Skip the dipping and add crispy grilled cheese croutons right into your soup instead.
Don’t have a panini press?
Make the grilled cheese for the croutons in a skillet or in a waffle maker instead.
Opt for San Marzano tomatoes if you could.
They have a much richer flavor and they tend to be lower in sodium.
Add onion and celery; cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 4 to 6 minutes.
Add garlic; cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 10 seconds.
Stir in tomatoes (with juice).
Add broth and bring to a lively simmer over high heat.
Reduce heat to maintain a lively simmer and cook for 10 minutes.
Puree the soup in the pot using an immersion blender or in batches in a blender.
(Use caution when pureeing hot liquids.)
Stir in cream, if using, salt and pepper.
Meanwhile, preheat a panini maker.
Spread one side of each slice of bread with the remaining 1 tablespoon butter.
Turn the slices over and top one with cheese.
Top with the other slice, butter-side up.
Cut the sandwich into bite-size pieces.
Divide the soup among 4 bowls.
Top each serving with grilled cheese croutons and a sprinkle of basil.
Tips
To make ahead: Prepare through Step 3 and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
- Daily Values (DVs) are the recommended amounts of nutrients to consume each day.
(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient.
