Make-Ahead Monday:Roasted Tomato Soup with Caramelized Onion and Parmesan Croutons

Make-Ahead Monday:Roasted Tomato Soup with Caramelized Onion and Parmesan Croutons

September 26, 2011, 11:53 am
Filed under: Main Course, Soups | Tags: carmalized onion, Crouton, Parmigiano-Reggiano, Roasted Tomato Soup, Soup, vegetarian

Last week, I mentioned that I didn’t think I could do Mexi-Monday’s anymore.  With the way our schedule has picked up, I really need to have some meals that can be prepared in the morning, and are fresh and waiting when we come home in the evening.  So Mexi-Monday must now be make-ahead Monday; but necessity is the mother of invention, right? 

After indulging all weekend for my hubby’s birthday, I wanted to make something healthy, but would still be filling after a long day.  I know I made soup last week, but I’ve been seeing so many really great soups lately.  It’s still hotter than the dickens (is that how the saying goes) so I know it makes me a little crazy to be making soup in 100 degree weather, but my internal clock is telling me it’s fall. 

I love to dip a grilled cheese in a soup like this, but since my meal needed to be done earlier in the day, I thought I’d do grilled cheese in crouton format.  When my sister first read my blog, she asked if she could put in a request for me to make a grilled gruyere and caramelized onion sandwich…HEY “J”…she also asked for a shout out, so there you go!  This was my make-ahead version.  I had some caramelized onion bread that I picked up on my many trips to the market over the weekend and topped it with parm.  The croutons on their own could have been a meal for a carb-lover like me! 

This soup, with the croutons, was a great way to get back to healthy food without feeling like we’re going without. 

Roasted Tomato Soup with Caramelized Onion and Parmesan Croutons

Ingredients:

6 large, ripe tomatoes, quartered

3 cloves garlic, peeled

2 small onions, chopped

1 tablespoon dried thyme

1 tablespoon dried basil

4 tablespoons olive oil, divided

4 cups vegetable stock

4 tablespoons tomato paste (optional, but I like a really tomato-y soup)

1 loaf caramelized onion bread

1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese

Salt and black pepper to taste

Preparation:

To make the soup: Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  In a roasting pan, combine tomatoes, onion, garlic, dried spices, and oil.  Toss to coat and season with salt and pepper.  Roast for 20-30 minutes or until vegetables brown and crisp slightly. In an electric pressure cooker*, combine roasted vegetables, with juice, chicken stalk, and tomato paste.  Cook on high for 30 minutes.  Puree soup to desired consistency with an immersion blender.  Adjust seasonings.

To make the croutons:  While the soup cooks, cube the loaf of bread.  Toss the bread with olive oil and roast for 10-15 minutes, turning occasionally, until all the cubes are golden brown and crispy.  Remove from the oven, and while still hot, toss with parmesan cheese.

To serve:  Ladle the soup into bowls and top with croutons.  Eat immediately.

*If you do not have an electric pressure cooker, this can be done in a heavy-bottomed pot for 45 minutes to one hour.

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