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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
- 1 cup veggie broth (or chicken)
- 1/2 cup coconut milk (or other milk/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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Britta says
Love love love ❤️ so yummy.
★★★★★
Erin says
Hi Britta, so glad you loved it!!
Courtney says
Delicious!
★★★★★
Erin says
Hi Courtney, so glad you loved it!
Amy says
Delicious 10/10 would recommend this soup recipe!!
★★★★★
Erin says
Hi Amy, so happy you loved it so much! 🙂
Katie K says
My favorite easy soup to make because it’s made with ingredients I always have on hand! I used regular cream instead of coconut milk. This is a staple for me!
★★★★★
Erin says
Hi Katie, so glad you loved it and made it your own!!
Paige says
This soup was delicious! Making it for the second time this month right now! The coconut flavor is not overpowering at all if you use coconut cream.
★★★★★
Erin says
Hi Paige, so happy you loved it so much! 🙂
Ashley says
SO good! Perfect comfort food for the cold months. And the grilled cheese…. YUM!
★★★★★
Erin says
Hi Ashley, so glad you liked it!
Taylor says
The best! This recipe will be on repeat for every cold, rainy day and every snow day all winter. So easy too!
★★★★★
Erin says
Hi Taylor, so glad you loved it!
Steph S says
Literally love this. Everyone loved the soup.
I’m pregnant and this has been a great comfort meal through the fall and now winter. So fresh!
★★★★★
Erin says
Hi Steph, so happy you enjoyed it!
Allison says
Better than anything store bought and so easy! Also, love that I had most of the ingredients to make on a whim. Used half n half for the coconut milk and hot honey instead of regular and it was amazing! Definitely keeping in rotation.
★★★★★
Erin says
Hi Allison, so glad you loved it so much and made it your own! 🙂
Frances says
This was so good and very easy to make! Can’t beat the combo with the grilled cheese!
★★★★★
Erin says
Hi Frances, so happy you loved it!
Nicole says
This was so good & easy to make! My husband LOVES soup & he said this might be his favorite soup, ever.
★★★★★
Erin says
Hi Nicole, so glad you both loved it!!
Jennifer callery-stokes says
My husband and I typically don’t like tomato soup but I kept seeing this on Erin’s insta and had just gotten an immersion blender and tried it- omg it’s the best! So so easy and tastes so good with grilled cheese. This has been added to our big book of fav recipes. I subbed the coconut cream for heavy cream because I had some left over from another recipe and it was great
★★★★★
Erin says
Hi Jennifer, so glad you both tried and loved it! 🙂
Maegan G says
So good! Perfect soup on a cold night, my husband and I are obsessed!
★★★★★
Erin says
Hi Maegan, so glad you both loved it!
Nikki Campbell says
The easiest tomato soup recipe. Perfect for a quick warm meal after grocery shopping on a Sunday night.
★★★★★
Erin says
Hi Nikki, so happy you loved it!
Natalya s says
Love this recipe. Use it all the time! Thanks so much!
★★★★★
Erin says
Hi Natalya, so glad you loved it! 🙂
Bianca says
This is so easy and delicious. I didn’t feel like buying basil so I just bought tomatos with basil already in the can and the soup still came out great.
★★★★★
Erin says
Hi Bianca, so glad you loved it! 🙂
Rachael P. says
This was amazing! I’ve made homemade tomato soup before but this is the best I’ve tried! Easy, quick, and delicious. I used almond milk and a splash of half and half and it was perfect. Thank you!
★★★★★
Erin says
Hi Rachael, so happy you enjoyed it! 🙂
WhitG says
I made this for the first time yesterday and it got rave reviews from my entire family! I’ve never made homemade tomato soup and was worried that the people who like canned tomato soup wouldn’t appreciate the flavor of something like this. I was wrong! Not only was it easy to make, it tasted delicious and was so much more than a canned soup! I did not have fresh basil so subbed dried, and used half&half instead of milk since I had some open in the fridge. The soup was hearty and flavorful, and reheated beautifully for leftovers. 10/10!
★★★★★
Erin says
Hi Whit, so happy you all loved it so much! 🙂
Hannah says
10/10!! This was so delicious and perfect esp since the weather has been getting colder! I filled everything to a T down to the grilled cheese and it was the perfect combination. I’m excited to have another go to in my soup rotation!
★★★★★
Erin says
Hi Hannah, so happy you loved it so much! 🙂