Description
This recipe offers a creamy tomato soup with grilled cheese croutons. It combines classic comfort with a fun, textural element.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 2 carrots, chopped
- 2 celery stalks, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 (28 ounce) cans crushed tomatoes
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- For the Grilled Cheese Croutons:
- 8 slices white bread
- 4 slices cheddar cheese
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion, carrots, and celery. Cook until softened, about 8-10 minutes.
- Stir in minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Add crushed tomatoes, vegetable broth, sugar, dried basil, and dried oregano to the pot. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for 20 minutes to allow flavors to meld.
- Carefully transfer the soup to a blender and blend until smooth. Alternatively, use an immersion blender directly in the pot.
- Return the blended soup to the pot. Stir in the heavy cream. Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Keep warm over low heat.
- To make the grilled cheese croutons, preheat a non-stick skillet over medium heat.
- Butter one side of each bread slice. Place buttered side down in the skillet.
- Place a slice of cheddar cheese on four of the bread slices. Top with the remaining four bread slices, buttered side up.
- Cook until golden brown and cheese is melted, about 2-3 minutes per side.
- Remove grilled cheese sandwiches from the skillet and let cool slightly. Cut each sandwich into small crouton-sized cubes.
- Ladle the creamy tomato soup into bowls. Top with grilled cheese croutons before serving.
Notes
- For a richer flavor, roast the vegetables before adding them to the soup.
- Adjust the amount of sugar based on the sweetness of your tomatoes.
- Any type of melting cheese works well for the croutons.
- Make extra croutons, they are delicious on their own.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl with croutons
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 15g
- Sodium: 850mg
- Fat: 28g
- Saturated Fat: 15g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 38g
- Fiber: 7g
- Protein: 12g
- Cholesterol: 50mg