Name: Tomato Soup with Grilled-Cheese Croutons — Weeknight-Ready, Crowd-Pleasing
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2 tbsp olive oil; 1 tbsp unsalted butter; 1 medium yellow onion, chopped; 3 cloves garlic, minced; 2 tbsp tomato paste; 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (optional); 1 (28-oz) can whole peeled tomatoes with juices; 2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth; 1 tsp sugar (or to taste); 1/3 cup heavy cream (or half-and-half); 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, torn, plus extra for serving; Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste; 4 slices sturdy sandwich bread or sourdough; 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar or mozzarella blend; 1–2 tbsp softened butter for the bread

Description

Creamy 30-minute tomato basil soup crowned with bite-size grilled-cheese croutons. Silky, bright, and weeknight-easy—pantry staples, one pot, and a playful, gooey crunch on top.

Ingredients

2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp unsalted butter
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp tomato paste
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
1 (28-oz) can whole peeled tomatoes with juices
2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
1 tsp sugar (or to taste)
1/3 cup heavy cream (or half-and-half)
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, torn, plus extra for serving
Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste

Grilled-Cheese Croutons

4 slices sturdy sandwich bread or sourdough
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar or mozzarella blend
1–2 tbsp softened butter for the bread

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Instructions

Sauté: Heat olive oil and butter in a pot over medium. Add onion + pinch of salt; cook 4–5 min until translucent. Stir in garlic for 30 sec.
Bloom: Add tomato paste and red pepper flakes; cook 1–2 min until paste darkens.
Simmer: Crush tomatoes; add with juices and broth. Stir in sugar. Simmer 10–12 min, uncovered, until slightly thickened.
Blend & Finish: Add basil; blend until smooth (immersion blender or carefully in batches). Return to pot. Stir in cream; simmer 1–2 min. Season with salt & pepper.
Croutons: Butter bread. In a hot skillet, add two slices butter-side down, pile on cheese, top with remaining slices (butter-side up). Cook until deeply golden; flip; repeat. Rest 1 min; cut into 1-inch cubes.
Serve: Ladle soup into bowls; top with warm grilled-cheese cubes and extra basil.

Notes

Flavor cues: Brown tomato paste to brick red for deeper umami; soup should be glossy and spoon-coating.
Must-haves vs flexible: Must—tomatoes, onion, garlic, basil, bread + cheese. Flexible—cream, red pepper flakes, sugar.
Make-ahead: Soup keeps 3–4 days; croutons separate for best crunch. Freeze soup without dairy up to 3 months; add cream after reheating.
Swaps: Use crushed tomatoes; white beans for protein; evaporated milk or yogurt for creaminess; GF bread/DF cheese for dietary needs.
Troubleshooting: Too salty—add cream/water or a squeeze of lemon. Too thin—simmer 5–10 min or whisk in a little tomato paste.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Category: soup recipes
Method: One-pot stovetop
Cuisine: American