Creamy Tomato Soup Grilled Cheese (Printer-friendly)
Smooth tomato soup paired with golden, melted grilled cheese strips for a warm, satisfying meal.
# What You'll Need:
→ Creamy Tomato Soup
01 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
02 - 1 medium onion, finely chopped
03 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
04 - 2 (14-ounce) cans crushed tomatoes
05 - 2 cups vegetable broth
06 - 1 tablespoon tomato paste
07 - 1 teaspoon sugar
08 - 1 teaspoon dried basil
09 - ½ teaspoon dried oregano
10 - ½ teaspoon salt, or to taste
11 - ¼ teaspoon black pepper
12 - ½ cup heavy cream
13 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
→ Grilled Cheese Dippers
14 - 8 slices sandwich bread
15 - 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
16 - 8 slices cheddar cheese
# How to Prepare:
01 - Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add chopped onion and cook until softened and translucent, about 5 minutes.
02 - Stir in minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Add crushed tomatoes, vegetable broth, tomato paste, sugar, dried basil, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper. Stir to combine.
04 - Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat and let simmer uncovered for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
05 - Remove from heat and puree the soup until smooth using an immersion blender or regular blender in batches. Return to pot if needed.
06 - Stir in heavy cream and unsalted butter until fully melted and incorporated. Adjust seasoning as needed. Keep warm.
07 - Spread softened butter evenly on one side of each bread slice.
08 - Place 4 bread slices butter-side down on a skillet over medium heat. Top each with 2 slices of cheddar cheese, then cover with remaining bread slices, butter-side up.
09 - Cook sandwiches until golden brown and cheese is melted, about 3 to 4 minutes per side.
10 - Remove sandwiches from skillet, let cool slightly, and slice into strips for dipping. Serve immediately with warm soup.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- It comes together in less than an hour, which means you're not stressed while cooking.
- The grilled cheese dippers turn it into a full meal instead of just soup, so nobody's hunting for seconds.
- There's a built-in way to adjust richness—more cream when you want luxury, less when you want brightness.
- It genuinely tastes better than the canned version, and tastes like you actually tried.
02 -
- Blending hot soup is dangerous if you don't respect it—never fill your blender more than halfway, and always hold the lid down with a kitchen towel just in case.
- Crushed tomatoes can be acidic in a way that catches you off guard, so taste before serving and add a pinch of sugar if it tastes sharp.
- Grilled cheese happens fast on medium heat—turn your back and one side goes from golden to nearly black in seconds flat.
03 -
- Make the soup ahead—it actually tastes better the next day when the flavors have settled and gotten to know each other, and you only have to make grilled cheese when you're ready to eat.
- If your immersion blender isn't quite making it smooth enough, a minute in a regular blender in batches gets you that restaurant-quality texture that feels fancy.