There’s a reason that tomato soup and grilled cheese is the ultimate comfort food combo—it’s cozy, nostalgic, and basically a warm hug in food form. This creamy tomato soup is made with fresh tomatoes, sweet onions, garlic, and a touch of heavy cream, while the grilled cheese sandwiches are stuffed with melty cheese on thick slices of sourdough that toast up perfectly golden brown.
Table of Contents
What is Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup
Why You’ll Love It
This creamy tomato soup and grilled cheese recipe is the ultimate comfort food that I am constantly craving.
The tomato basil soup is made with juicy roasted tomatoes, sweet onions, garlic cloves, a splash of heavy cream, and a swirl of butter for that rich, velvety texture.
The flavor gets a big boost from Italian seasoning, kosher salt black pepper, and a sprinkle of fresh basil—no canned tomatoes or tomato paste needed (but you could totally sub them in a pinch!).
And what's a good tomato soup without some grilled cheese sandwiches?
It wouldn't be right if we didn't pair it with some golden brown grilled cheese sandwiches stuffed with a melty cheese blend. It's just so dang good while also beinga classic pairing that hits every time.
So whether you’re cooking for soup season, whipping up a cozy weeknight dinner, or your next level TikTok-worthy lunch, this duo delivers all the creamy, nostalgic goodness you crave. Now let's get to it, shall we?!
Here are all the ingredients that you'll need to make the best homemade tomato soup and grilled cheese. If you're looking for exact amounts, don't forget to check the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
For the Tomato Soup
Fresh Tomatoes: I love using large beefsteak tomatoes for their juicy flavor. You could swap in canned tomatoes, roma tomatoes or whole tomatoes in a pinch.
Sweet Onions: Yellow onion adds a mellow, sweet depth. Shallots or even red onion would also work, but it'll be sharper.
Garlic Cloves: Use whole cloves with the ends snipped off for roasting—no chopping required.
Olive Oil: I used this for roasting, but avocado oil or melted butter would work too.
Italian Seasoning: Brings that classic herby flavor. You could also add some red pepper flakes to the mix if you like a spicy tomato soup.
Salt: I use kosher salt and adjust throughout the recipe.
Heavy Cream: Adds a silky finish. Coconut milk or whole milk would be great subs. If you wanted it lighter, you could also use chicken bone broth, chicken stock, vegetable broth, or even tomato juice with a splash of balsamic vinegar.
Salted Butter: Helps mellow the acidity and add richness.
Sugar: Just a little sugar balances the acidity of the tomatoes.
Fresh Basil Leaves: Add at the end for brightness and aroma.
For the Grilled Cheese
Cheese: I opted for a mix of Colby jack and unexpected cheddar cheese from trader joes. Melty and mild—perfect for grilled cheese sandwiches. You could also totally do your own cheese combo like american cheese kraft singles, parmesan cheese and sharp cheddar.
Slices of Bread: Thick slices of sourdough bread toast up beautifully. White bread, Italian bread, or Pepperidge Farm work too.
Butter: For toasting the sandwiches—go for unsalted butter or even mayo if your heart is telling you to!
How to make it
Here are the step by step instructions on how to make the best tomato soup and grilled cheese.
ROAST THE TOMATOES: Preheat your oven to 450°F. Now grab a non-reactive pot such as a large dutch oven, baking dish, sheet pan, or large pot. Then toss quartered fresh tomatoes, sweet onions, garlic cloves, a drizzle of olive oil, Italian seasoning, and 1 teaspoon salt. Turn the tomatoes cut-side up and roast for 1 hour.
BLEND THE SOUP: Remove from the oven and carefully use a food processor or immersion blender to puree the hot liquid until smooth. Pour it back into a large soup pot and set over medium heat.
SIMMER THE SOUP: Stir in heavy cream, remaining salt, little sugar, butter, and a few cranks of black pepper. Let it simmer on medium-low heat for a few minutes until warmed through. Taste and adjust seasoning. Top the soup with fresh basil.
BUILD THE GRILLED CHEESE: On a cutting board, layer two slices of Colby Jack and a handful of shredded Unexpected Cheddar between bread slices. Smear butter on the outside of the bread.
TOAST TO GOLDEN: Heat a large fry pan over medium heat. Add sandwiches butter-side down. Spread more butter on the top of the bread and cook until golden brown, about 4 minutes per side. Flip and repeat.
SERVE IT UP: Slice each sandwich diagonally, stack on a plate, and serve with a big ol' bowl of roasted tomato soup. Bonus points if you dip in each bite or cut up the grilled cheese into grilled cheese crutons!
SAVE: You can place any leftovers of this tomato soup and grilled cheese in an airtight container and keep in the fridge for 3-4 days.
What sides go with Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup
I love serving grilled cheese and tomato soup with a cold salad. Here are 10 of my favorite sides for grilled cheese and tomato soup!
- Gruyere Grilled Cheese
- Dill Pickle Grilled Cheese
- Grinder Grilled Cheese Sandwich
- Turkey Bagel Sandwich with Hummus & Veggies
- One Pot Creamy Cheesy Potato Soup Recipe with Sour Cream
- Tuscan Sausage, Kale, and White Bean Soup
- Roasted Broccoli & Feta Frittata with Tomatoes & Basil
Frequently asked questions
Absolutely! If you don't have a dutch oven, just add the soup ingredients to a sheet pan. Since they're more spread out, it will take less time so be sure to keep an eye on it. Once they're roasted, simply add to a large blender or food processor. If you have an immersion blender, just add the soup to a large pot and blend.
Any meltable cheese works well for a grilled cheese sandwich! I recommend going for any cheese that you find sliced in the deli department if you're unsure. Here are some of the best cheeses for grilled cheese in no particular order:
cheddar
white cheddar
gouda
fontina
havarti
pepperjack
colbyjack
low moisture mozzarella
gruyere
comte
brie
camembert
muenster
Recipe
Roasted Creamy Tomato Soup and Grilled Cheese Recipe
Ingredients
For the Tomato soup
- 3.5 lbs Large Tomatoes quartered (such as beefsteak)
- 2 small Sweet Onions quartered
- 5 cloves Garlic ends removed
- ¼ cup Olive Oil
- 2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1.5 teaspoon Salt divided
- ½ cup Heavy Cream
- 2 tablespoon Salted Butter
- ½ teaspoon Sugar
- 3 tablespoon Fresh Basil. Julienned
For the Grilled Cheese
- 8 slices Sourdough
- 8 slices Colby Jack
- 1 cup Unexpected Cheddar shredded
- 4 tablespoon Salted Butter
Instructions
For the Tomato Soup
- Preheat oven to 450F degrees.
- Add tomatoes, onions, garlic, olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt and Italian seasoning to a large dutch oven and toss.
- Turn all the tomatoes cut side up and then place in the oven for 1 hour.
- Remove from the oven and use a blender or immersion blender to blend the tomatoes up.
- Stir in heavy cream, remaining salt, sugar, butter, and a few cranks fresh cracked pepper.
- Taste and add more salt and pepper if needed.
- Finish with a sprinkle of fresh basil before serving.
For the Grilled Cheese
- Add two slices of Colby jack to 4 slices of bread and then evenly distribute the shredded unexpected cheddar on top.
- Add the remaining bread to the top then smear ½ tablespoon of butter on the top of each sandwich.
- Heat a large fry pan over medium and place the sandwiches in, butter side down. If you only have a small fry pan, cook two sandwiches at a time.
- Smear the rest of the butter over the top of the sandwiches while they’re cooking. Once the bottoms are golden brown, carefully flip the sandwiches and cook the other side; about 4 minutes on each side.
- Once golden brown on all sides and the cheese has melted, remove from heat and serve with tomato soup.
