Roasted tomato soup with grilled cheese croutons

Roasted tomato soup is a family favorite. Roasted with fresh basil, garlic, chilli flakes and Balsamic vinegar, the soup is rich, tasty and silky smooth. Golden, melty grilled cheese croutons adds texture and ensures every bite is simply delicious.

Ingredients

Full roasted tomato soup recipe with amounts can be found in the recipe card below. 

• Tomatoes. I use a mixture of fresh tomatoes. Roma tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, beef steak, etc. are all great options. Try to use the ripest (overly ripe tomatoes work well here) tomatoes you can find.
• Head of garlic. 
• Olive oil.
• Balsamic vinegar. 
• Chilli flakes / red pepper flakes.
• Fresh basil. 
• Oregano. I used fresh but dried can also be used. Other fresh herbs like thyme will also be delicious.
• Salt and pepper. 
• Onion.
• Chicken Broth/stock. I used chicken stock but you can use vegetable stock too.
• Heavy cream / whipping cream. Coconut milk can be used as a vegan substitute.
• Bread of your choice. I used sourdough but any bread will work. Gluten-free bread is great if you prefer keeping this meal gluten free.
• Cheese. I used cheddar but any good melting cheese will work.
• Butter.

How to make roasted tomato soup

1. Roast the tomatoes: Place the tomatoes in a large baking dish or baking sheet. Slice the top off the garlic and add to the tomatoes with the fresh basil, oregano, chilli flakes, salt and pepper. Drizzle over the olive oil and the Balsamic vinegar. Place the tomatoes in the oven and allow to roast for 30-45 minutes until the tomatoes start to char around the edges. Remove from the oven.
2. Make the soup: In a large pot set over medium-high heat, melt a tablespoon of butter. Add a finely diced onion and sauté until soft and fragrant. Squeeze the roasted garlic into the pot then discard the skins. Transfer the roasted tomatoes to the pot along with any juices. If there are sticky, burnt on bit on the baking dish, scrape them off as well as you can and add to the pot. Pour in the broth/stock then bring to a boil and cook for 10 minutes.
3. Blend the soup: Once the soup has simmered for 10 minutes, transfer the soup to a blender (or use a stick blender or immersion blender) and blend until smooth. Pour back into the pot then add the cream, taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Simmer for 5 minutes while you make the grilled cheese sandwiches.
4. Make the grilled cheese sandwich: Add grated cheese to sliced bread. Top with the remaining slices of bread and butter generously on the outside. Cook the grilled cheese in a pan set over medium heat until golden brown on both sides. Remove the grilled cheese from the heat and allow to cool for a few minutes then slice into cubes with a hot knife.
5. Serve: Ladle the hot soup into serving bowls then add a swirl of cream (optional). Add grilled cheese croutons and fresh basil then serve immediately.

Can I make this ahead?

Roasted tomato basil soup is a great recipe to prepare ahead. The soup can be made and stored in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or frozen for up to 3 months.

Soup recipes

1. Creamy Chicken Tortellini Soup
2. Easy broccoli cheese soup
3. Honey roasted butternut squash soup