Tomato Cheddar Soup

Tomato cheddar soup just screams comfort food! Serve it with fresh dill, crackers, or on its own and you’ll fall in love with this rich, creamy soup before you know it.

Because all recipes require a bit of rambling before we get to the good stuff…let me tell you a little bit about my history with tomato soup before I dive into the recipe.

When I was in preschool, some days my best friend and I would go to her house after school for lunch before my mom picked me up. Other days, she would come to my house for lunch before her mom picked her up. Anyway, one thing was for sure: when we had our choice for what was for lunch, we ALWAYS chose tomato soup. And luckily, that often came with a side of grilled cheese.

Over the years, my love for tomato soup hasn’t wavered one bit. It’s one of my all-time favorite comfort foods (and it’s vegetarian!).

I usually top it with soda crackers and dill, and sometimes a sprinkle of cheese. (When I was younger I would add a scoop of Cheez Whiz to it…). I used to love Campbell’s tomato soup, but since Whipple surgery, it makes me sick when I eat it which is a bummer! So, there goes something I used to eat at least once a week.

Thank goodness making your own tomato soup tastes even better than anything you could ever get in a can!

While it takes more work than heating up the contents of a can with milk and water, making your own tomato soup is a (small) labor of love that pays off BIG TIME!

Enter: My homemade tomato cheddar soup! I use lactose-free milk when I make it so it doesn’t make me sick and it’s soooo satisfying, comforting, and delicious!

Tomato Cheddar Soup

I don’t know about you, but tomato soup is one of my all-time favorite comfort foods, and adding cheddar to it just takes it to the next level of delicious and satisfying! This beats anything you could get in a can, time and time again.

prep time: 15 mins cook time: 40 mins total time: 55 minutes Makes: 6 servings

ingredients:

2 (28 oz) cans of peeled tomatoes, unseasoned

2 tbsp. olive oil

2 tbsp. butter

1 medium onion, chopped

1 tbsp. minced garlic

1 sprig of thyme

1 tbsp. tomato paste

3 cups vegetable broth

1 tsp. sugar

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. onion powder

1/2 tsp. paprika

1/2 cup cream

1.5 cups cheddar cheese (preferably sharp)

Optional but highly recommended: 2 tbsp. dill weed

instructions

Puree tomatoes in a blender or food processor until they’re very smooth.

Heat olive oil and butter in a large pot until melted, and then add onions.

Cook your onions until they’re translucent, about ten minutes.

Add garlic, cook for one minute.

Add tomato paste, stir.

Add pureed tomatoes, broth, thyme, sugar, salt and pepper, and paprika, and dill.

Bring to a boil, then let simmer for 30 minutes.

Remove the sprig of thyme!

Using an immersion blender or regular blender (be sure to lift the lid SLIGHTLY to let steam escape), blend the soup until very smooth.

Add cheese and cream, stir well until cream is incorporated and the cheese begins to melt.

Serve on its own, or top with crackers or croutons and more fresh dill!

Hope you love it!

xo – C

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