The week was long but don’t let your weekend come up short! Friday Night Comfort Soup is just what you need to welcome the days of rest and relaxation. This saucy tomato and orzo soup is packed with so much flavor to help get you motivated again. Homemade, grilled-cheese-style croutons thrown in make this Friday Night Comfort Soup one of the best things you will have all week. Friday just feels good, doesn’t it?!
Ingredients
For the soup:
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 cups yellow onions, chopped
- 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
- 4 cups chicken stock
- 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
- saffron threads, optional, to taste
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup orzo
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
For the grilled cheese croutons:
- 4 slices country white bread, sliced 1/2-inch-thick
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 4 ounces Gruyère cheese, grated
Directions
Step 1 –In a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat, add the oil.
Step 2 –Reduce the heat to medium-low, add the onions, and cook, stirring occasionally, until they are golden-brown, about 15 minutes.
Step 3 –Add the garlic to the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, about 1 minute.
Step 4 –Add the chicken stock, the tomatoes and their juices, the saffron, the salt, and the black pepper to the onion mixture and bring to a boil, stirring frequently.
Step 5 –Reduce the heat and simmer the soup, about 15 minutes.
Step 6 –In a medium pot of salted, boiling water, cook the orzo for 7 minutes. It will finish cooking in the soup. Drain the water.
Step 7 –Add the cooked orzo and the heavy cream to the soup and simmer, stirring frequently, about 10 minutes.
Step 8 –While the soup is cooking, preheat a panini grill according to manufacturer’s directions.
Step 9 –Place the 4 bread slices on a cutting board and lightly brush each, including the corners, with the melted butter.
Step 10 –Turn 2 of the slices over and sprinkle each with 2 ounces of the Gruyère cheese.
Step 11 –Place the 2 remaining bread slices, buttered-side up, on top of the cheese layers to create 2 sandwiches.
Step 12 –Place the cheese sandwiches on the heated panini grill and cook until they are jusrt browned, about 5 minutes.
Step 13 –Place the sandwiches on the cutting board and let them rest for 1 minute. Cut the sandwiches into 1-inch-thick cubes.
Step 14 –Serve the soup topped with the grilled cheese croutons.
