Spicy Veggie Tomato Soup with Scallion Chili Grilled Cheese

I’ve recently been trying to make better choices in the kitchen and one of the small steps I’ve often overlooked is just how clean I’m getting my produce. I normally just rinse them quickly under water but some are sprayed with waterproof pesticides, covered in waxes, and rigorously handled—by so many people before I even grab them. That’s where Veggie Wash comes in. Veggie Wash is a natural, vegan and paraben-free wash that is derived from all-natural ingredients to safely and effectively clean all of your produce. It really does leave your fruits and vegetables so much cleaner. I’ve been using it a lot lately and it especially comes in handy with vegetable-forward recipes like this Spicy Veggie Tomato Soup with Scallion Chili Grilled Cheese.

I love how easy Veggie Wash is to use too. All you have to do is spray your fruits and vegetables generously, rub for 30 seconds and then rinse off thoroughly with water. It’s that simple!

This is really a loose guide for the soup and you can decide to use all or some of the vegetables I’ve listed. I find that this combination adds such a nice depth of flavor to the tomato soup than if you had just used tomatoes only. They all work together to create a great tasting soup.

Transfer the chopped tomatoes, carrots, parsnip, onion, celery, red bell pepper and garlic to a large baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil and season liberally with salt and black pepper and fresh thyme. Roast in a preheated 425°F oven until browned and tender, about 40 minutes.

Carefully remove the vegetables from the oven and add to a large pot. Stir in the tomato paste and Calabrian chili paste if using. Add the vegetable broth and bring to a simmer. Remove the pot from the heat and then blend the soup until smooth either in a blender or with an immersion blender. Return to low heat and stir in the half and half.

**Note: I find it easier to use an immersion blender when blending soups, but if you don’t have one, you can do this in parts in a standard blender. Just be careful with the hot liquid.**

To make the grilled cheese, lay out all the bread slices on a work surface and sprinkle half with some of both cheeses. Top with scallions and chiles, season with black pepper and then sprinkle on the remaining cheese.

Place the top bread slice and then spread with softened butter. Cook, a few at a time, in a hot griddle or pan until golden brown and melted. Transfer to a cutting board cut in half and serve with the soup.

To finish the soup, serve in bowls. Drizzle with olive oil and garnish with black pepper and scallions. Serve the grilled cheese on the side for dipping and dunking into the soup.

This soup can easily be frozen for later. Just allow the soup to cool off completely and then transfer it to individual portion-sized freezer containers and freeze for up to 3 months. Then when ready to eat, just thaw in the fridge the night before and warm up on the stove. If it’s too thick add a splash more vegetable broth or half and half to thin it out.

Make sure you pick up a bottle of Veggie Wash and give it a try for yourself. You’re going to be amazed with just how much cleaner your vegetables actually are. You won’t be able to go back to just plain water. It’s a small step to add when cooking that will make you feel good about the fruits and veggies you’re cooking with!

**Thank you for your continued support of the occasional sponsored post on this site. They help keep the blog going, allowing me to continue to share my recipes with you on a weekly basis. I never want my sponsorships to feel forced, which is why I only partner with companies I feel very passionate about and actually use on a regular basis.**