Not sure where you’re living but it is getting colder here and tomato soup with garlicky grilled cheese sounded wonderful.  Love the cooked-all-day flavor you get using an Instapot.  Your evening meal done; it’s what’s for dinner.

Instapot Tomato Soup

6              large tomato (3 pounds)

5c            water

4T           butter, divided

1T           olive oil

1/2         large white onion, diced

3T           flour

1t            salt

1/2t        pepper

1t            thyme

1              bay leaf

1t            parsley

2t            basil

1/2t        oregano (or 1t marjoram)

In a medium saucepan, bring the water to a boil. Cut an “X” in the bottom of each tomato then drop into the boiling water. Boil for 1 minute then remove. When you have boiled all the tomatoes turn the heat off and set the water aside. Peel the skin off and roughly chop the tomatoes, removing the hard white stem at the top. Set aside.

Set the Instapot to Sauté and melt the oil and 1T butter. Add the onions with half the salt and pepper and sauté until the onions are clear.

Add the rest of the butter. When it is melted, mix in the flour. Cooking the flour until it is a nice tan/dark tan color. Then add in the tomatoes and any juice they released. Mix this well with the flour mixture. Then add in the reserved water and the rest of the spices, combining well.

Close the lid and set the pressure valve to seal. Set the Instapot for 10 minutes on manual. When you hear the chime, your soups cooked, turn the machine off. Release the pressure using the quick release. Or if you want, releasing the pressure naturally works too.

Using an immersion blender, blend the soup until smooth. Alternately, blend in batches in a blender or food processor. If the soup is too thick, you can add broth to thin it out. Be sure to taste the soup and adjust as necessary. 

You can top with chives, green onion, cream, croutons…

As pictured, with sprinkled with chives alongside a few garlicky grilled cheese.