Easy Tomato Soup & Grilled Cheese

The ultimate comfort food: tomato soup and grilled cheese. It was just one of those days, you know? Brisk fall wind and cozy flannels means soup in my house. I have a handful of tomato soup recipes in my rotation but this was one inspired by the discovery that all 3 kids like tomato soup (thank you to Panera for that recent discovery!) So my mission today was to find a new tomato soup recipe that would pass the kid test. This one, adapted from one of my favorite Food Network chefs, Ina Garten, delivered.

Easy Tomato Soup & Grilled Cheese

Ingredients:

4 Tbls olive oil

3 large yellow onions, chopped

2 Tbls garlic, minced 

8 c. chicken stock

2 (28-ounce) cans crushed tomatoes, San Marzano or the like

Salt and freshly ground pepper

1/2 cup orzo

1/2+ cup heavy cream

*** If you are skipping carbs, you can leave out the orzo. If you're avoiding dairy or don't want the calories/fat from the heavy cream, swap in unsweetened almond milk in place of the cream. ***

Directions:

1. In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. 

2. Add onions and cook over medium-low heat for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden brown. 

3. Add garlic, and cook for 1 more minute. 

4. Stir in the chicken stock, tomatoes, 1 Tbls salt, and 1 tsp. pepper. Bring soup to a boil, then lower heat and simmer for 15 minutes.

5. Meanwhile, fill a medium pot with water, add 2 tsp salt, and bring to a boil. Add orzo and cook for 7 minutes. (It will finish cooking in the soup.) Drain the orzo and add it to the soup. 

6. Stir in the cream, return the soup to a simmer, and cook for 10 more minutes, stirring frequently.

Enjoy! We added a grilled cheese to the side for the ultimate comfort food meal but it tastes just as good on its own or with a side salad if you're skipping the carbs.