Grilled cheese and tomato soup (dairy-free)
This grilled cheese and tomato soup is cozy comfort food for chilly nights. A bowl of creamy, smoky tomato soup topped with fresh basil sits alongside a crisp sourdough sandwich filled with melty dairy-free cheddar, made for dipping.
It’s quick, too. There’s no roasting and no long simmer. The vegetables cook in one pot for about 5 minutes, the blender does the rest, and the sandwiches toast while the soup blends, so dinner is on the table in about 30 minutes.
Preparation Time: 30 minutesIngredients
Tomato soup
- 0.25 cup raw cashews
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 0.5 white onion, chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 0.5 cup chopped red bell pepper
- 0.33 cup chopped carrot
- 5 Roma tomatoes, chopped (or 1 [28-ounce] can diced tomatoes)
- 0.25 cup sun-dried tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 2.5 cups vegetable broth
- 2 Medjool dates, pitted
- 1 tablespoon white miso
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
- pinch of salt
- 0.125 pinch of black pepper
- fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced, for serving
- 0.125 grated vegan parmesan, for serving (optional)
Grilled cheese
- 8 slices sourdough bread
- 8 slices vegan cheddar
- 0.125 Vegan butter, for the pan
Preparation
- Soak the cashews: Place the cashews in a small bowl and cover with hot water. Let them soak while you cook the vegetables, then drain.
- Sauté the vegetables: Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, bell pepper, and carrot, then the Roma tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, tomato paste, and smoked paprika. Cook, stirring often, for about 5 minutes, until everything is soft.
- Blend the soup: Transfer the vegetables to a blender. Add the vegetable broth, drained cashews, dates, miso, soy sauce, and nutritional yeast. Blend on high for about 5 minutes, until completely smooth. Taste, then add a pinch of salt and pepper only if needed.
- Warm if needed: If your blender isn’t high-powered, or you’d like the soup hotter, pour it back into the pot and warm it over low heat for a few minutes.
- Make the grilled cheese: While the soup blends, melt a little vegan butter in a skillet or grill pan over medium heat. Add 2 slices of bread and top each with 1 slice of vegan cheddar. Cover the pan and cook for about 3 minutes, until the bread is golden and crisp and the cheese melts. Press the slices together to make a sandwich. Repeat with the remaining bread and cheese.
- Serve: Ladle the soup into bowls and top with fresh basil and a sprinkle of vegan parmesan, if using. Cut the sandwiches in half and serve them alongside for dipping.
Tips
Soak the cashews longer for a regular blender: A quick soak works in a high-speed blender. If yours isn’t high-powered, soak the cashews in hot water for 15 to 30 minutes, or longer, so they blend smoothly.
Blend hot soup safely: Fill the blender no more than halfway, remove the small cap in the lid, and cover the opening with a kitchen towel so steam can escape. Blend in two batches if needed.
Taste before salting: The broth, miso, soy sauce, and sun-dried tomatoes already bring plenty of salt, so a small pinch is usually all it needs.
Use canned tomatoes when fresh aren’t in season: One 28-ounce can of diced tomatoes works in place of the Roma tomatoes and makes the soup even faster.
No dates? No problem: Use 1 to 2 teaspoons of sugar or maple syrup instead. Start with 1 teaspoon, taste, and add more only if the soup still tastes sharp.
Cover the pan for the grilled cheese: Vegan cheese melts more slowly, and a lid makes all the difference. Keep the heat at medium so the bread doesn’t brown before the cheese melts.
Add the basil at the end: Fresh basil on top keeps its bright flavor and adds a pop of green to each bowl.
Make ahead: The soup keeps well, so it’s easy to make ahead. Grilled cheese is best made fresh, right before serving.
Storage: Refrigerate the soup in a covered container for 3 to 4 days, or freeze for 3 to 4 months.
Reheating: Warm the soup in a pot over low heat, stirring often, and add a splash of broth if it has thickened.
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