Tomato Soup Recipe + Grilled Cheese
Grilled cheese and tomato soup is a classic comfort food combo. A warm bowl of tomato soup and a crispy, melty grilled cheese always hits the spot.
The best part about this tomato soup is that it’s decadent enough to serve to guests but simple enough for a quick little lunch.
Ingredients You’ll Need For Tomato Soup
- Canned tomatoes: I definitely recommend San Marzano tomatoes. You can also use fire roasted tomatoes or even ripe tomatoes.
- Caramelized onions: It’s important to balance the sweetness and acidity of the soup just right. Caramelized onions will do this perfectly!
- Chicken broth: Use a high quality bone broth for best flavor, or swap it out with veggie broth to make a vegan tomato soup.
- Gluten-free flour: Flour thickens the soup and gives it the thick, dippable texture that we’re looking for.
- Spices: I like to use celery salt, thyme, a little ground savory, and a healthy amount of freshly ground black pepper. Crushed red pepper is always delicious, too.
When it comes to canned tomatoes, San Marzano tomatoes are by far the best, not only for tomato soup but for pasta sauce of any kind. These Italian tomatoes are considered the cream of the crop of fresh tomatoes worldwide.
Make sure to buy certified D.O.P. (the Italian abbreviation for “Protected Destination of Origin”) tomatoes straight from San Marzano, Italy, for the best quality and flavor.
Homemade Tomato Soup
- Caramelize the onions. Heat a drizzle of olive oil over medium heat in a Dutch oven or a large saucepan. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are a translucent golden brown (about 15 minutes). These onions will puree and give the soup a yummy smoothness.
- Make a roux. Adding the flour to your caramelized onions and olive oil gives this soup the texture that it needs. The liquid from the tomatoes will work to thicken the sauce.
- Add the remaining ingredients. Add the tomatoes, chicken broth, and seasoning, and let everything simmer over medium low heat. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Blend with an immersion blender. An immersion blender is the simplest and easiest way to blend the soup. You could also use a food mill or a high-speed blender to get a smooth consistency in the soup.
- Top it off! Finish off this soup with all the toppings your heart desires. Fresh basil or chives really kick it up a notch. Creme fraiche… cream… fresh ground pepper… mmmmm. Go ahead and use one more slice of that nice crusty bread for croutons, too!
Ingredients for the BEST Grilled Cheese Sandwich
- Butter. Unsalted butter.
- Bread: I always go for sourdough! There’s nothing better than a scrumptious San Francisco sourdough bread, toasted with butter and cheese! Quality is key.
- Cheese: Try a mix of sharp aged cheddar and gruyere for the most epic grilled cheese.
Making the Best Grilled Cheese
The key to making the perfect grilled cheese is to cook it low and slow!
- Melt the butter on your pan and cook until golden brown and melty.
- Then flip and repeat on the other side.
- Let the butter brown slowly so your cheese gets super melty.
FAQs and helpful tips
Yes! This tomato soup is Keto-friendly. It’s also dairy-free and vegan, making it perfect for everyone!
A bisque is a delicious cream-based soup. If you can tolerate dairy, then consider adding heavy cream to your tomato soup to make it super creamy. Or, add a dollop of crème fraîche and a sprinkle of fresh chives or basil on top of your tomato soup.
Other comforting soup recipes to try
What to Serve With Tomato Soup
Of course, grilled cheese is a clear winner.
Tomato Soup and Grilled Cheese
Equipment
- dutch oven (affiliate link)
Ingredients
TOMATO SOUP
- 2 tablespoons olive oil (affiliate link), extra virgin
- 3 medium green plantains, diced
- ¼ cup flour, gluten-free is okay too
- 3 28 oz cans diced tomatoes
- 1 tsp celery salt
- 1.5 tsp dried thyme
- ½ tsp ground savory
- 2 tbsp honey
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 2 tsp sea salt, or to taste
TOPPINGS (OPTIONAL)
- crème fraîche
- heavy cream
GRILLED CHEESE
- 4 slices bread
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1-2 slices cheddar cheese
- 1-2 slices gruyere cheese
Instructions
TOMATO SOUP
- Add the olive oil and diced onions to a large heavy-bottomed pot. I use a 4-quart Staub.
- Cook over medium-high heat until the onions are golden brown.
- Add the flour to the butter and onions. Heat until bubbly and thick.
- Add the tomatoes, broth, and spices.
- Bring the soup to a boil and then reduce heat.
- Use an immersion blender and blend the soup until it is creamy.
GRILLED CHEESE
- Add two tablespoons of butter to a skillet and allow it to melt on medium heat.
- Add two slices of sourdough bread to the pan and then top them with sliced cheddar and gruyere cheeses.
- NOTE: Make that the heat is not too hot. You want the bread to toast slowly in the butter so that the cheese has enough time to melt.
- Top the stacks with the remaining two slices of sourdough bread.
- Watch the sandwiches closely, browning the bread until the bottom slice is golden brown and crispy.
- Add the additional two tablespoons of butter to the pan. Allow it to melt and then flip the sandwiches over.
- Grill the second side until the bread is golden brown and toasty and the cheese is melty.
- Remove the sandwiches and serve with the tomato soup.
Laura’s Tips + Notes
YOUR OWN NOTES
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Homemade tomato soup sounds SO darn good!! This will be perfect for our homegrown tomatoes this summer! And who doesn’t LOVE tomato soup with grilled cheese?!
This grilled cheese sounds and looks beyond DELICIOUS!! So yummy! I’m definitely making this soon!