Creamy Tomato Soup With Grilled Cheese Croutons

Every spoonful of this tomato soup with grilled cheese croutons is like a bite of nostalgia. It is simple, comforting deliciousness. Make some for lunch or serve it as a simple dinner.

Close up of a bowl of homemade creamy roasted tomato soup topped with cream and bits of a grilled cheese sandwich.

There is something about a grilled cheese and tomato soup that just brings a smile to your face. It is like a taste of childhood.

Of course you could crack open a can of soup. That is likely what you did as a child.

We are grown ups now, though. So we can make the soup from scratch!

It is really quite simple to do. You can even make the soup base while your garden is producing bushels of tomatoes.

Email Me The Link

I'll email this post to you, so you can easily find it later. Plus you’ll get new recipes from me every week!

Then freeze it until it is cold outside. When you are ready warm it up and add the cream.

You will have the best tasting tomato soup of you life with very little effort. Who doesn’t want that?!

Take it to the next level with the grilled cheese croutons. While dipping the sandwich is fun (and you could certainly do that too) there is something even more exciting about having them as individual bites on the bowl of soup.

This is one of those that is a perfect meal for cozy days at home. You could garnish it a bit to make it fancy and serve it to guests.

My guess is that you won’t hear a single complaint. I know I would be excited to be served a bowl of creamy tomato soup like that!

Now what are you waiting for? Let’s make some soup!

Signature that says Enjoy! Carlee.
Bowl of creamy homemade tomato soup garnished with parsley, a drizzle of cream, and grilled cheese croutons.
5 from 2 ratings

Creamy Tomato Soup With Grilled Cheese Croutons

Author: Carlee
Servings: 6 Servings
Every spoonful of this tomato soup with grilled cheese croutons is like a bite of nostalgia. It is simple, comforting deliciousness. Make some for lunch or serve it as a simple dinner.
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 1 hour
Total: 1 hour 15 minutes

Ingredients 

Roasted Tomato Soup

  • pounds Roma or plum tomatoes halved lengthwise
  • 1 large yellow onion peeled and quartered
  • 1 whole head of garlic
  • 1 medium carrot peeled and roughly chopped (optional, for sweetness)
  • 3 Tablespoons olive oil
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • 4 cups vegetable broth
  • 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
  • ½ cup heavy cream

Grilled Cheese Croutons

  • 4 slices sturdy bread sourdough, brioche, or country white work well
  • 2 Tablespoons butter softened
  • 1 cup shredded cheese a mix of sharp cheddar and mozzarella is ideal

Instructions 

Roasting the Veggies

  • Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C).
  • Arrange the 2½ pounds Roma or plum tomatoes, 1 large yellow onion, and 1 medium carrot on a large, rimmed baking sheet.
  • Slice the top quarter-inch off the 1 whole head of garlic to expose the cloves. Drizzle it with a little olive oil, and place it on the baking sheet with the other vegetables.
  • Drizzle the remaining 3 Tablespoons olive oil over the tomatoes, onion, and carrot. Season generously with salt and pepper.
    Baking sheet with tomatoes, onion, garlic, and carrot drizzled with oil and sprinkled with salt and pepper ready to be roasted.
  • Roast for 35-40 minutes, until the tomatoes are slightly collapsed and caramelized at the edges and the onion is soft.

Making The Soup

  • Remove the baking sheet from the oven. Once the garlic is cool enough to handle, squeeze the softened, roasted cloves out of their skins and into a large pot or Dutch oven.
  • Transfer all the roasted vegetables and any accumulated juices from the baking sheet into the pot.
    Dutch oven with roasted veggies inside, ready to be made into tomato soup.
  • Add the 4 cups vegetable broth and 1 teaspoon granulated sugar (to balance the acidity of the tomatoes). Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat and cook for 15 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.
    Pot after vegetable broth and sugar has been added, ready to be simmered.
  • Blend the soup until smooth. You can use an immersion blender directly in the pot. Alternatively, carefully transfer the soup in batches to a standard blender. Use caution when blending hot liquids; do not overfill the blender and ensure the lid is vented.
  • Return the blended soup to the pot over low heat. Stir in the ½ cup heavy cream and warm through gently, do not let it boil. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper if needed.
    Tomato soup after it has been blended smooth with a splash of cream, ready to be stirred in.

Grilled Cheese Croutons

  • While the soup is simmering, prepare the croutons. Butter one side of each slice of bread.
  • Place two slices, butter-side down, in a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Top each with half of the shredded cheese, then place the remaining slices on top, butter-side up.
  • Grill for 3-4 minutes per side, until the bread is golden-brown and toasted, and the cheese is fully melted.
  • Transfer the sandwiches to a cutting board and let them rest for one minute. This helps the cheese set slightly.
  • Slice off the crusts (optional), then cut the sandwiches into small, bite-sized cubes (croutons).
  • To Serve: Ladle the hot soup into bowls and top generously with the grilled cheese croutons.

Notes

Variations & Additions:
  • Dried Herbs: If you wish to add an herbaceous note, a teaspoon of dried oregano or basil can be added to the vegetables before roasting.
  • A Touch of Spice: For a little heat, add a pinch of red pepper flakes to the vegetables before roasting.
  • Smoky Flavor: A ½ teaspoon of smoked paprika added with the broth can lend a wonderful, smoky depth to the soup.
Storage and Reheating:
  • Soup: The soup can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. It also freezes beautifully for up to 3 months (the texture of the cream may alter slightly upon reheating, but it will still be delicious). Reheat gently on the stovetop.
  • Croutons: The grilled cheese croutons are best made fresh. However, they can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for a day. Re-crisp them in a 350°F oven for a few minutes before serving. Store the soup and croutons separately.

Email Me The Link

I’ll email this post to you, so you can easily find it later. Plus you’ll get new recipes from me every week!

Nutrition Information

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 327kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 47mg | Sodium: 885mg | Potassium: 570mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 4142IU | Vitamin C: 28mg | Calcium: 159mg | Iron: 1mg
“Cooking With Carlee” is not a dietitian or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories and other nutritional values can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.

Did you try this recipe?

Don’t forget to leave a rating below and make sure to follow on Pinterest and Instagram for more!

Categories:

, ,

Get social!

Recipes in your inbox

5 from 2 votes (1 rating without comment)

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




2 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    Craving a bowl of this right now! Perfect day for soup and I love creamy tomato. Looks so beautiful and delicious!