So, it’s snowing, right smack in the middle of Spring. The weather is so unpredictable sometimes, but I’m not complaining. Here in Colorado, we get three hundred plus days of sunshine, so it’s all good.

On days like this, I want to eat something comforting. This next recipe is my version of tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwich. I assemble all of my ingredients together and with my handy Instant Pot I’ve got fresh tomato soup in no time. In just under an hour you can have this cozy meal too. Let’s eat.

Here is the recipe:

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Servings: 4

Ingredients:

• 6 large Roma tomatoes, roasted and charred
• 4 cloves of garlic, roasted and charred
• ½ medium yellow onion, chopped
• 2 cups of chicken stock
• 1 tsp of salt
• 1 tsp of finely ground black pepper
• ¼ cup of fresh oregano, chopped
• 1 tsp of dried basil
• 1 cup of heavy cream
• 1 tsp of paprika
• 1 Tbsp of tomato paste
• Sourdough bread, sliced
• ½ cup of sharp cheddar cheese
• 2 Tbsp of butter
• Parmesan rind (optional)
• A drizzle of olive oil

Directions:

1. Set a cast iron skillet on medium heat. Drizzle the olive oil and add the tomatoes and garlic. Char them on all sides. Watch the garlic so it doesn’t burn. Use tongs to turn them for an even char. When the tomatoes blister, peel, and start to brown, they are ready. This should take about 5-8 minutes.
2. Take the cast iron skillet off the heat.
3. Now, turn your Instant Pot on and set to sauté mode. Drizzle olive oil and add the onions. Sauté for 3 minutes or until the onions start to turn translucent.
4. Add the chicken stock, salt, black pepper, oregano, dried basil, paprika, tomato paste, and parmesan rind. Give it all a quick stir.
5. Then, add in the charred tomatoes and garlic.
6. Turn the Instant Pot off the sauté mode, and now set on soup/stew mode for 20 minutes. *Important: Make sure the pressure seal is set to sealing mode.
7. After the 20 minutes of completed cooking time, let the Instant Pot release pressure for 5 minutes. Then, quick release the vent and wait until it has fully decompressed before opening the lid.
8. Now set back on to sauté mode, add the heavy cream and stir. Cook for 4-5 minutes.
9. Turn off the Instant Pot and use an immersion blender to puree everything together. This should take only a couple of minutes.
10. Finally, butter your sourdough slices on both sides and add the sharp cheddar in between the two. For this step you can use a panini press or a small shallow frying pan.
11. Slightly press down on your sandwich until the cheese is melted and bread turns a toasty golden brown on both sides.
12. Take the grilled cheese sandwich off the panini press or pan. Don’t slice until ready to serve. Enjoy!