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Winter Tomato & Garlic Soup with Creamy Gorgonzola Bruschette

By Charlotte on January 27, 2017 12:11 PM

By Betty Rosbottom, author Soup Nights

This vibrant tomato soup, flavored with garlic and an unexpected hint of orange, is a snap to assemble and takes less than half an hour to cook. Canned tomatoes, my go-to option in cold weather, are simmered in stock along with sautéed onions and seasonings of basil and red pepper flakes. Toasted baguette slices topped with Gorgonzola and fresh rosemary can be served alongside or floating on top.

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Winter Tomato & Garlic Soup with Creamy Gorgonzola Bruschette

Serves 6                             Make Ahead: Yes    

Prep Time: 15 minutes     Start-to-Finish: 50 minutes

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Photo by Harry Zernike    

• 3 tablespoons olive oil 1 1/2 cups chopped onion
• 2 tablespoons minced garlic
• 2, 28-ounce cans diced tomatoes, drained well
• 3 1/2 cups chicken broth or stock plus more if needed
• 1 tablespoons dried basil
• Scant 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, plus more if needed
• Kosher salt
• 2 small pinches sugar
• 3/4 cup half-and-half
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, preferably Parmigiano Reggiano
• 1 teaspoon grated orange zest
• Gorgonzola and Rosemary Bruschette (recipe follows)

In a heavy 4-quart saucepan over medium heat, heat oil until hot. Add the onions and stir until they start to soften, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the garlic and stir for 1 minute more. Add tomatoes, 3 1/2 cups broth, basil, red pepper flakes, 1/4 teaspoon salt and sugar. Stir well to combine and bring mixture to a simmer. Reduce heat to low and continue to simmer until vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes.

Purée the soup in batches in a food processor, blender, or food mill, then return the soup to the pot. (Or use an immersion blender to purée the soup in the pot.) The mixture will be somewhat chunky. Stir in the half-and-half, Parmesan cheese and orange zest and cook over medium heat, stirring, until the soup is heated through, 3 to 4 minutes. If the soup is too thick, thin it with 1/2 cup extra broth. Season the soup with salt if needed and, if you'd like more heat, add a pinch of red pepper flakes. (Soup can be prepared two days ahead. Cook to this stage, then cool, cover and refrigerate. Reheat, stirring often, over medium heat.)

Ladle the soup into bowls. Serve with the Gorgonzola Bruschette alongside or, if you prefer, float one on top of each serving.

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Gorgonzola Bruschette

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• 12 baguette slices, cut 3/8-inch thick
• Olive oil for brushing
• 1, 8-ounce piece creamy Gorgonzola, such as Gorgonzola Dolce, softened slightly
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary

Arrange a rack at center position and preheat the oven to 350°F. Have a foil-lined baking sheet ready.

Brush both sides of the baguette slices generously with olive oil and place on the baking sheet. Bake slices until golden and just crisp, 3 to 4 minutes per side. (Slices can be prepared 2 hours ahead. Keep at room temperature.)

Spread each slice with Gorgonzola, then return to the oven until cheese has melted, 3 to 4 minutes. Sprinkle each slice with chopped rosemary.

About the Author

Betty Rosbottom has written 11 cookbooks, including Sunday Casseroles, Sunday Roasts and Sunday Soup. She founded and directed the La Belle Pomme cooking school in Columbus, Ohio, and has been a contributor to Bon Appétit and a syndicated columnist for the Los Angeles Times and Tribune Media Services.

Recipe Excerpted from

Soup Nights: Satisfying Soups and Sides for Delicious Meals All Year

Author: Betty Rosbottom

Publisher: Rizzoli New York

Penned: October 2016

What's Inside: More than 100 recipes for delicious soups, salads, sandwiches and desserts that can be mixed and matched for mouthwatering homemade meals. You'll find everything from hearty, comforting favorites (think Louisiana Seafood Gumbo) to lighter creations ideal for spring (like Warm or Chilled Curried Cauliflower Soup). Many of these yummy ideas include perfect accompaniments (make mine Corn Bisque with Pan Seared-Salmon Fillets).

Also, each recipe in the five chapters devoted to soups includes a menu suggesting complementary salads, sandwiches and/or desserts from this satisfying collection. How about Red Pepper Velouté with Crab Salad, Heirloom Tomatos in Crushed Fennel Seed Dressing and Blueberry Pan Cake with Lemon Crème Fraiche for a warm summer evening? Nice! Simple-to-follow, with easy-to-find ingredients, this is a cookbook soup lovers will turn to again and again.

Time Out: 208 pages

Available: $35 hard cover at Amazon and other book retailers

* Reprinted with permission from Soup Nights by Betty Rosbottom, Rizzoli New York, 2016.

You'll also enjoy:

• 2-Step Chicken and Dumplings
• 3 Soul-Satisfying Soups
• Chunky Black Bean Chili
• Individual Chicken Pot Pies
• Southwestern Chicken Chili

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