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–+ servings

Instant Pot Tomato Soup with Grilled-Cheese Croutons

This Instant Pot tomato soup is creamy, rich, and full of comforting flavors, perfect for quick and easy cooking.
Paired with crispy grilled-cheese croutons, this dish elevates a classic comfort food into a satisfying meal ideal for dipping.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Course Soup
Cuisine American
Servings 4

Ingredients
  

For the Soup

  • 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 bunch scallions sliced
  • 1 yellow onion diced
  • 1 large carrot peeled and cut into ½-inch disks, then halved
  • 2 tablespoons cooking sherry
  • 2 28-ounce cans whole peeled tomatoes, with juices
  • 1 cup vegetable broth
  • 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tablespoon dried basil
  • 1 ½ teaspoons Old Bay seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 6-ounce can tomato paste
  • 1 cup heavy cream or half-and-half
  • 1 5.2-ounce package Boursin cheese (any flavor) or 4 ounces cream cheese, cut into cubes
  • 1 ½ teaspoons seasoned salt
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper

For the Grilled-Cheese Croutons

  • 4 slices sandwich bread rye or pumpernickel swirl recommended
  • Butter or mayonnaise for spreading
  • Sliced melty cheese American cheese recommended

Instructions
 

Making the Soup in the Instant Pot

  • Sauté the vegetables: Turn on the Sauté function in your Instant Pot and set it to High or More. Pour in the olive oil and heat for 3 minutes. Add the scallions, onion, and carrot. Stir occasionally and cook for 10 minutes, until softened and slightly browned.
  • Deglaze the pot: Pour in the cooking sherry and stir well, scraping the bottom to loosen any browned bits. Cook for 1 minute to allow the alcohol to cook off.
  • Pressure cook the soup: Add the canned tomatoes, vegetable broth, Worcestershire sauce, dried basil, Old Bay seasoning, and dried thyme. Stir everything together. Secure the Instant Pot lid, set the valve to Sealing, and cook on High Pressure for 5 minutes. Once done, perform a quick release.
  • Blend the soup: Remove the lid and stir in the tomato paste. Use an immersion blender (or work in batches with a countertop blender) to blend the soup until it becomes smooth.

Making the Grilled-Cheese Croutons

  • While the soup is cooking, prepare the grilled cheese. Heat a frying pan over medium heat. Spread butter or mayonnaise on one side of each bread slice. Place the buttered side down onto the hot pan and layer 2-3 slices of cheese over it. Top with another slice of bread, buttered side up.
  • Cook for 3-4 minutes per side, until both sides are golden brown and crispy. Let the sandwich cool for 2 minutes, then slice it into 1-inch cubes to create croutons.

Final Touches

  • Add cream and cheese: Stir the heavy cream, Boursin (or cream cheese), seasoned salt, and black pepper into the soup. Blend again for a few seconds to ensure a creamy consistency.
  • Serve and enjoy: Pour the soup into bowls and top with the grilled-cheese croutons. Serve warm and enjoy!

Notes

  • Each grilled cheese sandwich makes about 8-10 croutons. If you want more croutons, simply make additional sandwiches.
  • Using American cheese or another melty variety makes it much easier to cut the croutons cleanly.
  • Feel free to customize the soup by adding red pepper flakes for heat or a splash of balsamic vinegar for added depth.
Keyword creamy tomato soup, easy comfort food, homemade grilled cheese croutons, instant pot recipes, instant pot tomato soup, pressure cooker soup
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