# What You Need:
→ Soup
01 - 30 mL olive oil
02 - 1 medium yellow onion, diced
03 - 3 garlic cloves, minced
04 - 796 g crushed tomatoes (two 14-ounce cans)
05 - 480 mL vegetable broth
06 - 5 mL granulated sugar
07 - 5 mL salt
08 - 2.5 mL freshly ground black pepper
09 - 2.5 mL dried oregano
10 - 120 mL heavy cream
11 - 120 mL fresh basil leaves, chopped
→ Grilled Cheese Croutons
12 - 4 slices sourdough or country-style bread
13 - 28 g unsalted butter, softened
14 - 113 g sharp cheddar cheese, sliced
# How-To:
01 - Warm olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the diced onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent and softened, about 5 minutes.
02 - Add the minced garlic to the pot and cook for about 1 minute until fragrant, taking care not to brown it.
03 - Pour in the crushed tomatoes and vegetable broth, then stir in sugar, salt, black pepper and dried oregano. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook uncovered for 15 minutes to meld flavors.
04 - Remove the pot from heat, stir in the heavy cream and chopped basil until evenly incorporated.
05 - Use an immersion blender to purée the soup in the pot until smooth and velvety. If using a countertop blender, blend in batches and return to the pot.
06 - Return the puréed soup to low heat to keep warm while you prepare the croutons, stirring occasionally.
07 - Butter one side of each bread slice. Place cheddar between two slices with the buttered sides facing out to form two sandwiches.
08 - Heat a skillet over medium heat. Grill each sandwich until the bread is golden brown and the cheese is melted, about 3 minutes per side.
09 - Remove sandwiches from the skillet, let them cool briefly, then cut into 1-inch (about 2.5 cm) cubes to create croutons.
10 - Ladle the hot soup into bowls and top each portion with a handful of grilled cheese croutons. Garnish with extra basil leaves if desired.
