Creamy Tomato Soup Cheese Dippers (Printable Version)
Velvety tomato soup accompanied by crispy, melty cheese dippers for warm, satisfying lunches or dinners.
# Ingredient List:
→ For the Creamy Tomato Soup
01 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
02 - 1 medium yellow onion, diced
03 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
04 - 1 carrot, peeled and diced
05 - 2 cans (14 ounces each) crushed tomatoes
06 - 2 cups vegetable broth
07 - 1 teaspoon sugar
08 - 1 teaspoon dried basil
09 - 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
10 - 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
11 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
12 - 1/2 cup heavy cream
13 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
→ For the Grilled Cheese Dippers
14 - 8 slices sandwich bread
15 - 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
16 - 8 slices cheddar cheese or a mix of cheddar and mozzarella
# Step-by-Step Instructions:
01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add diced onion, minced garlic, and diced carrot, sautéing until softened, about 5 minutes.
02 - Add crushed tomatoes, vegetable broth, sugar, dried basil, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
03 - Remove pot from heat and use an immersion blender to puree the mixture until smooth, or carefully transfer in batches to a countertop blender and blend.
04 - Stir in heavy cream and unsalted butter. Return to low heat and warm through, adjusting seasoning if needed.
05 - Spread softened butter on one side of each bread slice. Assemble sandwiches placing cheese slices between two bread slices with buttered sides facing out.
06 - Heat a skillet over medium heat. Cook each sandwich for 2 to 3 minutes per side until golden brown and cheese is melted.
07 - Remove sandwiches from skillet and let rest for 1 minute. Cut each into strips suitable for dipping.
08 - Ladle hot tomato soup into bowls and serve alongside grilled cheese dippers.
# Tips from hearthlykitchen:
01 -
- It tastes like you've been cooking for hours when it actually takes less than 45 minutes.
- The grilled cheese dippers turn a simple soup into something that feels like a complete meal.
- There's something deeply satisfying about dunking warm bread into velvety tomato goodness.
02 -
- Don't blend the soup when it's piping hot—let it cool slightly or you risk burns and a messy kitchen from steam explosion.
- Add the cream and butter after blending, not before, so they don't break apart and become grainy in the hot soup.
- The grilled cheese will continue to cook slightly after you remove it from the skillet, so pull it just a touch before you think it's done.
- Taste and adjust seasoning at the end because broth strengths vary, and you need to know exactly what you're working with.
03 -
- Make the soup ahead of time and reheat it gently on low heat with the cream stirred in just before serving—it actually tastes better the next day because the flavors have had time to know each other.
- Cut your grilled cheese into strips while it's still warm because cold cheese becomes brittle and the bread gets tough, so timing is everything in this final step.