![Southern Living Ultimate Tomato Soup And Big Batch Fancy Grilled Cheese ready to serve](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.southernliving.com/thmb/fE-anuWfaAWdMZckAvXwX9TXFd4=/1500x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/27619_SupT_Crowds_072-183b0d946a7342a59c2a13a17902aebe.jpg)
Victor Protasio; Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Stylist: Christina Daley
This homemade tomato soup is way more nuanced than the store-bought canned stuff. It still has that classic, slightly sweet flavor, which this soup gets not just from tomatoes but also from carrots. Adding ginger, while not traditional, gives this soup a warming and cozy flavor that works especially well with our gussied up grilled cheese.
We wouldn’t give you a fresh take on tomato soup without a great grilled cheese to go with, now would we? This sandwich has it all: It’s sweet, salty, spicy, and packs a whopping 12 ounces of cheese. The pepper jelly spread on the inside of the bread is what really takes this sandwich to the next level—it has a subtle sweetness that plays well off of the soup. These recipes only further prove why these two dishes make such a perfect combination.
Ingredients
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3 Tbsp. olive oil
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1 medium-size yellow onion, thinly sliced (about 1 3/4 cups)
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3 small carrots, peeled and thinly sliced (about 3/4 cup)
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2 1/2 tsp. kosher salt, divided
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1 Tbsp. finely chopped garlic (from 3 garlic cloves)
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1 Tbsp. grated fresh ginger
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1/8-1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
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5 (5-inch) thyme sprigs
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2 (28-oz.) cans whole peeled San Marzano plum tomatoes, crushed
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2 tsp. light brown sugar
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2 cups vegetable stock
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1/2-3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
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1 (20- to 22-inch) baguette, split lengthwise
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1/2 cup red pepper jelly
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6 oz. aged white Cheddar cheese, thinly sliced
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6 oz. smoked Gouda cheese, thinly sliced
Directions
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Preheat oven to 425°F. Heat oil in a large Dutch oven overmedium-high. Add onion, carrots, and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt; cook, stirring often, until vegetables are golden brown around edges, 10 to 12 minutes. Add garlic, ginger, cayenne pepper, and thyme; cook, stirring often, until fragrant, about 1 minute.
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Stir tomatoes and sugar into Dutch oven. Bring to a simmer over medium-high. Cook, stirring often, until slightly thickened, about 10 minutes. Add vegetable stock, and bring to a simmer over medium-high. Cook, stirring occasionally, until flavors meld, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat. Discard thyme sprigs.
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Process tomato mixture using an immersion blender until smooth, about 1 minute. (Alternatively, working in 2 batches, ladle tomato mixture into a blender. Secure lid on blender, and remove center piece to allow steam to escape. Place a towel over opening, and process until smooth, about 30 seconds. Return to Dutch oven.) Stir in 1/2 cup of the cream and remaining 2 teaspoons salt. For a creamier consistency, add up to 1/4 cup additional cream.
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Cut split baguette in half crosswise; arrange halves side by side and cut sides up on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Hollow out bread from rounded top halves of baguette. Spread pepper jelly evenly over cut sides of baguette. Stuff cheeses evenly into hollowed-out baguette halves. If needed, place some of the cheese on bottom baguette halves.
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Bake in preheated oven until cheese is melted, 10 to 12 minutes. Carefully place top baguette halves, cheese side down, over bottom baguette halves. Cut each half crosswise into 4 slices for a total of 8 sandwiches. Serve warm with soup.