Spicy Sriracha Tomato and Blue Cheese Soup

Just a couple of days ago I was shopping at Sam's Club, the big Costco-like warehouse store.and spied a HUGE can of tomatoes for less than $3.  Serendipity.

I love soups and especially tomato soups.  Almost seems like I am collecting recipes.  So full of flavors, so delicious, and so many ways to add flavors... sweet, savory and now a strong hint of Asian heat with the Sriracha sauce!

Whereas, this is a spicy soup, seasoned with Sriracha sauce (the hot "rooster" sauce).  The spice is cut a bit with cream and blue cheese, but it is spiced instead of savory.

Keep scrolling down for this easy to follow recipe...

I was all set to add the chicken stock to the soup as it was cooking.  But, since the juices from the big can of tomatoes was added, as the tomatoes cooked down, what was left was still a thick soup (as I like).  Adding stock would have thinned it out too much for my taste.  I added 1/4 cup of stock, but saw the beautiful thick luscious soup being thinned and stopped at that small amount.

The soup also calls for a tiny amount of fresh oregano.  First, I did not have any, second, I was using canned tomatoes at the height of tomato picking season and third, I have a pretty good dried spice mix that I use (combined with a little bit of lemon zest).  This way, I was able to make this a pantry soup, something I generally have all of the ingredients on hand.

BTW, I make my own Mediterranean spice mix I call, "Not Your Grandmother's Herbes de Provence". You will be seeing this ALOT. It's a fast way to add that special savory taste to any dish. I make about 2 cups worth a month and bit by bit, it is gone! Tastes great on everything from eggs to chicken and anything in between!
While Oregano spice on it's own is fine, It was so much easier to just add a couple of TBS of this...

Here's my formula...

• 1 part dried tarragon
• 1 part dried Oregano
• 1 part dried Dill
• 1 part dried Rosemary
• 1 part dries Thyme
• 1 part dried Garlic Flakes
• 1/2 part course grind Sea Salt
• 1/2 part fresh ground Peppercorns
• 1/2 part fresh Lemon Zest
  Note: if I know I am going to use this up in a week or two, I will go ahead and zest the lemon.  Sometimes I make enough to last a month or two with no real plans to use it.  On those occasions, I do not add lemon zest, instead I will add fresh zest as I make whatever recipe I am using the spice mix.

And I made a very simple grilled cheese (just provolone) to go with the soup!

Here's what I did...

Spicy Sriracha Tomato and Blue Cheese Soup

Ingredients

• 2 TBS Olive Oil
• 1 medium Onion, Diced
• 4 Cloves Garlic, Crushed and minced
• Large 28 OZ Can Diced Tomatoes
• 1 Cup Heavy Cream
• 1 TBS sriracha sauce (more if you like it HOT)
• 2 TBS Italian Spices (I used my own mix of "Not Your Grandmother's Herbes de Provence"
• 4 Oz Blue Cheese, crumbled
• Salt and Pepper To Taste
• Garnish with Sour Cream

Cooking Directions

1. In a LARGE Soup pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and sweat them for a couple of minutes, just until they begin to soften.
2. Add the garlic and continue to sweat for 2 more minutes
3. Add the tomatoes with their juices and set the heat to simmer. It takes a couple of hours for them to break down at a low simmer. The longer you simmer, the sweeter they get..
4. After a couple of hours, use a wand blender and blend until smooth, no lumos.
5. Add the cream, Sriracha sauce, blue cheese and salt and pepper.
6. Heat for an additional 5 minutes, until the cheese has all melted.
7. Use the hand blender again and blend smooth.
8. Taste, add salt and pepper as needed
9. Serve HOT and Enjoy! Garnish with Sour Cream and a toasted cheese sandwich!

The recipe made a huge pot.  Easily a dozen servings.  Perfect for a cool fall weeknight and plenty of lunches afterwards.  And with the very inexpensive huge box store can of tomatoes, this comes in at less than a dollar a serving.  The budget buster is the blue cheese, but if you shop carefully, it is a great budget saving soup!

I mean WOW, great taste, a pantry soup and a budget dream, even in the middle of winter with a can of tomatoes as the base this is a winner, sure to please. And so impossibly easy...

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So,  I am pleased to list this as one of my Growing list of  "52 Recipes for Soup, Chili or Chowder" (Now more than 52 and still growing)

Soup from Scratch is one of the great kitchen joys.  The house smells amazing and the soup warms to the bone.  From broth to chowder, vegetarian to loaded up chili... Even a great idea for a party (love the Potato Soup Bar idea).  Come take a look, sure to have something you might like to try.  All recipes have been tested and WORK!

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