Tomato Soup with Grilled Cheese and Bacon Croutons
Servings 4
Ingredients
Tomato soup
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 small onion chopped
- 1 medium carrot peeled and chopped
- 1 celery stalk chopped
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 28 ounces canned tomatoes crushed or diced
- 1 cup vegetable or chicken stock
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ⅓ cup heavy cream
- salt and pepper
Croutons
- 2 tablespoons softened butter divided
- 4 slices bread
- 4 slices sharp cheddar cheese
- 6 strips cooked bacon
- ½ cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Heat oil in medium pot over medium-high heat. Add onion, carrot, and celery. Saute until vegetables have softened, about 7-8 minutes. Add garlic and saute for 1 more minute.
- Add canned tomatoes, Italian seasoning, and chicken or vegetable stock. Bring to a boil, cover the pot, and reduce the heat to low. Simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and puree soup until desired consistency.
- Return soup to the pot and add heavy cream. Season with salt and pepper and heat for 1 more minute. Set aside and keep warm.
- Assemble grilled cheese sandwiches. Spread butter on one side of each of the bread slices. Flip the bread over so that the buttered side is facing down. Place a slice of cheese on top of two of the slices. Lay 3 slices of bacon per sandwich followed by another slice of cheese. Stack the other slice of bread on top, buttered side facing up. Spread shredded cheese on top of the bread, pressing down gently to make the cheese stick to the butter.
- Heat a nonstick pan or griddle over medium-low heat. Carefully place the sandwiches on the pan, with the cheese side facing down. Sprinkle more shredded cheese on top. When the bottom turns golden brown, flip the sandwich over and cook until golden brown on the other side.
- Remove sandwiches from the pan and cut into bite-size pieces. Ladle soup into bowls and top with grilled cheese and bacon croutons.
Notes
You can make the soup the day before and reheat it before serving.