Hello from snowy NYC!
I am officially snowed in! For the last 36 hours, the city was walloped by over 17 inches of snow! And it’s still snowing!
Honestly, for someone who lives to be cozy and snuggled up on the couch watching a movie, I was all for this unexpected halt in time and busyness.
So this was the perfect opportunity to cook some comfort food! And when you think comfort food, there’s nothing more like a hug in a bowl, than tomato soup, and an ooey, gooey grilled cheesy on crusty bread.
I mean, I dare you to try to think of something more comfort food than that!
But this soup is not just any canned, Campbell’s tomato soup from concentrate. No ma’am.
It has a secret ingredient…bacon!
Yes, leave it to bacon to provide that perfect sophisticated smokey note.
This recipe is not gluten free, or vegan, or anything other than just straight up comfort food.
A couple quick notes:
As tomatoes are the star of the show here in this recipe, ingredients matter. SO – splurge a little and get San Marzano WHOLE tomatoes. They come in a can. San Marzano is a type of tomato only grown in Italy, that is known for their tender texture, rich flavor and mild acidity. And don’t be tempted to get the diced or crushed tomatoes. No, no. Get the whole tomatoes. You see, when canning tomatoes, the diced or crushed variety will contain the “leftover” pieces from less desirable tomatoes. Go for the whole tomatoes, and then with clean hands, get in there and crush them yourself. I promise, this makes a difference.
Next, a note on the grilled cheese. Again, as there are so few ingredients, the quality matters. I went to a bakery and got their homemade sourdough loaf, and it has the perfect crusty/crunchy crust and airy, chewy center.
And for the cheese, I got a hunk of cheese from the specialty cheese section of Whole Foods. They will often have a “manager’s special” or a “scraps” section where they sell tiny chunks of expensive cheese for a discounted price – either because it’s a small amount, or because it’s nearing the “sell by” date. Either way, this is a great place to get your hands on some high quality cheese without paying a high amount of cheddar. 😉 … (see what I did there? hehe)
And grate it yourself! Though tempting, the preshredded cheeses don’t melt as well, because they are coated with an anti-caking agent. This prevents it from getting beautifully stringy and melty. Always grate your own! Not only is it more cost effective, but it just has such a better texture and melt factor!
OK ONTO THE RECIPE!
Here’s What You Need (Serves 4 with leftovers)
Soup:
4 slices of bacon, cut into small pieces
2 medium carrots, chopped
1/2 yellow onion, diced
6 cloves of garlic, minced
1 1/2 Tbsp tomato paste (If you can, use the San Marzano variety!)
1 Tbsp flour
4 cups low sodium chicken broth
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1 bay leaf
1 large (28 oz) can of whole San Marzano tomatoes
Heavy cream – optional, to drizzle overtop at the end
Sea salt – I used 1 1/2 tsp
Freshly cracked black pepper
Grilled Cheese:
Good quality, crusty sandwich bread
Your favorite cheese — grated off the block! (About 3 oz per sandwich) – I used truffle gruyere, other fabulous options are: sharp cheddar, gouda, brie, or provolone. Just please don’t use Kraft Singles!
Butter
Tools:
Food Processor (or Immersion blender)
Good Chef’s Knife
Large mixing bowl
Can opener
Large stock pot
Nonstick pan, or stainless steel frying pan
Spatula
Directions:
For the Soup:
In a large, soup pot, fry the bacon pieces over medium heat for about 5-6 minutes, until the bacon begins to get brown and crispy. Stir in the carrots, onion and garlic, and saute for 7-10 minutes, until the veggies are tender. Add the tomato paste and stir for 2-3 minutes until it begins to brown and caramelize. Then, stir in the flour, and stir for about one minute.
In a separate, large bowl, pour the canned whole tomatoes and their juice, and with your hands, crush them.
Add the crushed tomatoes, broth, thyme and bay leaf into the soup pot. Bring to a boil, and then reduce to a simmer. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Puree in batches in a food processor or blender, or use an immersion blender, and blend until smooth. Return to the pot. Add 1 1/2 tsp salt, several cracks of black pepper, and cream if desired. Serve warm with a drizzle of cream, and a grilled cheese sandwich. Store the leftovers in an airtight tupperware in the fridge for 5-6 days.
For the Grilled Cheese
Slice your bread into 1 inch slices. (Texas toast style!)
Grate your cheese of choice, and set aside.
Heat a nonstick frying pan or a stainless steel pan on the stove over medium-high heat.
Butter one side of each slice of bread.
Place 1 Tbsp butter into the pan, and let it melt. Place one slice of bread, butter-side-down on the pan. Carefully mound the shredded cheese on the bread. Then, place the other slice of bread, butter-side-up on top of the cheese. (The buttered sides of the bread should be on the outside).
Cook for about 3 minutes per side, until it is golden brown and beautifully toasted. Cut in half, and serve hot with a bowl of tomato soup!
OK WOW!!!! This dinner was a 10/10!
I made this for my special gentleman, and he literally had two sandwiches and two bowls of soup! It was THAT good!
Smokey, slightly sweet, and perfectly tomatoey! I’m serious – the San Marzano tomatoes make a difference! The texture was velvety and smooth, and the hint of bacon really shines through!
But the sandwich really brings it over the top! Crusty, gooey cheese, perfectly buttery and rich. And I’m telling you – the “shredded-by-hand” method is what makes the sandwich superb. Because when you use pre-shredded or sliced cheese, the outside will toast before the cheese is able to melt. So you’ll either have burned toast and melted cheese, or a golden brown toast with unmelted cheese. By shredding it yourself, they cook at the same time, making the ultimate grilled cheese!
Whatever you do, make this meal! Whether you’re snowed in, or just want to have some comfort food, this will hit the spot!
OH! And the best part…is that the leftovers are amazing! Just reheat on the stove, or in the microwave, and add another drizzle of cream! My man brought it to work with him all week! 🙂
So there you go! If you’re caught in the snowstorm too, stay safe and warm! And perhaps have a bowl of this amazing goodness!
Until tomorrow!
“This is what the Lord says to these bones: I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life.” Ez 37:5
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74 responses to “Bacon Tomato Soup (and Truffle Gruyere Grilled Cheese)”
Maybe some bacon 🥓 in that grill cheese as well. 💋
Oooh good idea!!! Yum! Thanks for stopping by! Hugs and love xox
Oh, yes! Bacon. Mmmmm 🙌
Haha I am right there with ya Steve! Thanks for stopping by! Hugs and love xox
hahha right!!!
Oh. my. Gosh! I will be right over, Caralyn! Kidding of course, but wow, this meal looks and sounds fantastic. I’m glad your all cozy in that storm, it’s been a tough one for millions. You look so lovely in the photo with pan and spatula in hand. Be safe! ❤️😎
Haha I’ll set a place for ya John! Thank you so much! I know this has been a major storm! Lots of power outages in nyc! Hugs and love xox
Nice. What a wonderful way to fight the weather.
Thanks Brad!! I agree – soup is good for the soul! Hugs and love xox
It’s in the mid-80s in Phoenix and we’ve been enjoying grilled cheese recently, as well. It really is the best comfort food. Next time, try it with kimchi and gochujang paste… it adds a delicious umami-filled twist to a classic. 🙂
Oh my goodness! What a difference on weather! I agree – ultimate comfort food! Thanks for stopping by! Hj
*hugs
Also that kimchi idea sounds amazing!
Oh how yummy it looks.
Haha thank you JB!! Hugs and love xox
Haha, YOU are welcome. Hugs and love back.
look at you in that hip Reds cap. i love grilled cheese. yum.
Haha thank you Joseph! Gotta rep Cincinnati! Glad you stopped by! Hugs and love xox
Great picture of you hard at work there in the kitchen 🙂
Aw thank you Ian, I appreciate that! Hope you’re having a great night! Hugs and love xox
That looks delicious! I love grilled cheese and tomato soup!
thank you so much! me too – it’s comfort food for a reason! Hugs and love xox
That looks like perfect comfort food!
thank you so much! oh my gosh – it was comfort food if i’ve ever seen it! Hugs and love xox
You put bacon in your soup! I’m far too excited about trying this
A beautiful post thank you so much
“This recipe is not gluten free, or vegan, or anything other than just straight up comfort food”… that made me laugh 😂😂😂
That’s what I’m talking about: the perfect food for a cafe!!!
Every time I drop in here young lady I have this urge to eat…a lot. I can actually smell everything 😂 🤣 ❤️ 🙏🏽 🦋
LOOKS AMAZING!!! 😜
Thank you Cindy!! It was! Hugs and love xox
Another cool red is it a baseball hat?
Haha yes!! Reppin the Cincinnati reds baseball team! Hugs and love xox
Did you get my email about a certainabout me watching one of your video’s of a girl with a you tube channel that has anorexia
I didn’t!! i will check my inbox tonight. been super slammed! Hugs and love xox
It was sent on 05/02 if that’s any help
Oh great thank you!
You are looking so beautiful 😛
Thanks
I’m going to try the tomato soup, it looks fantastic!
Awesome! Hope you love it, Pam! Hugs and love xox
How do you find the best recipes?! Tomato Soup and Grilled Cheese is the perfect cold weather food. Stay safe!
Aw thank you Daciar! I agree – a great comfort food! Hugs and love xox
That sounds amazing
Thanks Kay! Oh my gosh it was! Hugs and love xox
Wonderful comfort food! Delicious! I’m making chili today~I needed a bowl of warmth. I’ll have to try your tomato soup ❤️💚💕🙌🏻 xoxo
Thank you KL! Oh my gosh I LOVE chili too – awesome comfort food! Glad you stopped by! Hugs and love xox
You’re welcome! Xoxo 😘
🙂 xox
Two words: YUM-MEE!!!!😋😋🤤🤤 Alright so not necessarily two separate words, but that looks so good that I’m not concerned about semantics (…for once… 🤣). By the way – love the pun!
Hahah thank you Vera!! Ahahah I think it looks great as two words too 🙂 hehe Hugs and love xox
Just one question: When can you come to Kentucky and fix these for Anita and me!!?? 😋
Hahah you’re too funny! I’ll check the flight deals this afternoon! 😉 😉 😉 thanks for stopping by!
OMG Caralyn, this looks and sounds amazing! My sweetie loves tomato soup and grilled cheese. I will have to make this for us! There’s a great bakery near ours that does a fantastically chewy and crusty sourdough. Mmmmm. Love the idea of getting in there crushing the tomatoes by hand… just maybe not whilst wearing white! 😂 And yeah… Kraft Singles aren’t real cheese! 😜
Thank you Steve! Oh this was such a treat! Oh yes try it with that bakery’s bread!!! Hugs and love xox
Hiya, Caralyn… just to report back, I found the tomatoes you raved about in your post, and my dear sweety beat me to it in making your recipe. It was delicious! I like soup with chunks, so we first tried it without emulsifying and it was very good, but it was even better when we ate it last night after blending it… that really helped mix the smoky bacon flavour throughout. A hit… we’ll definitely be making this again!
Oh really?! That’s great!!! I’m SO glad you both enjoyed it!! Yes – that really brings the bacon to every bite 🙂 hehe awesome!! Thanks for sharing your success! Have an awesome Thursday!! Hugs and love xox
I love how you were all in on this recipe with the best ingredients for your man! That’s so sweet and I’m sure he absolutely loves it.
Stay warm and enjoy the cozy snowy days!
I love grilled cheese and tomato soup and this looks so good! Thanks for the recipe. Must try it! Stay safe and warm!
Hope the food helped you to be warm and cozy
Thank you friend! Oh it did! Sharing it with my special gentleman helped too! hehe Hugs and love xox
That is best part to share it with your special friend
I so agree!
If you need help, get the help you need.
https://www.cnn.com/2021/02/03/tech/qanon-mom-former-believer/index.html
Mmmm… pictures are so yummy I almost ate the computer page!
hahah you’re too funny Jan! Thank you! 🙂 Hugs and love xox
That soup sounded so good that I had to make it for lunch today! And it was as good as it sounded. And yes, I used the San Marzano’s because they are the best.
thank you so much Victoria! 🙂 OH MY GOSH! YAY!!!! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!! The San Marzanos really do make a huge difference…texture, flavor, sweetness….thanks for sharing your success! have a wonderful day! Hugs and love xox
I read this when it was posted and have been low-key obsessing about tomato soup ever since. Yesterday a friend surprised me with her excess soup from the night before. Full and fulfilled!
Hahaha oh my gosh you’re too funny Galby! Thank you! oh good, I’m glad you got some! stroke of luck! Hugs and love xox
Officially craving grilled cheese and tomato soup at 7:38 AM – thanks?! 😉
Hahaha you’re welcome!! Definitely worth the effort! It’s a real treat! Thanks for stopping by Lindsey! Hugs and love xox
One of my favorite meals.
comfort food to the max! 🙂 Hugs and love xox