Vegan Smoked Cheddar Grilled Cheese with Tomato Basil Bisque

Coconut milk and smoked paprika make for a tasty cheese alternative, and these grilled cheese sandwiches are perfect for dipping into creamy tomato soup with a drizzle of basil oil.

For the smoked cheddar:

Combine 1 can coconut milk with 2 tablespoons agar agar flakes in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil and simmer for about 15 minutes. Add in 1 tablespoon smoked paprika, 1/2 cup nutritional yeast, 2 tablespoons corn starch or tapioca starch, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 teaspoon pepper, and 1 to 2 teaspoons soy sauce. Whisk to combine and simmer another 10 minutes. Pour into a well oiled dish and cool. Refrigerate for a couple of hours till firm. This can be thinly sliced for the grilled cheese! 

For the cashew "Parmesan":

Combine 1 cup of raw cashews with 1/4 cup nutritional yeast, 1 tablespoons soy sauce, 2 tablespoons lemon juice and 1 tablespoon mustard in a food processor. Pulse until the cashews are broken down and the mixture is crumbly. 

For the tomato soup:

In a large pot, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add in 1 medium chopped onion and 2 cloves of roughly chopped garlic. Sauté for a couple of minutes. Add in about 28 ounces of oven roasted tomatoes and 1 to 2 cups of vegetable broth. Simmer for about 10 minutes. Add in about 1/2 cup of Trader Joe's vegan cream cheese. Transfer soup go a blender and purée. Return to pot and keep warm over low heat. 

For the grilled cheese:

I used sour dough bread. I spread some horseradish mustard on one side of the bread. Top with a layer of smoked cheddar and a sprinkle of the cashew "Parmesan". Top with another piece of bread. Butter the outsides of the bread with Earth Balance vegan butter. Grill in a pan set over medium heat on each side till golden brown and toasted.