Preheat the oven to 450°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Wrap the garlic cloves in aluminum foil and place on the baking sheet along with the whole tomatoes and onion wedges. Drizzle vegetables with olive oil and season with a pinch of salt and pepper.

Roast for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the tomatoes have blistered skins and the onions show golden-brown edges. Remove from oven and let cool for 2-3 minutes.

Peel the roasted garlic (let cool slightly to avoid burns) and transfer all roasted vegetables to a blender. Add the canned tomatoes, chickpeas, balsamic vinegar, maple syrup, thyme leaves, 1 tablespoon olive oil, red pepper flakes, 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, and freshly ground pepper.

Blend on high speed until completely smooth and creamy (about 60-90 seconds for high-powered blenders, 2-3 minutes for regular blenders). When blending hot ingredients, remove the center cap from blender lid and cover with a kitchen towel to allow steam to escape. Taste and adjust seasonings as desired. The soup should coat the back of a spoon.

If soup is not hot enough after blending, pour into a pot and reheat gently on the stovetop over medium heat for 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Optional croutons: Reduce oven heat to 400°F. Line the baking sheet with fresh parchment paper. Sprinkle 4 slices of bread with vegan cheese, top with remaining bread slices to make sandwiches, and drizzle outsides with olive oil.

Bake sandwiches for about 8 minutes until cheese melts and bread is golden brown. Let cool completely for at least 10 minutes before slicing into croutons to prevent cheese from oozing out.

Serve soup hot with grilled cheese croutons (some in the soup, some on the side), additional fresh thyme, red pepper flakes, and chickpeas if desired.