Roasted Tomato Soup with Grilled Cheese (Print Version)

Velvety roasted tomato soup paired with crispy grilled cheese croutons. Comfort food at its finest.

# 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

# How To Make:

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

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The roasting step brings out a natural sweetness in the tomatoes that no amount of stovetop cooking can match.
  • Grilled cheese croutons turn a bowl of soup into something playful and satisfying without any extra fuss.
  • It comes together in about an hour, but tastes like you spent the whole afternoon in the kitchen.
  • You can make it as rich or as light as you want by adjusting the cream.
02 -
  • Do not skip roasting the tomatoes, because that step is what transforms them from ordinary to deeply sweet and complex.
  • If you blend hot soup in a countertop blender, leave the lid slightly vented and cover it with a towel to avoid pressure buildup.
  • Cut the grilled cheese croutons while they're still warm but not scorching hot, or the cheese will ooze out everywhere.
03 -
  • Let the roasted tomatoes cool for a minute before transferring them to the pot, it makes handling them safer and prevents splattering.
  • Use a cast iron skillet for the grilled cheese if you have one, because it holds heat evenly and creates the crispiest, most golden crust.
  • Taste the soup before adding the sugar, because ripe tomatoes often have enough sweetness on their own and you might not need it.
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