Marinara says farewell to spaghetti and gets to be soup for a day. It’s the perfect sub for canned tomatoes and since it’s already cooked, the soup doesn’t need to simmer as long for maximum flavor. Grilled cheese croutons and fresh basil are the perfect toppings.
| Level: | Easy |
| Total: | 45 min |
| Active: | 35 min |
| Yield: | 4 servings |
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 stalks celery, roughly chopped
- 2 carrots, roughly chopped
- 1 onion, roughly chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon smoked sweet paprika
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- One 24-ounce jar marinara
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken stock or broth
- 2 slices multigrain bread
- 4 ounces gruyere cheese, shredded
- 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced
Instructions
- Heat 1 tablespoon each butter and oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the celery, carrot, onion and garlic and cook, stirring, until the vegetables are lightly browned and soft, 7 to 8 minutes. Add the paprika and red pepper flakes. Sprinkle with salt and a few grinds of pepper.
- Pour the wine over the vegetables and simmer until the wine evaporates, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in the marinara and chicken stock. Bring to a boil and then simmer over low heat until all the vegetables are very soft, about 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, heat a large nonstick skillet with remaining tablespoons butter and oil over medium high. Place a slice of bread in the skillet and sprinkle the cheese on it. Place the remaining slice of bread on top of the cheese and press down with a spatula. Cook, flipping halfway through, until the cheese melts and both slices of the bread are crispy and golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Cut the cheesy bread into bite-size pieces. Set aside.
- Puree the soup with an immersion blender until completely smooth. Ladle the soup into 4 deep bowls, top with the cheesy croutons and sprinkle with the basil.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 4 servings |
| Calories | 366 |
| Total Fat | 24 g |
| Saturated Fat | 11 g |
| Carbohydrates | 19 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 3 g |
| Sugar | 5 g |
| Protein | 16 g |
| Cholesterol | 46 mg |
| Sodium | 962 mg |