Roasted Tomato Soup with Grilled Cheese (Print View)

Creamy roasted tomato soup topped with homemade grilled cheese croutons. A cozy, satisfying meal perfect for any occasion.

# 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, optional
11 - 0.5 cup heavy cream or whole milk, optional

→ Grilled Cheese Croutons

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

# Method:

01 - Set oven temperature to 400°F and allow to fully preheat.
02 - Arrange halved tomatoes with cut side facing up on a baking sheet. Add quartered onion and peeled garlic cloves. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt, black pepper, and dried thyme or basil.
03 - Place baking sheet in preheated oven and roast for 25 to 30 minutes until tomatoes are soft and caramelized with darkened edges.
04 - Transfer roasted vegetables and all accumulated juices to a large pot. Add vegetable broth, tomato paste, and sugar if using. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
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 for added richness. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Maintain over low heat until serving.
06 - Butter one side of each bread slice. Place shredded or sliced cheese between two slices with buttered sides facing outward. Heat a skillet over medium heat and cook sandwiches until golden brown on each side and cheese is fully melted, approximately 2 to 3 minutes per side.
07 - Allow grilled cheese sandwiches to cool slightly, then cut into 1-inch cubes. Ladle hot soup into serving bowls and top with grilled cheese croutons.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Roasting the tomatoes brings out a natural sweetness you can't fake with any shortcut.
  • The grilled cheese croutons turn nostalgic comfort food into something just fancy enough to serve guests.
  • It comes together in an hour with minimal chopping and even less cleanup.
  • You can make it as rich or as light as you want depending on whether you add the cream.
02 -
  • Don't skip roasting because that step is what transforms plain tomatoes into something sweet and complex.
  • If your soup tastes flat after blending, it probably needs more salt or a squeeze of lemon juice to brighten it up.
  • Let the grilled cheese cool for a minute before cutting or the cheese will ooze out and you'll lose half your croutons to the cutting board.
03 -
  • A pinch of smoked paprika stirred into the soup just before serving adds a subtle warmth that makes people ask what your secret is.
  • If you blend the soup in a countertop blender, remove the center cap and cover with a towel to let steam escape or you'll have a kitchen disaster.
  • Use day old bread for the croutons because it crisps up better and won't get mushy as quickly when it hits the soup.
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