Sheet Pan Soup

Ingredients

• 1 head of garlic
• 3 red bell peppers, halved and deseeded
• 10 oz carrots, cut into 1-inch pieces (~5 large carrots)
• 1/2 of a small head of cauliflower, roughly chopped
• 3 small tomatoes, quartered
• 1 small yellow onion, cut into wedges
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne
• 1/4 teaspoon cumin
• 2 1/2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
• Juice from 1 lemon (~2 tbsp)
• 2 slices of bread (we used sourdough)
• 2-3 slices cheddar or American cheese
• 1-2 tablespoons butter

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
2. Cut the top off the garlic head to expose the cloves; you'll roast the whole head but only use half of the cloves in the soup.
3. Arrange the bell peppers (skin side up), carrots, cauliflower, tomatoes, garlic head, and onion on a large sheet pan. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt, smoked paprika, cayenne, and cumin.
4. Roast for 40-45 minutes, until the vegetables are fork tender.
5. About 10 minutes before the vegetables finish, warm the broth on the stove or in the microwave until hot.
6. Transfer the roasted vegetables to a blender. Squeeze the roasted garlic cloves from half of the head into the blender (save the rest for another use). Add the hot broth and lemon juice, then blend until smooth. Taste and add the remaining salt if needed.
7. Serve the soup hot, alongside grilled cheese or grilled cheese croutons.
8. To make the croutons, melt butter in a pan over medium-low heat. Toast the bread until golden, then flip one slice, add cheese, and top with the other slice cooked-side down. Cover and cook until the bottom is crisp, then flip and cook the other side until crisp and the cheese is melted. Remove and cut into small cubes.