One my favorite times with my husband is lunch together on his day off. We either go out for a day date or I prepare something at home and we binge-watch Netflix. With the weather cooling down, it’s finally soup season! One of my favorite lunch combos is tomato soup and grilled cheese. My tomato soup is smooth, creamy, and topped with fresh basil and parmesan cheese. There is also the fun addition of a little orzo pasta for texture. If I wasn’t an adult, I would live off of grilled cheese! I prefer the white bread version of my childhood but I class it up a little now, and use fresh sourdough, garlic butter, and thick slices of cheddar cheese.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• ½ C onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 Carton of Pomi Strained Tomatoes (26 oz.)
• 1 can can vegetable broth
• 2 tsp of brown sugar
• ¼ C fresh basil, chopped
• ½ C of Half and half or heavy cream
• 1 C of orzo pasta, cooked
• Dash of crushed red pepper flakes
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• fresh oregano (optional)

plus,

• ¼ C of parmesan cheese, grated
• additional chopped basil, for garnish   

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Prepare 1 cup of orzo according to the package. Drain and set aside.  
2. In a large stock pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Saute the onions and garlic till translucent, about 5 minutes. DO NOT BURN THE GARLIC.
3. Add the box of tomatoes and vegetable broth. Stir in brown sugar, basil, salt, and pepper. (add the oregano here if using)
4. Let simmer for 15-20 minutes on med-low heat. If you would like a smoother consistency, use an immersion blender now. If you don’t have an immersion blender, use a regular upright blender in batches.
5. stir in the cream and orzo until well combined.
6. Top with additional basil and a little grated parmesan

Serve with a warm grilled cheese, Enjoy!

TIPS

I use pomi boxed tomatoes because they seem to be less acidic. If those aren’t available, don’t worry! Use canned tomatoes and increase the brown sugar and let simmer a little longer.

If you need to make a larger quantity, just double the recipe

It you want to freeze this recipe, do so before adding the cream.

Substitute the cream for 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt

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