Creamy Tomato Soup Dippers (Printable Version)

Velvety tomato soup paired with golden, crispy cheese dippers for a cozy comforting meal.

# What You'll Need:

→ Creamy Tomato Soup

01 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
02 - 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
03 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
04 - 2 cans (14 oz each) crushed tomatoes
05 - 2 cups vegetable broth
06 - 1 teaspoon sugar
07 - 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
08 - 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
09 - 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
10 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
11 - 1/2 cup heavy cream
12 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

→ Grilled Cheese Dippers

13 - 8 slices sandwich bread
14 - 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
15 - 4 slices cheddar cheese

# Directions:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add chopped onion and sauté until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.
02 - Stir in minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Add crushed tomatoes, vegetable broth, sugar, dried basil, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper. Stir to combine.
04 - Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
05 - Remove from heat and use an immersion blender or transfer carefully to a blender in batches to purée until smooth.
06 - Return puréed soup to low heat. Stir in heavy cream and butter until melted and the soup is creamy. Adjust seasoning as needed.
07 - Spread softened butter on one side of each bread slice.
08 - Place four slices of bread, buttered side down, on a skillet over medium heat. Top each with cheddar slice, then cover with remaining bread, buttered side up.
09 - Cook sandwiches for 2 to 3 minutes per side until bread is golden brown and cheese is melted.
10 - Allow sandwiches to cool slightly, then cut each into strips for dipping.
11 - Ladle hot soup into bowls and serve alongside grilled cheese dippers.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The soup comes together in barely 30 minutes, but tastes like you've been tending it all day.
  • Buttery, crispy grilled cheese strips make the whole thing feel like comfort wrapped in bread.
  • One pot, one skillet, no complicated techniques—just honest cooking.
02 -
  • Don't skip blending—chunky tomato soup is a completely different disappointment than smooth tomato soup.
  • The cream goes in at the end and on low heat, so it warms through without breaking or curdling.
  • Your grilled cheese skillet needs to be at medium heat; too high and the outside burns before the cheese melts inside.
03 -
  • Make extra soup and freeze it in portions; it reheats beautifully and turns a rough day into something manageable.
  • Softened butter on room-temperature bread fries better and crisps more evenly than cold butter on cold bread.

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