Tomato Bisque with Grilled Cheese and Pesto Croutons

Warm, creamy, flavorful and comforting. And, made just a bit more special with grilled cheese and pesto croutons!

Soup might be especially welcome during the colder months, but truthfully, I love soup all year long. There’s something deeply comforting about a warm bowl set before you — especially when it’s a creamy tomato bisque served with grilled cheese and pesto croutons. This easy homemade tomato bisque is one I return to often, simple enough for a quiet weeknight and lovely enough for company.

For this creamy tomato bisque recipe, I add a few tablespoons of white rice as it simmers. It may seem like an unexpected ingredient, but it’s one of my favorite ways to thicken tomato soup naturally while creating a beautifully smooth texture. As the rice cooks, it becomes tender and releases its starches into the broth, giving the bisque that velvety consistency without heavy thickeners.

The rice also subtly absorbs the rich flavors of the tomatoes, garlic, and herbs as everything bubbles gently on the stove. Once the vegetables are soft and fragrant, the soup is blended until silky and smooth, the kind of homemade tomato bisque that feels both comforting and a little indulgent.

If you’d like to take it just a step further, a splash of cream at the end adds the loveliest finishing touch. It deepens the richness, softens the bright acidity of the tomatoes, and creates a beautifully balanced bowl of soup.

Serve this creamy tomato bisque with the grilled cheese and pesto croutons for the ultimate comfort meal, or offer it as a simple yet elegant first course. With its smooth texture and layered flavor, it’s the kind of soup that feels cozy, satisfying, and just a little bit special.

Tomato Bisque with Grilled Cheese and Pesto Croutons

Ingredients

Serves 4-6

• 2 tablespoons ghee or extra virgin olive oil

• 1 red onion, diced

• 2 ribs celery, diced

• 3 cloves garlic, minced

• ¾ teaspoon smoked paprika

• ¼ teaspoon dried oregano

• Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes

• 4 cups vegetable broth

• 1 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes

• 2 tablespoons white rice (jasmine or basmati)

• 1 teaspoon sugar

• 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar

• ½ cup heavy cream

Grilled Cheese and Pesto Croutons

• 2-3 tablespoons butter

• 8 slices thick white or sourdough bread

• ¼-1/3 cup basil pesto

• 4-8 slices provolone or smoked provolone

Instructions

1. Heat the ghee or olive oil in a soup pot over medium heat. When the ghee/oil is hot, add the diced onions and celery and saute until the vegetables are soft, about five minutes. Then stir in the garlic, smoked paprika, dried oregano and pinch of crushed red pepper flakes. Sauté for one minute longer.

2. Then stir in the vegetable broth and crushed tomatoes. Bring the soup to a simmer and then stir in the rice. Cover and simmer the soup on low for about 20-25 minutes or until the rice is soft.

3. Once the rice is soft, puree the soup with an immersion blender or place the soup in a blender and puree. If using a blender, let the soup cool just a bit before adding it to the blender. 

4. Once the soup has been pureed, place the soup pot back over low heat and stir in the teaspoon of sugar and red wine vinegar. Then season to taste with salt and pepper.

5. Last, take the soup off the heat and stir in the heavy cream. If you feel the soup is too thick it can be thinned with a little vegetable broth.

Grilled Cheese and Pesto Croutons

Directions

1. Spread butter on the outside of each slice of bread.

2. Spread pesto on the inside of each slice of bread.

3. lace a slice or two of provolone on four slices of bread.

4. Top with the pesto smeared bread and then place the sandwiches in the skillet and brown on both sides.

5. Let the sandwiches cool for about 5 minutes before cutting them into small squares like croutons. I like to skewer two or three croutons and then serve them with my soup.