This Red Wine Tomato Soup is rich, creamy, and delicious, and the fontina grilled cheese dippers make it a meal!
How about a little wine with your soup?
This tomato soup is a rare dinner time unicorn because it’s one of the few meals that every single person in my family will eat and enjoy. With six people in our family this is really hard to find.
Is it weird that most of the meals we can all agree on are made with alcohol? Let’s just say we’re sophisticated.
This soup is lightly adapted from amazing OG boss lady Joy the Baker. It has a rich tomato taste from two types of tomatoes, tons of flavor from extra veggies and red wine, and a creamy finish from everyone’s favorite – heavy cream. One of the very best things is how fast it all comes together!
An easy tomato soup recipe is one of those back-pocket dinner must-haves. It’s warm, comforting, and surprisingly filling (especially when you go nuts on toppings like I do!)
Do you add toppings to your soup? It’s my favorite part! Go classic with oyster crackers or if you’re like me you’ll add pepitas (affiliate link) for protein and crunch and a sprinkling of crushed red pepper flakes. This gives it an extra kick of flavor in line with the savory Italian flavors.
How to make tomato soup
Homemade tomato soup starts with by cooking onions and carrots until soft. Next you’ll add vinegar and wine for flavor, then tomato paste and flour for thickening.
Finally add tomatoes and vegetable broth before simmering. Once everything’s ready, add a bit of heavy cream to make it extra creamy and help it cool down because you’re going to want to take a bite right away!
How to make grilled cheese dippers
Let’s not forget the fontina grilled cheese dippers. The fontina pairs so perfectly with the tomatoes, and melts so luxuriously. I like to sneak in a little spinach with all that cheese, and if I’m feeling really crazy I’ll include a drizzle of sriracha.
I make my grilled cheese sandwiches on my Cuisinart Griddler, but you can use any panini press or simply cook in a skillet over medium heat until toasty and melted, flipping once.
This red wine tomato soup can be easily customized! Here are a few ideas to get you started:
- Omit the red wine for an alcohol-free classic tomato soup recipe
- Use a gluten-free flour blend to make it gluten-free
- Use vegan butter substitute and full fat canned coconut milk to make it vegan (skip the grilled cheese)
- Omit the spinach from the grilled cheese dippers if desired or swap in another leafy green or cooked veggie
- Swap the fontina for mozzarella, provolone, or cheddar cheese
- Add a drizzle of sriracha to the inside of the grilled cheese dippers
Looking for more recipes like this? You might want to try:
If you make this recipe be sure to rate it, leave a comment, or tag #theliveinkitchen on Instagram!
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Recipe
Red Wine Tomato Soup with Fontina Grilled Cheese Dippers
Ingredients
Red Wine Tomato Soup
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 medium carrot, finely diced
- Coarse kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Splash of red wine vinegar
- ⅓ cup red wine
- ¼ cup all purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 dried bay leaf
- 28-30 ounces vegetable broth
- 2 28 ounce cans whole tomatoes with basil, preferably san marzano
- ½-3/4 cup heavy cream
Fontina Grilled Cheese Dippers
- Olive oil
- Sourdough bread
- Fontina cheese, shredded
- Baby spinach
Instructions
Make the soup
- Melt butter in a large Dutch oven over medium heat.
- Add the oil, carrot, and onion and season with salt and pepper. Cook 7-8 minutes until the onions are translucent and soft.
- Add the splash of vinegar and the wine and stir until the liquid is cooked off.
- Turn the heat to low and stir in the flour. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring, 1 minute.
- Add the broth and bay leaf. Using clean hands, break up the tomatoes as you add them to the pot with their juice. Bring to a boil and reduce the heat to a simmer. Let simmer 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Remove the Dutch oven from the heat and use an emulsion blender to blend the soup until smooth. If you don’t have an emulsion blender, add soup to a regular blender in batches, being sure to vent the steam as you blend. Add the cream, taste, and season with salt and pepper as needed.
Make the fontina grilled cheese dippers
- While the soup is simmering, make the grilled cheese dippers by heating a panini press to medium high heat. Drizzle olive oil on the bottom plate of the hot press and add a slice of sourdough bread. Sprinkle with a bit of fontina cheese, layer on a small handful of baby spinach, and top with more cheese. Finish with another slice of sourdough, drizzle with olive oil, and close the press. Cook until brown and melty, about five minutes. Remove from the press, allow to cool 2 minutes, then slice into sticks.
Notes
- Omit the red wine for an alcohol-free classic tomato soup
- Use a gluten-free flour blend to make it gluten-free
- Use vegan butter substitute and full fat canned coconut milk to make it vegan (skip the grilled cheese)
- Omit the spinach from the grilled cheese dippers if desired or swap in another leafy green or cooked veggie
- Swap the fontina for mozzarella, provolone, or cheddar cheese
- Add a drizzle of sriracha to the inside of the grilled cheese dippers
Odele says
Amazing colors! Great recipe! I would love a soup on this cold winter! Thank you!
Lindsay Moe says
Thanks Odele!