Creamy Tomato Soup with Grilled Cheese Croutons
Course Soup
Cuisine American
Large pot
Immersion blender
Skillet
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 4 slices white bread
- 4 slices cheddar cheese
- 2 tablespoons butter, divided
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the diced onion and cook for 5 minutes until soft. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
Pour in the crushed tomatoes and vegetable broth. Add the dried basil along with a pinch of salt and pepper. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes.
Remove the pot from the heat. Use an immersion blender to puree the soup until smooth. Stir in the heavy cream and return to low heat for 2 minutes to warm through. Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed.
While the soup simmers, make the grilled cheese sandwiches. Butter one side of each bread slice. Place cheddar cheese between two slices with the buttered sides facing out. Cook each sandwich in a skillet over medium heat for 3 minutes per side until golden.
Cut the finished sandwiches into small cubes to create croutons. Ladle the soup into bowls and top with the grilled cheese croutons and chopped fresh basil.
For the crispiest croutons, cook the sandwiches a little longer on lower heat so the bread firms up before cutting. If you make the soup ahead, store it without the croutons and add them just before serving to keep them from getting soggy. A splash more cream at the end can smooth out any sharpness from the tomatoes if needed.
Course: Soup
Cuisine: American
Equipment: Large pot, Immersion blender, Skillet