish about tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches. I know it’s still August, but around me everyone seems to be talking about back to school — and with “everyone” I mean radio, TV, newspapers.
I remember how excited I was to go back to school each year. I can’t say it was the yearning to learn that fueled my excitement. It was the chance to see all of my friends every day.
Cauliflower Crust Grilled Cheese
Going back to school meant a whole bunch of ‘stuff’. Including tomato soup.
It’s funny, you know, when I talk about the “classic homey foods,” the “best childhood memory meals,” tomato soup comes immediately to mind.
This is my granny’s old fashioned tomato soup recipe. I streamlined it to make it work for me — using canned roasted tomato instead of fresh ones, and cutting on the fat — still delicious.
I paired it with my cauliflower crust grilled cheese, and it was an epic meal.
I don’t use the word ‘epic’ lightly, but this meal really was epic. And revolutionary too.

Creamy Tomato Soup + Cauliflower Crust Grilled Cheese
Creamy Tomato Soup + Cauliflower Crust Grilled Cheese                      Print this recipe!

Ingredients
Serves 4

Tomato Soup

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 small onion, chopped
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 28-oz. cans crushed fire-roasted tomatoes
2 cups / 500ml vegetable broth
1 sprig thyme
1 bay leaf
4 tablespoons heavy cream
Fine grain sea salt
Freshly ground pepper

To make the Cauliflower Crust Grilled Cheese follow this recipe

Directions

In a medium pot (or Dutch oven) melt the butter over medium heat.
Add onion and cook, stirring every so often, until softened and golden, about 8 to 10 minutes.
Season with salt and pepper. Add tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes, stirring to coat onion.
Add canned tomatoes, vegetable broth, thyme, bay leaf, season with salt and pepper, and bring to a simmer.
Cook for about 35 to 40 minutes, until slightly reduced and flavors have blended.
Remove from the heat, remove bay leaf and thyme sprig, and stir in heavy cream.
Let cool slightly and working in batches purée the soup until smooth. Blend on low, being sure to let steam escape. Blending hot soup is a little dangerous so be careful! When you're done blending it all, transfer it back to the soup pot.
Alternatively, you can use an immersion blender to purée the soup. Again, be careful.
Make the cauliflower crust grilled cheese, cut in half and serve alongside hot soup for dipping.

Nutrition facts

One serving of soup yields 189 calories, 11 grams of fat, 19 grams of carbs, 4 grams of protein.

26 comments:

  1. I'm like you with wanting hot foods in the summer and cold ones in the winter, lol. Definitely must be a rebel thing. :-) This looks like a great tomato soup recipe, something I've been hunting for!...and I definitely need to try cauliflower grilled cheese soon!

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    1. You need to try the cauli crust grilled cheese, it's so so so good!

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  2. This looks phenomenal!

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  3. I love tomato soups and I can add everything in there like vegetables.Love your recipe.Unfortunately I have to wait to try it because it is too hot for it here in Greece.
    http://www.2activelab.com

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    1. I suggest you crack up the AC and make it right now! ;)

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  4. Oh boy. Somehow you make soup and a hot sandwich look like the perfect dinner despite it being 1000 degrees out. Yum...

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  5. Mike, if this is your idea of being a rebel- I'm totally on board! Especially because you have a cause --> delicious and healthy Nom Noms for the belly! Love that you color outside the lines and LOVE this pairing! Cauliflower crusted grilled cheese? YESSS! Creamy tomato soup? Heck YES! Early august eats? Why the heck not?!? Gimme gimme!! I am not planning on going back to school, but I will stay home and school my belly with this deliciousness! All day, every day, and twice on Sundays! #StellarStudentOfFood :D. Cheers, buddy!

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    1. I'm a rebel with a cause. You should join me in my revolution. You in?

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  6. It's obvious your frame of mind is still in Berlin. I love Berlin so much and appreciated the thoroughness of your post. But, this carefree defiance and the actual way you build up to it is even better. Great recipe; it'll be in my week. Thanks!

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  7. Oh my excuse me while I wipe my drool. This looks amazing. This combo is my favorite comfort food - but this version?! A healthy, gluten free version?! You are my hero!

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  8. Look at you breaking all of the rules, Mike! That's why you are Alpha. You set the standard for Wolfpackers everywhere. Hah! But seriously though, I'm loving the tomato soup in the summer. We actually just polished off some soup for lunches last week. It might be hot as Hades out there, but there's something about a delicious homemade soup. Of course, I might appreciate that same soup more when the leaves are falling...but that won't stop me from enjoying it now too. Well done, my friend! #WolfpackRulebreaker

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  9. Ohmegawsh - we actually agree on a food item - I feel the same way about gazpacho - every time it's been served at a friends place I end up chasing down the tortilla chips or nachos!
    And heck yeah to hot soup in summer - I've been indulging in some curried pumpkin/cauli soup myself!

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    1. Can you imagine a gazpacho made with beets? Ugh, just the thought of it made me gag!

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  10. Yumyumyum! Love this comfort food! I get a lot of summer colds (ugh it's the worst) and this looks PERFECT for snuggling up and relaxing with. Love the cauli crusted grilled cheese (yay low carb!) and it's total dunkability in the soup. Pinning!

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    1. You poor thing, summer colds are the worst. I totally feel for you Medha!

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  11. Hi Mike, I love tomato soup and your presentation is spot-on. I eat soup all year round, does not matter what the temp is like. BTW, just bought the solar repeller you suggested. Thanks!

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  12. LOL - I felt rebellious myself when I made tomatillo tortilla soup last night! =)

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  13. Looooove tomato soup, especially with fresh basil. This looks so delicious, especially the cauliflower crust.

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  14. I've made soup only once this summer. Indeed, I was going to make a cold version, but it transformed into hot. But this tomato guy is legit. With this grilled cheese, I'm in! Well done, Mike!

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  15. Homemade tomato soup and grilled cheese always seems like home to me, it's so comforting and I never get tired of this combo. Thanks for a healthier version of this childhood classic! :)

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  16. Mike, you are my new hero! Creamy tomato soup and "grilled" cheese is our absolute favorite comfort food meal, even our little Skipperkee dog loves soup! Now I wont feel guilty about feeding my family this amazing combo! Besides, guilt is not good for our people. Thank you so much.

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