Name: Slabs Tomato Soup With Grilled Cheese Sandwich Recipe
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2 tbs olive oil; 1 tbs unsalted butter; 1 cup yellow onion, finely chopped; 3 cloves garlic cloves, minced; 2 tbs tomato paste; 28 oz canned whole tomatoes (preferably San Marzano), crushed by hand; 3 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth; 1 tsp sugar; 1 tsp dried oregano; 1 tsp red pepper flakes (optional); 1 tbs heavy cream or half-and-half (optional, for creaminess); 1 tsp salt; 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper; 2 tbsp fresh basil leaves, chopped (optional garnish); 4 tbs unsalted butter, softened (for spreading); 8 slices thick-sliced bread (sourdough or country loaf); 8 oz Havarti cheese, sliced; 4 slices American cheese slices; 1 tsp Dijon mustard (optional, thin layer); 0.5 tsp black pepper (optional)

Method

Tomato Soup

Sauté aromatics

In a medium-large pot set over medium heat, add olive oil and butter. When butter melts and starts to foam, add the chopped onion and a pinch of salt. Sauté, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent and beginning to brown at the edges, about 7–9 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook 30–60 seconds until fragrant.

Develop tomato base

Stir in the tomato paste and cook 1–2 minutes, stirring constantly, until the paste darkens slightly — this deepens the flavor. Add the crushed canned tomatoes (including juices), scraping any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.

Simmer

Pour in the broth, add sugar, dried oregano, and red pepper flakes if using. Bring to a gentle simmer, reduce heat to maintain a low simmer, and cook uncovered 15–20 minutes to meld flavors and slightly reduce.

Blend until smooth

Remove the pot from heat. Using an immersion blender, puree the soup until smooth and velvety. Alternatively, carefully transfer the soup in batches to a blender and puree, then return to the pot.

Finish

Stir in the heavy cream or half-and-half if using. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, tasting and adjusting salt/pepper as needed. Rewarm gently over low heat for 2–3 minutes — do not boil. If soup is too thick, add up to 1/2 cup extra broth or water to reach desired consistency.

Serve

Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with chopped fresh basil if desired. Keep warm while you make the sandwiches, or serve immediately with grilled cheese on the side.

Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

Assemble sandwiches

Lay out 4 slices of bread. If using, spread a thin layer of Dijon mustard on the inside of each slice. Top each of those 4 slices with 2 oz (approx.) Havarti slices (divide the 8 oz among the 4 sandwiches) and one American cheese slice. Close each sandwich with the remaining bread slices. Lightly season the inside with a little black pepper if desired.

Butter bread

Spread softened butter evenly on the outside faces of each sandwich. Use about 1 tablespoon butter per sandwich (total 4 tbsp) for a golden crust.

Grill

Heat a large skillet or griddle over medium to medium-low heat. Place sandwiches butter-side-down on the hot surface. Cook 3–4 minutes until the bottom is golden brown and crisp. Press gently with a spatula, then flip and cook an additional 3–4 minutes until the second side is golden and the cheeses are melted. If the bread is browning too quickly before the cheese melts, lower the heat and cover the pan with a lid briefly to trap heat and help the cheese melt.

Rest and slice

Transfer sandwiches to a cutting board and let rest 1 minute, then slice each in half or in diagonal quarters. Serve immediately alongside bowls of hot tomato soup for dipping.