Grilled cheese and tomato soup is one of my favorite lunch combos! I really love tomato basil bisque, so I made a roasted tomato basil soup of my own. I did not add any milk or cream, so it is a totally vegan dish! (without the grilled cheese, of course) I roasted the tomatoes with some garlic in the oven and added some cayenne pepper for a slight kick. My house smelled AMAZING! The aroma of roasted tomato and garlic filled my kitchen with deliciousness. After the soup was done, I made a crispy grilled cheese with cheddar and pepper jack and topped the soup with some fresh basil. Perfection.
RECIPE:
- about 15 campari tomatoes (these tomatoes are known for their juiciness, sweetness, low acidity, and lack of mealiness – you can use roma tomatoes as well!)
- 2 14.5 oz cans diced tomatoes
- 3 cloves garlic, whole
- 1 sweet onion, diced
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- 1 cup fresh basil, chopped – plus more for garnish
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- salt & pepper to taste
- olive oil
INSTRUCTIONS:
- preheat oven to 400 degrees
- slice the tomatoes in half and place on a baking sheet
- add garlic cloves on the baking sheet
- drizzle tomatoes and garlic with olive oil, salt, and pepper
- roast the tomatoes for 30 minutes
- remove from the oven and let cool until they are cool enough to handle by hand
- in a dutch oven pot, heat to medium heat
- coat the bottom with olive oil
- add chopped onions and cook until onions are translucent, stirring frequently
- remove the skins from the roasted tomatoes (this should be easy to do) and add to the pot along with the roasted garlic cloves
- add diced tomatoes and vegetable broth
- add fresh basil, cayenne pepper, and red pepper flakes
- lower heat to a light simmer and cover for about 20 minutes
- transfer to a blender and blend until smooth
note: I tried to use a hand blender to blend this soup, but it did not come smooth enough. The seeds from the tomatoes were still present in the soup. I recommend using a high quality blender such as a vitamix or ninja.
- add salt and pepper to taste
- pour back into the pot
- serve and garnish with basil – and grilled cheese cubes perhaps 🙂
This looks fantastic. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you!! I hope you like it 🙂
I will definitely try this one. I LOVE tomato soup. I can’t think os a better meal on a winter day.