Triple Tomato Soup + Toasted White Cheddar Crouton

Why let French onion soup have all the fun? So many soups are good served with that same crunchy, gooey crouton up on top. Here, boring old tomato soup gets a serious upgrade. The deep flavor of this soup comes from three tomato sources: the smokiness of roasted Roma tomatoes, the complexity of sun-dried tomatoes, and the sweetness of tomato paste. 


(Thinking back, I vividly remember that one of my favorite meals as a kid was grilled cheese and tomato soup. I'd dunk the grilled cheese into the soup, but I'd save the last bit of the sandwich to mop up the bowl. This recipe is a grown-up combination with the inelegant but essential 'dunk' built right into the dish.)

Triple Tomato Soup + Toasted White Cheddar Crouton

(Serves two as a meal or four as a starter)

5 large Roma tomatoes (peeled*)
1 tablespoon olive oil

2 tablespoon butter (divided)
1 sweet onion (thinly sliced, about 2 cups)
2 tablespoon brandy
1 tablespoon vegetarian Worcestershire sauce

1/2 cup dry packed sun-dried tomatoes (sliced into 1/4-inch strips)

2 tablespoon tomato paste
1 cup water
3 cups vegetable broth
1 teaspoon fresh thyme (4 sprigs)
salt and pepper (to taste)
4 slices whole grain bread
1 cup shredded white cheddar

Turn oven's broiler on high. Slice peeled tomatoes lengthwise and place face-down on a rimmed baking sheet. Brush each tomato with olive oil and place under the broiler until the tomatoes start to blacken. (This should take eight to ten minutes; keep your eye on them.) Once they're done, set the baking sheet aside and allow the tomatoes to cool.

In a Dutch oven or heavy pot, heat one tablespoon of butter over medium-low heat. Once butter has melted, add the sliced onion. Allow the onion to sweat down and start to brown; this should take about 15 minutes. Add the brandy and the Worcestershire sauce to the pot and raise the heat to medium. Allow most of the liquid to evaporate, and then add the sun-dried tomatoes, tomato paste, water, broth, and the roasted Roma tomatoes. Smash the roma tomatoes against the side of the pot using the back of a wooden spoon. This produces a texture that matches well with the onion. Bring soup to a boil, then reduce to low. Allow soup to simmer, covered, for at least twenty minutes. Add fresh thyme, salt, and pepper just before serving.

To serve, slather toasted bread with melted butter. Turn your oven broiler on medium. Divide soup between two bowls, float slices of bread on top of the soup, and cover toast with the white cheddar. Place bowls under the broiler for two to three minutes or until cheese is bubbling. Serve immediately.

*One of my favorite kitchen tools is a serrated peeler. It allow you to peel soft skinned fruits like tomatoes without having to boil water and prepare an ice bath. It’s a real time-saver.