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Bon Appétit

Tomato Grilled-Cheese Soup

4.3

(119)

Image may contain Food Bread Toast and French Toast
Alex Lau

Try pouring the soup directly over the sliced sandwich for an irresistible cheesy bread soup.

Recipe information

  • Yield

    8 Servings

Ingredients

4

tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter, plus ½ cup (1 stick) at room temperature, divided

1

medium red onion, chopped

Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper

2

tablespoons tomato paste

2

28-oz. cans crushed fire-roasted tomatoes

4

cups vegetable broth

2

sprigs thyme

1

bay leaf

2

tablespoons sugar

½

cup heavy cream

16

slices Pullman loaf

16

ounces cheddar, grated

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Heat 4 Tbsp. butter in a Dutch oven or medium stockpot over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring often, until softened and lightly browned around the edges, 8–10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add tomato paste and cook, stirring to coat onion, until tomato paste is slightly darkened in color, about 2 minutes. Add canned tomatoes, vegetable broth, thyme, bay leaf, and sugar and bring to a simmer. Season with salt and pepper and cook until flavors are melded, 35–40 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in cream. Remove thyme stems and bay leaf and let cool slightly. Working in batches, purée in a blender until smooth.

    Step 2

    Heat a dry skillet, preferably cast-iron, over medium heat. Dividing evenly, spread room-temperature butter over bread slices. Top unbuttered side of 8 slices with cheddar, dividing evenly. Top with remaining bread, buttered side up, and cook, turning once, until bread is golden brown and cheese is melted, about 3 minutes per side. Cut sandwiches into soldiers and serve alongside hot soup for dipping.

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Reviews (119)

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  • Solid recipe and good outcome, the only thing I changed was adding 3 cloves of garlic to the onion while it is softening.

    • samcrossnyc

    • California

    • 1/13/2022

  • This soup is some of the best tomato soup I've had. I've never made homemade tomato soup before, but this won't be the last time. I only used half of a red onion and the store was out of fresh thyme (of course, the holidays), but I kept everything else the same. It was delicious. I am unsure how they came up with 8 servings though. I feel like this recipe made enough for a crowd. I was able to freeze half and my fiancé and I have been eating it for three days now. You could probably get away with half the veggie stock and one can of tomatoes like anonymous said below and still have quite a bit of soup to share.

    • SocksForDobby

    • Kansas City, MO

    • 12/10/2021

  • good.

    • Lethal Monarch

    • 3/5/2021

  • I love la Madeleine’s tomato basil soup, and I’ve tried to recreate it at home. This soup is like a hotter cousin, but honestly the star of the show. I made a half recipe with half the veggie stock and roasted tomatoes leaving everything else the same, and it was probably the best thing I’ve ever made. The grilled cheese ended up being a vessel for the tomato soup! Amazing!

    • Anonymous

    • Texas

    • 8/1/2019

  • Comfort food...

    • Chelamum59

    • Lomita California

    • 4/4/2019