Creamy Tomato Soup Grilled Cheese (Printable)

Velvety tomato base paired with golden grilled cheese strips, perfect for comforting meals.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Creamy Tomato Soup

01 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
02 - 1 medium onion, finely chopped
03 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
04 - 1 carrot, peeled and diced
05 - 2 cans (14 ounces each) whole peeled tomatoes with juice
06 - 2 cups vegetable broth
07 - 1 teaspoon sugar
08 - 1 teaspoon dried basil
09 - 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
10 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
11 - 1/2 cup heavy cream

→ Grilled Cheese Dippers

12 - 8 slices sandwich bread
13 - 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
14 - 8 slices sharp cheddar cheese

# How-To Steps:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and carrot, sauté for 5 minutes until softened.
02 - Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Stir in canned tomatoes with their juice, vegetable broth, sugar, dried basil, salt, and black pepper. Bring to a boil.
04 - Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes.
05 - Remove from heat and puree soup until smooth using an immersion blender or a countertop blender in batches.
06 - Return soup to low heat, stir in heavy cream, and heat gently for 2 to 3 minutes. Adjust seasoning as needed.
07 - Butter one side of each bread slice.
08 - Place 4 bread slices, buttered side down, on a skillet over medium heat. Top each with 2 slices of cheddar cheese, then cover with remaining bread slices, buttered side up.
09 - Cook for 3 to 4 minutes per side until bread is golden brown and cheese is melted.
10 - Remove from skillet, let cool slightly, and slice each sandwich into strips for dipping. Serve with hot tomato soup.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in under an hour using ingredients you probably already have tucked away in your kitchen.
  • The grilled cheese dippers turn a basic soup into something interactive and satisfying without any extra fuss.
  • That first spoonful is silky and bright, with just enough cream to soften the tomatoes without hiding their flavor.
  • Leftovers taste even better the next day after the basil has had time to settle into the broth.
02 -
  • Do not skip the sugar, it is not about sweetness but about taming the sharp edge that canned tomatoes sometimes carry.
  • Blend the soup while it is still hot for the smoothest texture, and if using a countertop blender, leave the lid slightly vented to let steam escape.
  • Butter the bread all the way to the edges so every bite of the grilled cheese has that crisp golden crust.
  • Keep the heat at medium when grilling the sandwiches, too high and the bread burns before the cheese melts.
03 -
  • Letting the soup simmer uncovered for the last few minutes after adding the cream helps it thicken just enough to cling to the grilled cheese strips when you dip them.
  • I press down gently on the sandwiches with a spatula while they cook to help the cheese melt faster and create more contact with the pan for extra crispness.
  • If you are making this for a crowd, keep the grilled cheese warm in a low oven on a wire rack so they stay crispy while you finish the rest.

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