Fresh Tomato Soup with Crispy Cheese Toast

We're doing a very fresh twist on the classic cream of tomato soup with a grilled cheese sandwich. Since we're using fresh tomatoes at their peak of vine-ripened goodness, this simple soup is going to be not quite, but almost, 100% tomato.

• Preparation Time: 15 mins
• Cooking Time: 55 mins
• Total Time: 1 hr 10 mins
• Calories: 578 Calories

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 6 ounces shredded sharp white Cheddar cheese
• 8 slices Italian bread
• 1 anchovy fillet
• 1 pinch red pepper flakes (Optional)
• ¼ cup thinly sliced basil leaves
• 3 ½ pounds vine-ripened tomatoes

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Bake in the preheated oven until the cheese is well browned and crispy around the edges, 15 to 20 minutes. Let cool to room temperature.

Step 2

Remove soup from heat and pass through a mesh strainer into a bowl. Use the back of a ladle to push all the tomato mixture through. Discard the skins and seeds, which should be the only things left in the strainer.

Step 3

Transfer the strained tomato soup back into the saucepan and place back over medium-low heat. Continue cooking to thicken slightly, if desired, or simply bring back to a simmer and serve immediately with the cheese toasts.

Step 4

Prepare the tomato soup: Remove cores from tomatoes and cut in half crosswise. Reserve until needed.

Step 5

Heat butter and olive oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add garlic and anchovy and cook until garlic is sizzling in the hot fat, 45 seconds to 1 minute. Carefully add tomatoes with their juices, salt, and red pepper flakes. Toss with a spoon every few minutes until tomatoes release their liquid and start to break down.

Step 6

Once tomatoes have softened and started to collapse, reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, until tomatoes have fallen apart and the soup resembles a coarse tomato sauce, about 45 minutes.

Step 7

Meanwhile, prepare the cheese toast: Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with foil or a silicone liner. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil.

Step 8

Place bread slices on the prepared baking sheet. Top each slice with sliced basil, and then Cheddar cheese.