Roasted Tomato Soup with Grilled Cheese (Print Version)

Velvety roasted tomato soup paired with crispy grilled cheese croutons. Easy, comforting, and ready in just one hour.

# What You'll Need:

→ Roasted Tomato Soup

01 - 1.5 pounds ripe tomatoes, halved
02 - 1 medium onion, quartered
03 - 4 garlic cloves, peeled
04 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
05 - 1 teaspoon salt
06 - 0.5 teaspoon black pepper
07 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme or basil
08 - 2 cups vegetable broth
09 - 1 tablespoon tomato paste
10 - 1 teaspoon sugar
11 - 0.5 cup heavy cream or whole milk

→ Grilled Cheese Croutons

12 - 4 slices sandwich bread
13 - 4 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, sliced or shredded
14 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

# How To Make It:

01 - Set oven to 400°F
02 - Arrange tomatoes with cut side up, onion quarters, and garlic cloves on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt, pepper, and thyme or basil
03 - Place in oven for 25 to 30 minutes until tomatoes are soft and caramelized with browning edges
04 - Transfer roasted vegetables and all pan juices to a large pot. Add vegetable broth, tomato paste, and sugar. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and stir occasionally for 10 minutes
05 - Using an immersion blender, blend soup until completely smooth. Alternatively, carefully blend in batches using a countertop blender. Stir in cream or milk if desired and adjust seasoning
06 - Maintain soup over low heat until ready to serve
07 - Spread softened butter on one side of each bread slice
08 - Place cheese between two bread slices with buttered sides facing outward
09 - Heat a skillet over medium heat and cook sandwiches until golden brown with melted cheese, approximately 2 to 3 minutes per side
10 - Allow sandwiches to cool slightly, then cut into 1-inch cubes
11 - Ladle hot soup into bowls and top with grilled cheese croutons

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • Roasting the tomatoes brings out a natural sweetness that no amount of sugar can fake.
  • The grilled cheese croutons turn a simple bowl into something guests actually ask for the recipe on.
  • It uses one pot and one pan, so cleanup doesn't turn into a second cooking project.
  • You can make it as creamy or as light as you want, depending on whether you add the cream.
02 -
  • Don't skip the roasting step, boiling raw tomatoes just doesn't give you the same depth of flavor.
  • If your soup tastes too acidic, a pinch of sugar or an extra splash of cream will balance it without making it taste sweet.
  • Let the grilled cheese cool for a minute before cutting, otherwise the cheese oozes out and you lose half of it on the cutting board.
03 -
  • Roast the tomatoes on parchment paper so the juices don't stick to the pan and you can pour every last bit into the soup.
  • If you don't have an immersion blender, let the soup cool for a few minutes before blending so it doesn't explode all over your kitchen.
  • Make the grilled cheese croutons right before serving, they lose their crunch if they sit in the soup too long.
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