Tomato Soup with Grilled Cheese Croutons

By carol gorman

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 can. They have a much richer flavor and they tend to be lower in sodium.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons butter, divided
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 stalk celery, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 (28 ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes, preferably San Marzano
• 3 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth, "no-chicken" broth or vegetable broth
• ¼ cup heavy cream (optional)
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• Great Value Salt, 26 oz
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• ¼ teaspoon ground pepper
• 2 large slices whole-wheat country bread
• 2 ounces sliced sharp Cheddar cheese (3 slices)
• ¼ cup chopped fresh basil

Preparation

Step 1

Heat 1 tablespoon butter in a large saucepan over medium heat until the butter melts. 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. Cook the sandwich in the panini maker until golden brown and the cheese has melted, 4 to 5 minutes. 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.

To make ahead: Prepare through Step 3 and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Reheat before serving.