Vegan Grilled Cheese with Creamy Tomato Soup
Crispy vegan grilled cheese paired with silky tomato soup enriched with coconut milk and Violife creamy cheese. Caramelized onions and garlic build depth in the soup, while Italian herbs and fresh basil add brightness. A comforting dairy-free meal ready in under 45 minutes.
Ingredients
- 4 Violife Cheddar Style slicesdairy cheddar cheese1:1Violife is vegan; dairy would remove vegan status
- 2 tbsp Becel Veganbutter1:1Plant-based; dairy butter removes vegan
adds:dairy
- 2 slice sourdough bread
- 5 oz Violife Original Creamyvegan cream1:1neutral
Alternative vegan option
- 1 tbsp Becel Veganbutter1:1Plant-based; dairy butter removes vegan
adds:dairy
- 1 onion, sliced
- 3 clove garlic, sliced
- 14 oz whole peeled tomatoes, canned
- 1 cup water
- 1 coconut milk, canned
- 1 tbsp Italian dried herbsfresh Italian herbs1:3confidence:3
Adjust to taste; fresh wilts quickly
- ½ tsp salt and pepper
- fresh basil, to garnish(optional)
Instructions
- 1
Spread Becel Vegan on one side of each bread slice.
- 2
Place bread slices Becel-side down in a hot skillet over medium heat. Top two slices with Violife Cheddar Style slices and close with remaining bread slices.
- 3
Spread another layer of Becel Vegan on the outside.
- 4
Flip when golden brown and grill for 2 minutes until both sides are golden.
- 5
In a medium pot over medium heat, sauté onion in Becel Vegan for 7-10 minutes until golden and caramelized.
- 6
Add garlic cloves for the last 2 minutes and stir.
- 7
Pour in tomatoes and break them up with a spoon.
- 8
Add water, coconut milk, Italian herbs, salt and pepper. Simmer for 10 minutes.
- 9
Blend soup with electric hand mixer until smooth.
- 10
Whisk in half the Violife Creamy Original until creamy.
- 11
Garnish with fresh basil and remaining Violife Creamy Original.
- 12
Serve soup alongside grilled cheese sandwich.
Tips
Monitor bread temperature to prevent burning; reduce heat if browning too quickly.
Caramelizing onions fully deepens soup flavor significantly.
Blend soup until completely smooth for best creamy texture.
Whisk in Violife Creamy Original gently to avoid breaking emulsion.
Good to Know
Soup keeps refrigerated up to 4 days. Reheat gently on stovetop with additional plant milk if thickened.
Prepare soup up to 2 days ahead. Reheat and blend again if texture changes. Assemble sandwich fresh to order.
Serve soup hot in bowls alongside warm grilled cheese sandwich. Garnish soup with basil and Violife dollop.
Common Mistakes
Do not overmix soup after blending; excessive processing can make it gluey.
Do not skip caramelizing onions; rushing this step loses key flavor.
Do not add cheese to bread before skillet contact; it slides off cold bread.
Do not whisk Violife too vigorously into hot soup; it may separate.
Substitutions
Dairy-Free Swaps
General Alternatives
Alternative vegan option
Adjust to taste; fresh wilts quickly