Dairy-Free Creamy Tomato Soup with Grilled Cheese Croutons

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp Olive oil
• 1 medium Onion
• 2 cloves Garlic
• 28 oz Canned crushed tomatoes
• 2 cups Vegetable broth
• 1 can Coconut milk (full-fat)
• 1 tsp Dried basil
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 1/4 tsp Black pepper
• 4 slices Dairy-free bread
• 4 slices Dairy-free cheese slices

Instructions

1. 1Heat the 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pot over medium heat (350°F / 175°C). Add the 1 medium onion, chopped into 1/2-inch pieces, and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion pieces are softened and look translucent.
2. 2Add the 2 cloves of garlic, minced, to the pot and cook for about 30 seconds, stirring constantly, until you can smell its fragrance. Be careful not to let it burn.
3. 3Pour in the 28 oz of canned crushed tomatoes, 2 cups of vegetable broth, 1 teaspoon of dried basil, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper. Stir everything together. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, then reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and let it cook for 15 minutes, stirring once or twice.
4. 4While the soup is simmering, prepare the grilled cheese croutons. Lay out the 4 slices of dairy-free bread. Place 1 slice of dairy-free cheese on top of each slice of bread. Place the other slices of bread on top to make sandwiches.
5. 5Heat a non-stick skillet or griddle over medium heat (350°F / 175°C). Cook the grilled cheese sandwiches for 3 to 5 minutes per side, until the bread is golden brown and toasted, and the dairy-free cheese is melted and gooey. You can gently press down on the sandwiches with a spatula as they cook.
6. 6Remove the grilled cheese sandwiches from the skillet and let them cool on a cutting board for about 2 minutes. Once slightly cooled, use a sharp knife to cut each sandwich into small, bite-sized squares, about 1/2-inch to 1-inch in size, to create your croutons.
7. 7Stir the 1 can of full-fat coconut milk into the tomato soup in the pot. Heat the soup gently for 2 to 3 minutes until it is warmed through, but do not let it boil. Carefully use an immersion blender to blend the soup directly in the pot until it is completely smooth and creamy. If you do not have an immersion blender, you can carefully transfer the soup in batches to a regular blender, blend until smooth, and then return it to the pot.
8. 8Ladle the hot, creamy tomato soup into bowls. Top each serving generously with the prepared grilled cheese croutons.

Substitutions

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