Creamy Tomato Soup with Grilled Cheese Strips

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Servings: 4

For the Grilled Cheese:

• 4 slices soft white or whole wheat bread
• 4 slices American or cheddar cheese
• 2 tbsp butter, softened

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. Start the soup base: In a large pot, melt butter over medium heat. Add diced onion and cook for 5 minutes until soft and translucent. Add garlic and cook for another minute.
2. Build the flavor: Stir in tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes to deepen the flavor. This step is magic—don’t skip it!
3. Add the tomatoes: Pour in crushed tomatoes, vegetable broth, basil, and sugar. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
4. Make it silky smooth: Use an immersion blender to puree the soup until completely smooth. (No immersion blender? Carefully transfer to a regular blender in batches.)
5. Add the cream: Stir in heavy cream and season with salt and pepper. Keep warm on low heat.
6. Make the grilled cheese: Butter one side of each bread slice. Place cheese between two slices (butter side out). Cook in a skillet over medium-low heat for 3–4 minutes per side until golden and cheese is melted.
7. Serve together: Cut grilled cheese into strips for easy dipping. Ladle soup into bowls and serve alongside the cheesy strips!

 Chef’s Notes:

• Add a pinch of baking soda to reduce acidity if tomatoes are too tart.
• For extra richness, drizzle a bit of olive oil on top before serving.
• Make it heartier by adding a handful of tiny pasta like orzo or acini di pepe.
• This soup freezes beautifully—just add cream after reheating!

Nutrition Facts (per serving with grilled cheese):

• Calories: 395
• Protein: 12g
• Carbohydrates: 38g
• Fat: 22g
• Fiber: 5g
• Vitamin C: 25% DV
• Calcium: 280mg

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