Tomato soup with grilled cheese has been a long time favorite of mine. My Mom and I would often eat it for lunch after playing in the snow. It was the perfect antidote to winter in Vermont.
I love having a giant batch of soup on hand in the winter. It’s mostly nostalgia that has me stocking our freezer for a New England blizzard rather than the mild rain and three days of snow customary in North Carolina. I have tried many tomato soup recipes. Some using all fresh tomatoes, others using tomato juice and canned tomatoes.
This recipe is the best of both worlds with pan roasted tomatoes, red peppers, and garlic added to a classic soup base consisting of a mirepoix of shallots, carrots, celery, chicken broth and crushed tomatoes. It is then blended with heavy cream giving it a rich velvety texture.
I keep this soup in the freezer to pair with my skillet focaccia or grilled cheese with cheddar, gruyere, gouda, bacon and tomatoes. It’s as warm and comforting as my favorite sweater or worn in leggings at the end of a long day.