🍅 Tomato Soup & Grilled Cheese
Ingredients
- 28 oz crushed tomatoes
- 1 onion
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 8 slices bread
- Cheddar slices
- Butter
- Salt & pepper (pantry staple)
- 2 tbsp olive oil (pantry staple)
Instructions
- Soften onion in oil; add tomatoes and broth, simmer 15 min, then blend with cream.
- Butter bread, fill with cheddar, and griddle until golden and melty.
- Season soup and serve with sandwiches for dunking.
Tips
- Blend the soup for a full minute, not twenty seconds. The difference between good and great tomato soup is almost entirely texture.
- Butter the outside of the bread rather than the pan. Even coverage browns evenly and the bread doesn't soak up a puddle of fat in one spot.
- Grill the sandwich on medium-low with a lid on. Too hot and the bread is dark before the cheese has melted.
Substitutions
- Heavy cream
- Whole milk (thinner), coconut milk for dairy-free, or leave it out and add a knob of butter — the fat is what rounds off the acidity.
- Crushed tomatoes
- Whole peeled tomatoes blend even smoother. Fresh tomatoes need roasting first to concentrate them.
- Cheddar
- Gruyère melts best, American melts most reliably, mozzarella stretches. A mix of two beats any one.
- Bread
- Sourdough for structure, white sandwich bread for nostalgia. Slice about ½ inch — thin burns, thick won't melt through.
Storage & reheating
The soup keeps 5 days refrigerated and freezes 3 months. Freeze it before adding cream, which can split, and stir the cream in when reheating. Grilled cheese has to be made fresh.
Common questions
Why is my tomato soup acidic?
Canned tomatoes are naturally sharp. Cream, butter, a pinch of sugar or a longer simmer all soften it. A grated carrot cooked with the onion adds sweetness without tasting sweet.
How do I melt the cheese without burning the bread?
Lower heat and a lid. Grating the cheese rather than slicing it also melts far faster.
Can I make the soup without a blender?
Yes. An immersion blender is easiest, but you can simmer longer and mash it — rustic rather than silky.