This Easy Creamy Tomato Soup with Grilled Cheese is made with San Marzano tomatoes, fresh basil, and coconut milk, then served with golden, crispy sourdough grilled cheese for dunking. Once you see how easy homemade tomato soup is, you'll never go back to the can. If you love cozy soups, you're going to LOVE my Creamy Tomato Soup with Meatballs, or my Lightened Up Broccoli Cheddar Soup!
Jump to:
- Homemade Creamy Tomato Soup and Grilled Cheese
- Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Ingredients Needed To Make This Creamy Tomato Soup with Grilled Cheese
- How to Make Creamy Tomato Soup with Grilled Cheese
- Erin's Expert Tips
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Storing leftovers
- If you liked this recipe, you'll want to try these…
- Easy Creamy Tomato Soup with Grilled Cheese
Homemade Creamy Tomato Soup and Grilled Cheese
Is there anything better than dunking a crispy grilled cheese into a big bowl of tomato soup? This homemade version is so much better than canned. Sweet San Marzano tomatoes, fresh basil, a touch of honey, and a pinch of red pepper flakes simmer together into a rich, cozy soup. If you love classic soups, my Easy Minestrone Soup is another must-try!
Coconut milk makes this soup perfectly creamy without any heavy cream, so the soup is naturally dairy-free. Prefer a classic creamy soup? Half & half or cream works too. Need a fully dairy-free soup night? Pair it with my Butternut Squash Soup for a cozy soup sampler.
For the grilled cheese, thick-sliced sourdough is the way to go. My favorite cheese is Cooper Sharp American, but any cheese works. Try spicy jalapeño cheese for a fun twist! Add a big Caesar Chicken Salad on the side for the ultimate soup-and-salad night.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- The ultimate comfort meal. A classic combo that never gets old.
- Better than canned. Simple homemade ingredients with so much more flavor.
- Creamy without heavy cream. Coconut milk keeps the soup dairy-free.
- Feeds a crowd. The soup makes 8 servings, so there's plenty for leftovers.
- Perfectly crispy grilled cheese. A lid trick melts the cheese every time.
- Great for lunch or dinner. It's also perfect for meal prep!
Ingredients Needed To Make This Creamy Tomato Soup with Grilled Cheese
Here's a little bit about everything that goes into this cozy soup and sandwich combo!
- San Marzano tomatoes: Two 28-oz cans of peeled San Marzano tomatoes. The flavor difference is real and worth it!
- Veggie broth: Thins out the soup. Chicken broth works too.
- Coconut milk: Makes the soup creamy and dairy-free. Half & half or cream also work.
- Fresh basil: Gives the soup its bright, classic tomato basil flavor.
- Sourdough bread: Thick slices make the best crispy grilled cheese.
- Cheese: Use your favorite. I love Cooper Sharp American!
How to Make Creamy Tomato Soup with Grilled Cheese
Make the soup first. Sauté the onion and garlic, add everything else to the pot, and let it simmer. A quick rest before blending lets all the flavors come together.
While the soup rests, make the grilled cheese. Covering the pan with a lid is the secret to perfectly melted cheese!
- Step 1: In a large Dutch oven, heat the olive oil. Add the onion and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute.
- Step 2: Pour in the tomatoes, broth, and coconut milk and stir. Add the basil, honey, salt, pepper, dried oregano, and crushed red pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a low simmer for 20 minutes. Turn off the heat and let rest for 10 minutes.
- Step 3: Blend with an immersion blender (or a regular blender or food processor) until smooth.
- Step 4: For the grilled cheese, butter one side of each slice of bread.
- Step 5: Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add 3 slices of cheese to the unbuttered side of one slice of bread and place it in the pan, buttered side down. Cover with a lid.
- Step 6: After about 2 minutes, add the second slice of bread, butter side up. Cover and cook for 2 more minutes. Flip and cook 2–3 more minutes, until golden brown on both sides. Repeat with the remaining sandwiches, then serve with the soup and top it with Parmesan and extra basil if you like!
Erin's Expert Tips
From my kitchen to yours
- Use San Marzano tomatoes. They're sweeter and less acidic for a richer soup.
- Let it rest before blending. A 10-minute rest helps the flavors come together beautifully.
- Blend carefully. If you're using a regular blender, work in batches and leave the lid vented so steam can escape.
- Cover the grilled cheese. A lid traps heat and melts the cheese faster and more evenly.
- Get creative with cheese. Try jalapeño or ghost pepper cheese for a spicy kick!
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some of the most common questions about making homemade tomato soup!
Yes! Made with coconut milk and without the Parmesan topping, the soup is completely dairy-free.
Yes. Half & half or cream both work for a classic creamy tomato soup.
Milk! This recipe uses broth and coconut milk for a thick, creamy soup. Water works in a pinch, but the soup won't be as rich.
Canned San Marzano tomatoes are the best. They're sweet, flavorful, and consistent year-round.
Thick-sliced sourdough! It gets perfectly crispy on the outside and holds up to dunking.
The soup serves 8, and the grilled cheese recipe makes 4 sandwiches. Double the sandwiches if you're feeding a crowd.
Storing leftovers
Store leftover tomato soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat it on the stove over medium-low heat until warmed through. The grilled cheese is best fresh, so make sandwiches when you're ready to eat!
If you tried this recipe or any other recipes on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Follow @erinliveswhole on Instagram and tag me in any of the recipes you make so I can repost them!
If you liked this recipe, you'll want to try these…
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion diced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 2 28-oz cans San Marzano peeled tomatoes
- 2 cups veggie broth or chicken
- 1 cup coconut milk or half & half/cream
- ¼ cup chopped basil
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper
- optional toppings: Parmesan cheese and more basil
- 8 slices sourdough bread
- 12 slices cheese of choice I like Cooper Sharp American
- ½ stick butter
Instructions
- In a large dutch oven, heat olive oil. Once hot, add onions and let cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add in garlic. Cook for another minute.
- Pour in tomatoes, broth, and milk and stir to combine. Then add in basil, honey, salt, pepper, dried oregano, and crushed red pepper. Stir!
- Bring to a boil, then reduce to a low simmer for 20 minutes. Turn off heat and let rest 10 minutes.
- Using an immersion blender, regular blender, or food processor, carefully blend all soup ingredients until smooth. Pour back into soup pot. Serve!
- For the grilled cheese, butter one side of each piece of bread.
- Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add 3 slices of cheese to non-buttered side. Add that to the pan buttered side down and cover with a lid (this is just one slice of bread and the cheese). After about two minutes, add the other slice of bread, butter side up. Place lid back on and cook another 2 minutes. Flip grilled cheese and cook for another 2-3 minutes or until golden brown on both sides.
- Repeat for remainder of sandwiches.
- Use San Marzano canned tomatoes. The flavor difference is real and worth it.
- Simmer on low for 20 minutes after bringing to a boil, then let rest 10 minutes before blending. Patience here makes the flavors come together beautifully.
- For the grilled cheese, cover the pan with a lid while cooking. It traps the heat and melts the cheese faster and more evenly.
Nutrition
Per serving. Nutrition is an estimate.
Leave a star rating below and tag me on Instagram so I can see your creation!
Rate This RecipeRecipe by Erin Morrissey and Photos by The Mindful Hapa
Linnea says
Love this recipe! Such a classic and always turns out delicious!
Erin says
Hi Linnea, so happy you loved it!!
Katrina says
Winner! We’ve tried lots of tomato soups and this is the best, yet easiest! My particular 10 yo daughter loved it too!
Erin says
Hi Katrina, so happy you both loved it! 🙂
Kelsey R says
My favorite tomato soup recipe!
Erin says
Hi Kelsey, so happy you love it! 🙂
Kari Combe says
I made this tomato soup and grilled cheese last night for my family and it was perfection! The flavor in the tomato soup was so yummy and I loved the hint of spiciness from the red pepper flakes that was added to it. This is my favorite comfort food on a cold, wintry day. I can’t wait to have it for lunch and/or dinner today!
Erin says
Hi Kari, so happy you all loved it! 🙂
Kelly says
Wow it’s perfect! Made this on a snowy day and it will now be on repeat every winter! Didn’t have fresh basil and it was still perfect
Erin says
Hi Kelly, so happy you enjoyed it!! 🙂