Chef Tom fires up the Yoder Smokers YS640s Pellet Grill for Chipotle Tomato Soup with grilled cheese croutons!
WHAT YOU'LL LOVE
- Charring the tomatoes and poblanos directly over the flame builds smoky depth from the start. Letting them blister and soften right on the grates means the smoky char carries through the entire soup base, not just a hint of it from the grill's general environment.
- Chorizo gets browned and set aside, not simmered the whole time. Cooking it separately until fully rendered and darkened, then folding it back in only at serving, keeps its texture distinct instead of dissolving into the soup.
- Peeling the poblanos after a quick steam makes cleanup painless. Letting them rest covered for 10 minutes loosens the charred skin, so it comes off cleanly instead of fighting you at the cutting board.
- Grilled cheese croutons turn a garnish into a second course. Smashing a cheese-stuffed bolillo roll on the griddle and dicing it into bite-sized pieces gives the soup a crunchy, cheesy topping that's really its own mini sandwich.
Chipotle Tomato Soup with Grilled Cheese Croutons
Tom Jackson
Rated 5.0 stars by 1 users
Category
Soup
Cuisine
Side
Servings
4
Prep Time
45 minutes
Cook Time
45 minutes
Calories
835
Chipotle Tomato Soup with Grilled Cheese is a spicy take on an old favorite. It's blended with Mexican spices, poblano peppers and chorizo then topped with grilled cheese croutons. Cooked on the Yoder Smokers YS640s, Chef Tom creates a unique and flavor packed spin on this comfort food classic.
Ingredients
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1 lb whole tomatoes - fire roasted
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2 poblano peppers - fire roasted
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9 oz Mexican chorizo
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2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
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2 cups yellow onion, diced
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1 cup carrots, diced
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1 cup celery, diced
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Cattleman’s Grill Road House Seasoning
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2 tbsp garlic
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1 (28 oz) can Ciao San Marzano Tomatoes
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1-3 dried chipotles (depending on desired heat level)
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1 qt unsalted vegetable stock
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1/4 cup sour cream
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1/4 cup cilantro, plus more for garnish
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Grilled cheese croutons, for garnish
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Butter
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Bolillo roll
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Quesadilla cheese
Soup
Grilled cheese croutons
Directions
Preheat your Yoder Smokers YS640s Pellet Grill to 500ºF, set up for direct grilling (diffuser removed). Install the regular cooking grates on the left side of the grill, directly over the flame and the Yoder Smokers Cast Iron Griddle installed on the right side of the grill, flat side up.
Place the tomatoes and poblano directly over the flame to char. Remove the tomatoes when they begin to burst open and soften. Remove the poblano when charred on all sides. Place the poblano in a bag or container to steam for about 10 minutes. Peel the skin from the poblanos. Discard the skin, seeds and stems. Set aside for later.
Preheat a Lodge Enameled Dutch Oven in the grill, directly over the flame. Brown the chorizo in the dutch oven. Remove the chorizo from the dutch oven when it’s darkened in color and all liquid is cooked out. Set aside for later.
Place the extra virgin olive oil in the same dutch oven. Add the mirepoix (onion, carrot, celery), grilled tomato & poblano. Season with Cattleman’s Grill Road House Seasoning. Sweat the veggies until softened. Add the garlic. Cook one more minute. Add Ciao San Marzano Tomatoes, chipotles and veggie stock. Cook till chipotles are softened, about 45 min.
When you remove the dutch oven, remove the grates over the fire, slide the griddle over to the left side of the grill and turn the heat down to 350ºF.
Transfer the soup to a blender or use an immersion blender. Add cilantro and sour cream to the soup and blend until smooth. Hold the soup warm in the dutch oven, covered with a lid.
Split the bolillo rolls for a sandwich. Stuff with quesadilla cheese. Melt the butter on the griddle. Cook grilled cheese on the griddle, smashing with a grill press to compress. Remove and dice into bite sized pieces.
Serve the chipotle tomato soup topped with the grilled cheese croutons, crumbled chorizo, a drizzle of sour cream and minced cilantro.
Recipe Note
Recipe FAQ
Why char the tomatoes and poblanos directly over the flame?
Blistering them right on the grates builds smoky depth into the vegetables themselves, which carries through the whole soup base rather than relying on ambient grill flavor alone.
Why brown the chorizo separately instead of simmering it in the soup the whole time?
Cooking it on its own until fully rendered keeps its texture distinct. Folding it back in only at serving means it stays a crumbled topping instead of dissolving into the blended soup.
Why steam the poblanos in a covered container after charring?
The trapped steam loosens the blistered skin, making it far easier to peel cleanly than trying to remove it right off the grill.
Why make grilled cheese croutons instead of a simpler garnish?
Smashing a cheese-stuffed bolillo roll on the griddle and dicing it up turns the topping into its own crunchy, cheesy component — more substantial than a plain crouton or dollop of cream.
Can I make this soup less spicy?
Yes — use just one dried chipotle instead of up to three, and remove the seeds before adding it to control the heat level.
How indoor-friendly is this recipe?
3 out of 5 — the soup base, blending, and grilled cheese can all be done on a stovetop and in a skillet; the smoky char on the tomatoes and poblanos is the one thing you'd be missing indoors.
Recipe Highlights
Direct-flame charring: Blistering the tomatoes and poblanos builds smoky depth into the vegetables themselves before they ever hit the pot.
Separately browned chorizo: Cooking it apart from the soup keeps its texture distinct as a crumbled topping rather than dissolving in.
Steaming for easy peeling: A short covered rest loosens the charred poblano skin for clean removal.
Grilled cheese as a topping, not a side: Smashing and dicing a cheese-stuffed roll turns the garnish into its own crunchy component.
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Nutrition
Nutrition
- Nutrition Serving Size
- 4
- per serving
- Calories
- 835
- Fat
- 43 grams
- Cholesterol
- 87 milligrams
- Sodium
- 1061 milligrams
- Carbs
- 81 grams
- Protein
- 33 grams
