Roasted Tomato Soup with Grilled Cheese (Print View)

Velvety roasted tomato soup topped with crispy grilled cheese croutons. An easy, comforting dish ready in just one hour.

# 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 It:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F.
02 - Arrange tomatoes cut side up, onion quarters, and garlic cloves on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and 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 all 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, blend soup until smooth. If using a countertop blender, work in batches carefully. Stir in cream or milk if desired and adjust seasoning as needed. Keep warm over low heat.
06 - Butter one side of each bread slice. Place cheese between two slices with buttered sides facing outward. Heat a skillet over medium heat and cook sandwiches until golden brown and cheese is melted, approximately 2 to 3 minutes per side. Cool slightly, then cut into 1-inch cubes.
07 - Ladle soup into bowls and top with grilled cheese croutons.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The roasting brings out a natural sweetness in the tomatoes that no canned version can match.
  • Grilled cheese croutons make every spoonful feel like a playful surprise instead of just another soup night.
  • It comes together with pantry staples and feels fancy enough to serve guests without any stress.
  • You can make it as creamy or as light as you want, and it reheats beautifully the next day.
02 -
  • Don't skip roasting the tomatoes, even if you're tempted to save time, because that step is what transforms them from ordinary to deeply sweet and complex.
  • If your soup tastes too acidic after blending, a small pinch of sugar or an extra splash of cream will balance it out without making it taste sweet.
  • Cut the grilled cheese croutons while they're still slightly warm, they hold their shape better and the cheese stays gooey inside.
03 -
  • Make the soup a day ahead and let it sit in the fridge overnight, the flavors deepen and become even more rounded and rich.
  • Toast extra grilled cheese croutons and store them in an airtight container, they stay crispy for a day and make any leftover soup feel brand new.
  • If you want to freeze the soup, leave out the cream until you reheat it, dairy can sometimes separate when frozen and thawed.
Go Back