Tomato and Lentil Soup with Grilled Cheese Croutons

September is one of my favorite months of the year. The dog days of summer are winding down and those wonderful 70°F afternoons with no humidity are in full effect. Once the weather begins to turn for the cooler I’m almost always making a pot of soup for the family and me. Soup is still hands down my most favorite thing to make out of all the different cuisines and cooking techniques that I dabble in. It’s one of those meals that you get to enjoy all day long and it’s almost therapeutic while eating it. In addition, soups are incredibly versatile and can be tweaked for certain diet restrictions to accompany anyone’s lifestyle. Throughout the summer, it seems we’ve been going to a backyard BBQ every weekend, and with that comes a ton of heavy foods. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t gain five pounds this summer due to all of those wonderful grilled and smoked foods, but it’s back to the routine and time to get back on track. I wanted to make a simple soup that had some good anti-inflammatories and that had few ingredients, so I made this Tomato and Lentil Soup with Grilled Cheese Croutons. Yes if you wanted to make this dish vegan and on the healthy side you can absolutely do without the croutons and it’s still absolutely delicious! I’m a big fan of caramelizing onions in soup before adding in the other ingredients. I used to be a guy that would caramelize everything, but then I noticed all of my soups were tasting the same, so I stepped back and now only decided to caramelize the onions. Let’s be honest, a golden brown roasted onion tastes 10 times more amazing than a boiled one and adds some depth and flavor to the soup as a whole. I planned on using Bob’s Red Mill Brown Lentils in the soup to act as the base because they are packed with protein, fiber, iron, and potassium, immediately making it a hearty soup. There is no need to soak lentils, either, so you can put them right into the soup while preparing it. Bob’s Red Mill Brown Lentils have a nice earthy flavor, bringing some balance to the acidity from the tomatoes. Since ingredients in soups recipes can get pretty high. I wanted to make sure to keep it low with this Tomato and Lentil Soup with Grilled Cheese Croutons simply because I knew the spices, curry, cumin and turmeric, are packed with flavor. This soup is absolutely delicious and incredibly easy to make, so be sure to give it a shot this week! Happy soup making!

Tomato and Lentil Soup with Grilled Cheese Croutons

Soup:

• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 Onion, peeled and small diced
• 3 cloves of Garlic, finely minced
• 1 large Sweet Potato, peeled and small diced
• 1 ½ tsp Curry Powder
• 1 tsp Cumin
• 1 tsp Turmeric
• 1 cup Bob’s Red Mill Brown Lentils
• 3 (15 oz) cans of fire roasted Tomatoes
• 8 cups Vegetable Stock
• Kosher Salt and fresh cracked Pepper to taste
• Chopped Parsley for garnish

Grilled Cheese:

• 1 stick (1/2 cup) Unsalted Butter
• 1 loaf Artisan Bbread, sliced
• 8 oz shredded smoked Gouda Cheese

Makes 3 quarts In a large pot over medium heat, add the olive oil and caramelize the onions and garlic, 10-12 minutes. Once browned, add in the sweet potatoes and cook for 5-7 minutes. Stir in the curry, cumin, and turmeric. Next, add in the lentils, tomatoes, and stock and simmer covered over low heat for 20-25 minutes, or until the lentils are tender. Season with salt and pepper and keep warm. In a large frying pan over medium heat add in 1 tablespoon butter. Once melted add in two slices of bread and toast until brown, 2-3 minutes. Turn the bread over and evenly sprinkle on a little bit of the gouda cheese. Once melted, fold the two slices together and cook until cheese is melted and toasted on each side. Cut into small squares. Garnish the soup with grilled cheese croutons and chopped parsley.

Hello, I’m Billy Parisi, but to some I’m known as “Chef Billy Parisi.” I do a little bit of this and a little bit of that, but for the most part I’m a Food & Content Creator, Sometimes TV Host, Digital and Social Strategist, Influencer, Picture Taker, Coffee Drinker, Daddy, Husband, College Sports Enthusiast, Fashionisto, Film & Music Lover!

I’ve been in the kitchen since I started washing dishes in a restaurant at the age of 13, and during that time I knew immediately that I wanted to be a chef. I graduated from Arizona’s Scottsdale Culinary Institute and the University of Missouri, and have logged several years as line cook, sous chef, and executive in some of the Midwest’s finest restaurants. I currently live in the city of Chicago with my wife Lindsay and daughter Olivia and cook up new inventions, mash-ups, fusions, and twists on old classics. I’m incredibly spontaneous and outgoing, and run two small businesses, BPMVC and my latest venture, 5 Loaves 2 Fish!