Cream of Tomato Soup with Cheese & Onion Toasties

There’s a reason tomato soup and a cheese toastie never really go out of fashion.

It’s comforting in the way only slightly nostalgic food can be - rich tomato soup, plenty of melted cheese, something warm to dip into the bowl while it’s still steaming.

This version keeps things simple but adds a few small upgrades along the way. The soup is smooth, creamy and slow enough to feel comforting without taking all evening, while the toastie gets a little extra depth from spring onion and smoky chipotle in adobo.

Nothing complicated. Just the sort of lunch or easy dinner that always feels worth making.

Serves 4

Creamy Tomato Soup

You’ll Need

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tins chopped tomatoes
• 900ml vegetable stock
• 120ml double cream
• Salt and black pepper

To Make

• Heat the olive oil and butter in a large saucepan over a medium heat.
• Add the onion and cook gently for 4–5 minutes until softened but not coloured. Stir through the garlic and cook for another minute.
• Pour in the chopped tomatoes and vegetable stock, then bring everything to a gentle simmer. Cook for 10–15 minutes to allow the flavours to settle together.
• Blend until completely smooth, then return the soup to the pan.
• Stir through the cream and season well with salt and black pepper before serving.

Cheese & Onion Toastie with Chipotle

You’ll Need

• 2 slices of bread
• 40g strong cheddar, grated
• 30g mozzarella, grated
• 1–2 tbsp butter
• 1 spring onion, finely sliced
• 1–2 tsp chipotle in adobo

To Make

• Heat a frying pan over a medium-low heat.
• Butter one side of each slice of bread. Place one slice into the pan, buttered side down.
• Scatter over the cheddar, mozzarella, spring onion and chipotle, spreading everything evenly right to the edges.
• Top with the second slice of bread, buttered side facing upwards.
• Cook slowly until golden underneath and the cheese starts to melt, then carefully flip and cook the other side until crisp and deeply golden.
• Leave to rest for a minute before slicing.
• Why This Works

The soup leans into everything people love about classic cream of tomato soup - smooth texture, rich tomato flavour and enough cream to make it feel properly comforting.

The toastie does the opposite. Sharp cheddar, spring onion and smoky chipotle cut through the richness and stop everything becoming too heavy.

Together, it’s the sort of meal that feels nostalgic while still tasting slightly more grown-up than the versions many of us grew up with.

Best Served With

Best eaten immediately while the toastie is still crisp and the soup is hot enough for dunking.

Add extra black pepper, chilli flakes or a spoonful of chilli oil if you like a bit more heat.