Roasted Tomato Soup and Cheesy Croutons

Serves 4 

Nutrition per serving– calories: 319, fat: 17 g (saturated fat: 4 g), carbohydrates: 35 g, protein: 10 g, fiber: 7 g, sugar: 15 g, sodium: 417 mg 

For the soup: 

• 4 pounds ripe tomatoes (look for the seconds at your local farmer’s market), cored and quartered 

• 2 onions, roughly chopped

• 6 garlic cloves, peeled 

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

• ¼ teaspoon Sugar

• Salt

For the cheesy croutons: 

• 4 ounces sourdough bread, preferably day old, cut into 1-inch cubes (about 3 cups) 

• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 

• Salt and pepper 

• 2 ounces shredded gruyere, cheddar, or fontina cheese (about ½ cup )  

Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 450 degrees. In a large roasting pan, combine quartered tomatoes, onions, whole garlic cloves, oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon sugar. Roast, stirring once or twice, until tomatoes are brown in spots, about 30 to 45 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes. Working in two batches, process roasted tomato mixture in a blender or food processor until smooth. 

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Toss bread cubes with olive oil on a sheet pan and season with salt and pepper. Spread the croutons about 1 inch apart. Scatter cheese over the croutons, (don’t worry if some of the cheese is on the baking sheet in between the crotons, they will brown and crisp and are a great topping for the soup.)  Bake until croutons are golden brown and crispy and the cheese is melted about 7-8 minutes. 

When ready to serve. Warm tomato soup in a saucepan over medium-high heat until simmering. If necessary, add a little water to adjust the consistency. Season with salt. Serve with croutons.