Is there a better pairing than grilled cheese and tomato soup? We don’t think so. This recipe is light years better than canned tomato soup and grilled American or cheddar cheese. The combination of ricotta, mozzarella and artichoke hearts on the grilled cheese will make you feel like an adult, while you’re eating one of your childhood favorites. The tomato soup is simple to make and uses red pepper to provide a depth of flavor you don’t typically get in tomato soup unless you add cream. Enjoy!
Dr. Blake’s Top Tip: This is the perfect rainy-day lunch for people who don’t have any potassium restrictions. If you have to limit potassium, use this Leek and Yellow Squash Soup recipe instead.
Tomato Soup:
1 bulb of garlic
1.5 lbs tomatoes (about 5 medium sized tomatoes)
1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into large pieces
1 onion, chopped
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper
Grilled Cheese:
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup fresh basil
2 cups raw spinach, chopped
3/4 cup ricotta
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella
Salt and pepper
7 small artichoke heart, chopped
1 tbsp olive oil
4 slices sourdough bread or lower sodium, whole grain bread
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
Slice about ½ inch off of the top of the bulb of garlic – just enough to expose the cloves and set aside. Place the tomatoes, bell pepper, and onion in a baking dish. Drizzle 1/2 tbsp of olive oil over the vegetables along with a small pinch of salt. Mix together with your hands. Pour the rest (1/2 tbsp) of olive oil on top of the head of garlic and enclose it in aluminum foil. Place the garlic in the dish with the vegetables. Bake in a preheated oven at 350ºF for 45 minutes.
Once cooked, add the tomatoes, peppers and onions to a blender.
Squeeze the bulb of garlic to remove the cloves and add the cloves to the blender along with 1/2 cup of water and the fresh basil. Blend well. If the mixture does not become completely blended together, don’t worry because it will all be pressed through a sieve.
Take a saucepan and place a sieve or mesh strainer over the top. Pour the tomato soup onto the strainer and crush the mixture with a spatula to let as much of the soup as possible pass through. Heat the soup over low heat
Prepare the grilled cheese.
Heat a medium sized non-stick sauté pan over medium heat. Add the spinach and cook for 3-5 minutes or until cooked through. Place the cooked spinach, ricotta, shredded mozzarella, artichoke hearts, and in a bowl and mix well. Season with salt and pepper if desired.
Cut 4 slices of bread and brush one side with olive oil. Turnover and add a little of the spinach-artichoke mix. Close, making sure the olive oil sides are on the outside. Heat a skillet over medium heat and place the sandwich in the pan. Cook for 3-5 minutes on each side until the bread is crispy and the inside is warm and melted. Add a cover half way through if needed.
Pour the tomato soup into two bowls and top with a drizzle of olive and some fresh basil. Serve the grilled cheese on the side.
Additional information on Potassium sources:
1.5 lbs tomatoes (about 5 medium sized tomatoes) (729mg)
1/3 cup fresh basil (147mg)