Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Heat olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add chopped onion and cook until softened, about 5-7 minutes.
- Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute more until fragrant.
- Pour in the crushed tomatoes and vegetable broth. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Carefully blend the soup until smooth using an immersion blender or a regular blender (work in batches if using a regular blender). Return the soup to the pot if necessary.
- Stir in the heavy cream, chopped basil, and sugar. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Simmer for another 5 minutes. Let the soup rest for 10 minutes before serving.
- While the soup simmers, prepare the grilled cheese sandwiches. Spread butter on one side of each slice of bread.
- Place four slices of bread, butter-side down, in a skillet or on a griddle over medium heat. Top each with a slice of cheddar and a slice of provolone cheese.
- Place the remaining four slices of bread on top, butter-side up. Grill for 3-5 minutes per side, until golden brown and the cheese is melted.
- Cut the grilled cheese sandwiches in half and serve immediately with the warm tomato basil soup.
Nutrition
Notes
For a richer soup, you can use half-and-half instead of heavy cream. You can also add a pinch of red pepper flakes for a little heat. Experiment with different cheeses for your grilled cheese, such as Gruyere or Monterey Jack.