Roasted Tomato Soup with Grilled Cheese (Printable Version)

Velvety roasted tomato soup topped with crispy, bite-sized grilled cheese croutons for the ultimate comfort meal.

# What You'll Need:

→ Roasted Tomato Soup

01 - 1.5 lbs 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

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Arrange halved tomatoes cut side up, quartered onion, and peeled garlic cloves on a baking sheet.
02 - Drizzle vegetables with olive oil and sprinkle with salt, black pepper, and dried thyme or basil. Roast for 25 to 30 minutes until tomatoes are soft and caramelized.
03 - Transfer roasted vegetables with all pan juices to a large pot. Add vegetable broth, tomato paste, and sugar. Bring to a simmer over medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
04 - Using an immersion blender, blend soup until smooth. Stir in heavy cream or whole milk if desired. Adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper as needed. Keep warm over low heat.
05 - Butter one side of each bread slice. Place cheese between two slices with buttered sides facing outward. Heat a skillet over medium heat and cook sandwiches until golden brown and cheese melts, approximately 2 to 3 minutes per side.
06 - Allow grilled cheese sandwiches to cool slightly, then cut into 1-inch cubes. Serve hot soup topped with grilled cheese croutons.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The roasting coaxes out a deep, caramelized sweetness you just cant get from canned tomatoes.
  • Grilled cheese croutons turn a simple soup into something playful and impossibly comforting.
  • It comes together in an hour with mostly hands off time, so you can tidy up or just sit and breathe.
  • Leftovers taste even better the next day after the flavors have had time to meld.
02 -
  • Dont skip the roasting step, boiling tomatoes will give you a thinner, less flavorful soup.
  • If your soup tastes too acidic, add another half teaspoon of sugar instead of more salt.
  • Blend carefully and never fill the blender more than halfway with hot liquid or it can explode out the top.
  • Cut the croutons right before serving, if you do it too early they lose their crunch.
03 -
  • Roast the tomatoes a day ahead and store them in the fridge, it makes day of prep almost effortless.
  • Use a cast iron skillet for the croutons, it holds heat evenly and gives you the crispiest crust.
  • Taste the soup before adding cream, sometimes the roasted vegetables are so sweet and rich you won't need it.
  • If you're serving kids, cut the croutons into fun shapes with cookie cutters before grilling.
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