The DailyWhisk

Creamy Tomato Basil Soup with Grilled Cheese Croutons

Bowl of creamy tomato basil soup with a swirl of cream and grilled cheese croutons
Creamy Tomato Basil Soup with Grilled Cheese Croutons — photographed fresh from our test kitchen.
  • Prep time10 mins
  • Cook time30 mins
  • Servings4
  • DifficultyMedium
  • CategoryLunch

Some pairings are classics for a reason. This soup is rich but not heavy — crushed tomatoes simmered with onion and garlic, blended silky, finished with cream and a handful of fresh basil. The grilled cheese croutons on top are pure joy: buttery, golden, and they melt just slightly into the soup.

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 cans (800 g total) crushed tomatoes
  • 2 cups (480 ml) vegetable broth
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 1/2 tsp dried oregano
  • 1/2 cup (120 ml) heavy cream, plus more to serve
  • 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, torn, plus more to serve
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 2 slices sandwich bread
  • 2 slices cheddar cheese
  • 1 tbsp butter, softened

Method

  1. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook 5 to 6 minutes until soft and translucent.
  2. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute more, until fragrant.
  3. Pour in the crushed tomatoes and vegetable broth. Stir in the sugar and oregano.
  4. Bring to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened.
  5. Blend until completely smooth with an immersion blender (or in batches in a countertop blender).
  6. Stir in the cream and torn basil. Season generously with salt and pepper.
  7. For the croutons: butter the bread slices, sandwich the cheddar between them, and grill in a hot pan until golden and melted on both sides. Cut into 2 cm cubes.
  8. Ladle the soup into bowls, scatter over the grilled cheese croutons, and finish with basil and a swirl of cream.

Tips for success

  • A teaspoon of sugar tames the acidity of canned tomatoes without making the soup sweet.
  • For a lighter version, replace the cream with an extra splash of broth and a spoonful of olive oil.
  • The soup freezes beautifully for up to 3 months — add the cream after thawing.

Watch video tutorial

Prefer to watch it being made? This from YouTube walkthrough covers the same creamy tomato basil soup with grilled cheese croutons step by step — the spoken narration doubles as an audio tutorial.

Watch on YouTube