Description
A flavorful Tomato Hatch Chile Soup, featuring roasted Roma tomatoes and Hatch chiles blended into a smooth, comforting soup. Served alongside a spicy Hatch Chile grilled cheese sandwich, this recipe offers a perfect blend of smoky, savory, and cheesy elements for a satisfying meal.
Ingredients
For the Soup
- 3 1/2 pounds Roma tomatoes, halved
- 2 Hatch chiles, halved, ends trimmed, seeds removed
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1/4 yellow onion, peeled and roughly chopped
- 3 garlic cloves
- 1 roasted Hatch chile, diced
For the Grilled Cheese
- 4 slices of bread
- 1 cup shredded cheese of choice (blend recommended)
- 1 tablespoon softened unsalted butter
- 1 diced roasted Hatch chile (reserved from soup)
Instructions
- Roast Tomatoes and Chiles: Preheat your oven to 300°F. Place the halved Roma tomatoes and halved Hatch chiles on a baking sheet. Sprinkle them with salt and drizzle one tablespoon of olive oil over the tomatoes. Roast in the oven for about 1 hour until the tomatoes are juicy and slightly shriveled. Remove and cool slightly on the counter.
- Sauté Onion and Garlic: Heat one tablespoon of olive oil in a small sauté pan over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and garlic cloves, cooking until softened, about 5 minutes. Transfer this mixture to a blender.
- Blend Soup Base: Using tongs, add the roasted tomatoes and one of the roasted Hatch chiles to the blender in batches if necessary. Pulse until smooth, about 1 minute. Pour the blended soup into a medium pot set over medium-low heat.
- Extract Remaining Soup: Add about 1/4 cup of water to the blender and swirl to loosen any remaining soup on the sides. Pour this water mixture into the pot with the blended soup.
- Simmer Soup: Bring the soup to a gentle simmer and cook for about 20 minutes to allow flavors to meld. Taste and add additional salt as desired, about 2 teaspoons.
- Prepare Hatch Chile Grilled Cheese: Spread softened butter onto the outer sides of each bread slice. On the inside, add about 1/2 cup shredded cheese and a handful of diced roasted Hatch chile. Assemble the sandwich.
- Cook Grilled Cheese: Heat a non-stick skillet over medium-low heat. Place the sandwich in the skillet and cover with a lid. Cook for approximately 3 minutes on each side until the bread is golden brown and the cheese is melted.
- Serve: Serve the hot tomato Hatch chile soup alongside the grilled cheese sandwich for a delicious and comforting meal.
Notes
- Removing seeds from Hatch chiles reduces heat and bitterness, but adjust according to your spice preference.
- The recipe uses one roasted Hatch chile in the soup and reserves the other for the grilled cheese.
- Use a cheese blend or your favorite melting cheese for the grilled cheese.
- Cooking the grilled cheese over medium-low heat with a lid ensures even melting of the cheese and a crispy crust.
- You can substitute Roma tomatoes with other meaty tomatoes if Hatch chiles are unavailable, but it may alter the flavor profile.
