Creamy Tomato Soup Grilled Cheese (Printable)

Velvety tomato soup served with crispy grilled cheese strips for a cozy and comforting meal.

# What You Need:

→ For the Tomato Soup

01 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
02 - 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
03 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
04 - 2 (14.5 ounce) cans crushed tomatoes
05 - 2 cups vegetable broth
06 - 1 teaspoon sugar
07 - 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
08 - 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
09 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
10 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
11 - 1/2 cup heavy cream
12 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

→ For the Grilled Cheese Dippers

13 - 8 slices sandwich bread
14 - 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
15 - 4 slices cheddar cheese

# How-To:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until soft and translucent, approximately 5 minutes.
02 - Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Add the crushed tomatoes, vegetable broth, sugar, basil, oregano, salt, and black pepper. Stir well to combine.
04 - Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
05 - Remove the pot from heat. Use an immersion blender to purée the soup until completely smooth.
06 - Return the soup to low heat. Stir in the heavy cream and butter until melted and the soup is creamy. Adjust seasoning to taste.
07 - While the soup simmers, spread softened butter on one side of each slice of sandwich bread.
08 - Place four bread slices buttered side down on a skillet over medium heat. Top each with a slice of cheddar cheese, then cover with remaining bread slices, buttered side up.
09 - Cook for 2–3 minutes per side until the bread is golden brown and the cheese is melted.
10 - Let sandwiches cool slightly, then cut each into strips. Serve hot soup in bowls alongside the grilled cheese dippers.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The entire meal comes together in under an hour, which feels like a small miracle when you taste how intentional every element is.
  • Grilled cheese dippers turn a simple soup into something fun to eat, especially on days when you need a reason to smile.
  • It's deeply satisfying without being heavy, which means you can actually enjoy it any time of year without feeling weighed down.
02 -
  • Don't skip the immersion blender step or try to rush the blending—lumpy soup defeats the whole purpose, and smooth is where this recipe shines.
  • Add the cream at the very end and never let it boil hard, or it can separate and look grainy instead of silky.
  • The bread for your grilled cheese needs to be thick enough to handle butter and heat without falling apart, but not so thick that the cheese won't melt in the middle.
03 -
  • Use an immersion blender instead of a regular blender if you have one—it's faster, less messy, and you can blend right in the pot without transferring anything hot.
  • Bread that's slightly stale actually grills better than fresh bread because it holds together better under heat and doesn't absorb as much butter.

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