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One of the best comfort foods made with healthy ingredients; this creamy tomato soup will fill you up and make you fall back in love with lunch again.
Homemade tomato soup and grilled cheese
This tomato soup and grilled cheese recipe is the epitome of comfort food! Whether you enjoy dunking your grilled cheese into the soup or sipping your soup from an oversized mug, this recipe will warm you up from the inside out.
Gone are the days of adding water to tomato soup concentrate. When you discover how easy it is to make tomato soup completely homemade, you’ll never go back to canned again. Sweet, juicy tomatoes, fresh sweet basil, and thick coconut milk – it’s a combination of flavors that play a delicate dance on your tastebuds.
Even though you can eat any type of grilled sandwich with tomato soup, I still think grilled cheese just goes with it the best. Take my advice and make grilled cheese with thick slices of sourdough bread.
Branch out and try it with some different types of cheese from the deli. Spicy jalapeno cheese is a fun twist! If you find ghost pepper cheese at the deli, try a slice – it will wake you up for sure!
Ingredients in this healthy tomato soup recipe
The ingredients in this tomato soup recipe are the best because they are simple and most likely ones that you already have on hand in your pantry. I love to use recipes that don’t require fancy ingredients or anything that you wouldn’t already have at home.
All you really need for this soup is:
- Olive Oil: Use your favorite type of healthy cooking oil for the aromatics, about two tablespoons.
- Onion: Either yellow or white onion will work, dice up one medium onion.
- Garlic: Add 4 cloves of garlic that you mince up.
- Tomatoes: What is tomato soup without tomatoes? Add 2 28-ounce cans of San Marzano peeled tomatoes.
- Broth: Thin out the soup with 1 cup of either vegetable or chicken broth.
- Coconut Milk: This makes the tomato soup nice and creamy. Add 1/2 a cup.
- Basil: Use fresh basil for the boldest flavors, you need about 1/4 a cup.
- Honey: Sweeten the tomato soup naturally with one tablespoon of honey.
- Salt: This enhances all the other flavors in the soup, so mix in 2 teaspoons.
- Pepper: Mix in the same amount of pepper, so about 1/2 a teaspoon.
- Dried Oregano: Spice it up with one teaspoon.
- Red Pepper Flakes: Add some heat with 1/4 a teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes.
- Grated Parmesan Cheese: This is optional but really tastes fantastic when you add it on top.
Grilled cheese ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need when you make the most incredible grilled cheese sandwiches you’ve ever made.
- Bread: Use thick-sliced sourdough bread.
- Cheese: Top the bread with your favorite type of cheese.
- Butter: You’ll need salted butter for the bread, so it grills up and becomes perfectly crispy.
Kitchen tools required for tomato soup
You don’t need any fancy kitchen gadgets to make this creamy tomato soup recipe. Grab the following tools before you begin.
- Large Skillet
- Large Dutch Oven
- Immersion Blender
- Wooden Spoon
- Spatula
For measuring, you will need 1 cup, 1/2 cup, 1 tablespoon, 1 teaspoon, 1/2 teaspoon, and 1/4 teaspoon.
How to make the best homemade tomato soup.
This best-ever creamy tomato soup and grilled cheese are so easy to make.
Make the soup first. In a large dutch oven, heat olive oil. Once it is hot, add the onions and let them cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add in the garlic. Cook for another minute.
Next, pour in tomatoes, broth, and milk and stir to combine. Then add in basil, honey, salt, pepper, dried oregano, and crushed red pepper. Stir it all together.
Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce it to a low simmer for 20 minutes. Turn off the heat and let it rest for 10 minutes.
Using an immersion blender, regular blender, or food processor, carefully blend all soup ingredients until smooth. Pour back into the soup pot. Serve!
Next, make the grilled cheese sandwiches.
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 the 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 and butter. Place the lid back on and cook another 2 minutes. Flip the grilled cheese and cook for another 2-3 minutes or until golden brown on both sides.
Repeat for the remainder of the sandwiches.
Recipe Tips
Here are some questions people often ask about making homemade tomato soup. If you don’t see your question in this list, please leave it in the comments.
Is homemade tomato soup dairy-free?
If you use coconut milk, then this recipe is completely dairy-free. If you need to omit all dairy, I suggest making a different type of sandwich and skipping the parmesan cheese topping for the soup.
How many people will this recipe serve?
This easy homemade tomato soup makes enough to serve 8 people. You will probably have some leftovers. If you follow the directions for the sandwiches, it will make four sandwiches.
Do you add water or milk to tomato soup?
For this recipe, I added both coconut milk and vegetable broth. I suggest adding milk to the soup instead of water. Water can still work in a pinch, but the soup won’t be as thick or creamy.
Storing leftovers
The best way to store leftover homemade tomato soup is to place it in an airtight, spill-proof container and refrigerate it. Only keep it in the refrigerator for up to three days.
Try these soup recipes next!
If you liked this tomato soup and grilled cheese recipe, you’re going to love my other popular soup recipes! Here are some of my favorites. Which will you make for your family?
- Lightened Up Broccoli Cheddar Soup
- Best Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe
- Easy Tortellini Spinach Soup
- Easy Cheeseburger Soup Recipe
- Butternut Squash Soup (Vegan, Dairy-free)
All recipes by Erin Morrissey and Photos by Sierra Inn
Easy Creamy Tomato Soup with Grilled Cheese
One of the best comfort foods made with healthy ingredients; this creamy tomato soup will fill you up and make you fall back in love with lunch again.
Ingredients
Tomato Soup
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 28oz can San Marzano peeled tomatoes
- 2 cups veggie broth (or chicken)
- 1 cup coconut milk (or half & half/cream)
- 1/4 cup chopped basil
- 1 tbsp honey
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
- optional toppings: Parmesan cheese and more basil
Grilled Cheese (enough for 4)
- 8 slices sourdough bread
- 12 slices cheese of choice (I like Cooper Sharp American)
- 1/2 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.
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Maia says
This is freaking delicious. I never leave comments but YUM! I left out the oregano but otherwise stuck to the recipe. Thank you!!!!
★★★★★
Erin says
Hi Maia, so happy you loved it!!
Nikki says
This soup is so quick and easy and makes the perfect meal prep! We have made it multiple times for friends who had a baby or needed a meal for their family because they were sick and we always get rave reviews! If you make this and the copycat Starbucks oat bars on the same day you can use the coconut milk for the soup and the hard part on the top for the bars!
★★★★★
Erin says
Hi Nikki, so happy you loved it so much!! 🙂
Nicole says
I absolutely love this tomato soup recipe and have made it several times. I even passed it on to my dad who said it was the best tomato soup he’s ever had! I keep ingredients on hand to make whenever it suits my fancy. Super quick and easy.
★★★★★
Erin says
Hi Nicole, so happy you loved it so much! 🙂
Lennie Gail says
This soup is absolutely delicious and so simple to make! I used bone broth, heavy cream, and omitted the crushed red pepper. It was everything I wanted it to be.
★★★★★
Erin says
Hi Lennie, so happy you loved it and made it your own! 🙂
Mary says
Delicious! Perfect rainy day meal!
★★★★★
Erin says
Hi Mary, so glad you loved it!! 🙂
Janelle says
Followed the recipe exactly – this turned out great. Yummy and easy to put together.
★★★★★
Erin says
Hi Janelle, so happy you loved it! 🙂
Shawna says
Freaking delicious and super easy to make! Thank you so much for the recipe!
★★★★★
Erin says
Hi Shawna, so happy you loved it!! 🙂
Julie B says
The best tomato soup hands down, my toddlers actually request this (legit, no lie) maybe it’s for the grilled cheese sandwiches but they devour the soup!
★★★★★
Erin says
Hi Julie, so happy it is a hit! 🙂