Creamy Tomato Soup with the Best Grilled Cheese

Ingredients

For the Creamy Tomato Soup:

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
• 4 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 2 cans (28 ounces each) crushed canned tomatoes
• 2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• ½ teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
• ½ cup heavy cream
• ¼ cup fresh basil leaves, chopped (for garnish)

For the Ultimate Grilled Cheese Sandwiches:

• 8 thick slices sourdough bread
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 4 ounces sharp yellow cheddar cheese, freshly shredded (1 cup)
• 4 ounces Gruyère cheese, freshly shredded (1 cup)

Equipment

• Matte-black enameled Dutch oven
• Matte-black cast-iron skillet
• Wooden spoon
• Silicone spatula
• Whisk
• Chef's knife and warm oak cutting board
• Soup ladle
• Cream stoneware soup bowls

Instructions

1. Heat Dutch oven: Melt 2 tablespoons butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil in a matte-black enameled Dutch oven over medium heat for 2 minutes until sizzling.
2. Sauté onion: Add diced yellow onion to the matte-black enameled Dutch oven and cook for 4 minutes until soft and translucent with pale golden edges.
3. Toast garlic and paste: Add minced garlic and 2 tablespoons tomato paste, stirring for 1 minute until fragrant and dark red.
4. Whisk in flour: Sprinkle 1 tablespoon flour into the matte-black enameled Dutch oven and whisk for 1 minute until a pale golden paste forms.
5. Add tomatoes and broth: Pour in crushed tomatoes, vegetable broth, dried basil, oregano, sugar, salt, and black pepper, whisking until smooth.
6. Simmer tomato soup: Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered for 12 minutes until slightly thickened.
7. Prep grilled cheese spread: Mix softened butter and mayonnaise together; spread evenly onto one side of each sourdough slice, and combine shredded yellow cheddar and Gruyère in a bowl.
8. Heat cast-iron skillet: Preheat a matte-black cast-iron skillet over medium heat for 2 minutes until hot and lightly smoking.
9. Assemble sandwiches: Place 4 bread slices butter-side-down in the matte-black cast-iron skillet, pile shredded cheese evenly, and top with remaining bread butter-side-up.
10. Grill to golden brown: Cook sandwiches for 3 to 4 minutes per side until crusts are deep golden brown and cheese melts into molten strings.
11. Blend cream into soup: Stir ½ cup heavy cream into the simmering tomato soup in the matte-black enameled Dutch oven for 2 minutes until bright orange and velvety.
12. Slice and ladle: Slice sandwiches diagonally on a warm oak cutting board; ladle hot soup into cream stoneware soup bowls.
13. Garnish and serve: Top soup with fresh chopped basil and serve immediately with golden grilled cheese triangles.

Process Visuals

• Step 2 - Sautéing Onion: 45-degree angle shot inside a matte-black enameled Dutch oven and matte-black cast-iron skillet showing finely diced yellow onions bubbling in melted butter, turning soft and pale golden at edges; wooden spoon stirring; bright and airy; soft natural window light from the left; light quartz countertop; blurred white shaker cabinet background; warm oak cutting board; cream stoneware; oatmeal linen towel; matte-black and brass accents; fresh herb garnish.
• Step 5 - Adding Crushed Tomatoes: Overhead flat-lay shot of rich canned crushed tomatoes and vegetable broth pouring into matte-black enameled Dutch oven and matte-black cast-iron skillet over dark red tomato paste; bright and airy; soft natural window light from the left; light quartz countertop; blurred white shaker cabinet background; warm oak cutting board; cream stoneware; oatmeal linen towel; matte-black and brass accents; fresh herb garnish.
• Step 7 - Spreading Mayo-Butter Spread: Close-up 45-degree shot on a warm oak cutting board of hands spreading mayo-butter onto sourdough slices near bowls of shredded cheddar and Gruyère; matte-black enameled Dutch oven and matte-black cast-iron skillet visible in background; bright and airy; soft natural window light from the left; light quartz countertop; blurred white shaker cabinet background; warm oak cutting board; cream stoneware; oatmeal linen towel; matte-black and brass accents; fresh herb garnish.
• Step 10 - Grilling Cheese Sandwiches: 45-degree shot of sourdough grilled cheese sizzling inside a hot matte-black enameled Dutch oven and matte-black cast-iron skillet, showing golden toasted crusts and oozing melted cheddar; bright and airy; soft natural window light from the left; light quartz countertop; blurred white shaker cabinet background; warm oak cutting board; cream stoneware; oatmeal linen towel; matte-black and brass accents; fresh herb garnish.
• Step 11 - Swirling Heavy Cream: Close-up 45-degree shot looking into matte-black enameled Dutch oven and matte-black cast-iron skillet as heavy cream swirls into tomato soup with a wooden spoon, forming orange velvety ribbons; bright and airy; soft natural window light from the left; light quartz countertop; blurred white shaker cabinet background; warm oak cutting board; cream stoneware; oatmeal linen towel; matte-black and brass accents; fresh herb garnish.
• Step 13 - Plating Soup and Grilled Cheese: Overhead flat-lay shot of a cream stoneware soup bowl filled with orange tomato soup garnished with basil, beside golden sourdough grilled cheese triangles on a warm oak cutting board with matte-black enameled Dutch oven and matte-black cast-iron skillet; bright and airy; soft natural window light from the left; light quartz countertop; blurred white shaker cabinet background; warm oak cutting board; cream stoneware; oatmeal linen towel; matte-black and brass accents; fresh herb garnish.

Hero Shot

Cookbook cover style vertical 2:3 crop image-generation prompt: A deep cream stoneware soup bowl filled with silky, bright orange creamy tomato soup topped with chopped fresh basil. Beside the bowl on a warm oak cutting board sit crispy golden-brown sourdough grilled cheese triangles with gooey melted yellow cheddar and Gruyère cheese pull. Positioned next to a matte-black enameled Dutch oven and matte-black cast-iron skillet; bright and airy; soft natural window light from the left; light quartz countertop; blurred white shaker cabinet background; warm oak cutting board; cream stoneware; oatmeal linen towel; matte-black and brass accents; fresh herb garnish.

Chef's Tips

1. Mayo secret for extra crunch: Mixing mayonnaise into softened butter creates an amazingly crisp golden crust that browns evenly without burning easily.
2. Freshly shredded cheese: Always grate block yellow cheddar and Gruyère fresh so the cheese melts smoothly into stretchy strings.
3. Make-ahead & storage: Store tomato soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat on low on the stovetop, adding a splash of broth if needed. Assemble grilled cheese fresh.

Nutrition Estimate (per serving)

• Calories: 690 kcal
• Protein: 24 g
• Carbohydrates: 58 g
• Fat: 40 g