Skip to main content
Epicurious
Bon Appétit

Tomato Soup with Arugula, Croutons, and Pecorino

By Joshua McFadden

4.8

(10)

Image may contain Bowl Dish Food Meal and Curry
Photo by Peden & Munk.

Don't pass over slightly bruised or extra-ripe tomatoes; they're often the most flavorful and especially good here.

Recipe information

  • Yield

    4 servings

Ingredients

2 thick slices country-style bread, torn into bite-size pieces
4 tablespoons olive oil, divided, plus more for drizzling
Kosher salt
1 large white onion, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 tablespoons thyme leaves
Freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 pounds beefsteak tomatoes, cut into wedges
Hot sauce, to taste
1 cup baby arugula
1 ounce Pecorino, shaved

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Preheat oven to 400°F. Toss bread with 2 tablespoons oil on a rimmed baking sheet; season with salt. Bake, tossing halfway through, until golden brown and crunchy, 8–10 minutes; set croutons aside.

    Step 2

    Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium. Add onion, garlic, and thyme; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring often, until onion is soft, 5–7 minutes. Add tomatoes and cook, stirring often, until they just start to release their juices, about 1 minute. Add 1 cup water and bring to a boil. Transfer tomato mixture to a blender and blend until smooth; taste and add hot sauce to your liking. Season with salt and pepper.

    Step 3

    Drizzle soup with more oil and top with arugula, Pecorino, and croutons.

  2. Do Ahead

    Step 4

    Croutons can be made 1 day ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.

TagsSoupSoup/StewArugulaLeafy GreensVegetablePecorinoCheeseDairyTomatoMainStarterDinnerNut FreeVegetarianWeeknight MealsSimmerBon Appétit

See Related Recipes and Cooking Tips

Read More
Feta and Sun-Dried Tomato Dip
Creamy and bright with just a subtle bit of heat, this five-ingredient, make-ahead dip is ready for company—just add crudités.
Our Favorite French Onion Soup
Caramelized onions, melty Gruyère, and a deeply savory broth deliver the kind of comfort that doesn’t need improving.
Charred Vegetable Ragù
This sauce is slightly magical. The texture cloaks pasta much like a traditional meat sauce does, and the flavors are deep and rich, but it’s actually vegan!
Smothered Italian Sausage
This is what I call a fridge-eater recipe. The key here is getting a nice sear on the sausage and cooking the tomato down until it coats the sausage and vegetables well.
Spaghetti With Cabbage, Pancetta, and Calabrian Chile
Cabbage is the unsung hero of the winter kitchen—available anywhere, long-lasting in the fridge, and super-affordable. It’s also an excellent partner for pasta.
Pasta Alla Mezcal
This marinara sauce is great tossed with any pasta for a quick and easy weeknight dinner that will leave you thinking, “Why didn’t anyone try this sooner?”
Sofrito Bolognese
An ex-boyfriend’s mom—who emigrated from Colombia—made the best meat sauce—she would fry sofrito for the base and simply add cooked ground beef, sazón, and jarred tomato sauce. My version is a bit more bougie—it calls for caramelized tomato paste and white wine—but the result is just as good.
Caramelized Onion Pasta
Turn humble onions into this thrifty yet luxe pasta dinner.