Tomato soup and grilled cheese are one of the all-time great combinations, though you wouldn’t necessarily think to bring it to a potluck. But why not? A couple of little adjustments like turning a whole sandwich into slices that are perfect for dunking in little cups of soup, and now you’ve got a party favorite.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This is a perfect late-summer option, when the tomatoes at the farmer’s market are at their best. With a simple but rich vegetable stock as a base, the tangy, full tomato flavor shines brightly. You can use any great-tasting tomato varieties, but we prefer full-flavor heirloom tomatoes and our favorites, late-season dry-farmed Early Girls (yes, they’re named that because they can ripen early in the season, but the intense dry-farmed version shows up at the farmer’s market here in August). We used those gorgeous red Early Girls you see in the photo, though the soup still comes out that delightful orange color.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Summer over or hasn’t started yet? Don’t worry, you can make this soup at any time of year using high-quality canned tomatoes, which would be just about as good. The stock ingredients are available year round, but for convenience you can also substitute store-bought vegetable stock, ideally one that doesn’t upstage the tomatoes; if you want to use store-bought stock, we’d recommend Imagine Foods Vegetarian No-Chicken Broth (the low-sodium variety if possible).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And of course you can use whatever cheese or blend of cheeses that suits your fancy; for a gooier option, mix cheddar with jack or mozzarella, or even go old-school with American. If you want to make the dish vegan, find a good melty vegan cheese and griddle the sandwiches in margarine instead of butter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Or just skip the grilled cheese dippers and bring the tomato soup by itself. No one will complain when it’s the best tomato soup they’ve ever tasted.<\/p>\n\n\n