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
Jeanna says
Best soup EVER!! You will not be disappointed. Thanks Erin!!
Erin says
Hi Jeanna, so glad you loved it! 🙂
Britta says
Love love love ❤️ so yummy.
Erin says
Hi Britta, so glad you loved it!!
Joyce Hammel says
Do you think using fresh tomato would work? (Overloaded with). How much would you suggest ? The recipe looks Great and I's love to try it.
Erin says
Hi Joyce, yes, of course! Let me know how yours comes out!
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! 🙂