Bloody Tomato Soup Served with Grilled Cheese Mummies
The onion softens in the saucepan while the kitchen starts to smell like garlic and tomatoes. That’s the first sign these Bloody Tomato Soup Served with Grilled Cheese Mummies are…
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The onion softens in the saucepan while the kitchen starts to smell like garlic and tomatoes. That’s the first sign these Bloody Tomato Soup Served with Grilled Cheese Mummies are coming together: familiar tomato soup, but with buttery toast dressed up in mozzarella strips and olive eyes. I like that the soup simmers while I get the sandwiches ready, so the two parts finish close together.
Crushed tomatoes give the soup a smooth, rich base without peeling or chopping fresh tomatoes, and a little sugar rounds off their sharper edge. I puree the tomato mixture before stirring in the cream; that order keeps the soup silky and makes it easy to warm gently at the end. The mummies get their color from a slow toast in a covered skillet, not a blast of high heat, so the bread turns golden while the cheese melts. Set out four bowls and serve the toast while its edges are still crisp.
Kitchen Note
I puree the soup before adding the cream. The immersion blender makes quick work of the tomatoes and onion, and blending before the dairy goes in keeps the finished soup smooth instead of foamy.
Save these Bloody Tomato Soup and Grilled Cheese Mummies for a cozy dinner or a playful Halloween meal, with smooth tomato soup and golden, cheesy toasts.
Why Canned Tomatoes Need a Little Sweetness Before the Cream Goes In
Crushed tomatoes are convenient, but their bright, concentrated flavor can taste sharper than a bowl of soup made with fresh tomatoes. The sugar here isn’t meant to make the soup sweet. It softens that edge so the tomato still tastes like the main event, rather than leaving a sour note at the back of your tongue.
The cream brings a second kind of balance: it softens the tomato’s acidity and gives the soup a rounder, more velvety finish. Add it after the soup has been pureed, then warm everything over low heat. Boiling the soup at that point can make the dairy separate and leave the surface looking oily. A gentle warm-through keeps the texture even, while the tomato flavor stays clear. This balance is what makes a simple can of tomatoes feel like a proper bowl of soup without burying it under extra seasoning.
What Makes the Soup Smooth and the Mummy Toasts Hold Their Shape
- Crushed tomatoes — Their already-broken-down texture makes a smooth soup without extra prep. Canned whole peeled tomatoes in the same can size are a useful substitute; crush them before adding, then puree the soup as usual. A standard canned brand works well here.
- Yellow onion and garlic — The onion gives the soup a mellow savory base, while garlic adds its fragrance in a short cook. Chop the onion evenly so it softens at the same pace. Fresh garlic gives the cleanest flavor; jarred minced garlic can work in a pinch, though it tastes less bright.
- Low-sodium vegetable broth — It loosens the tomatoes while letting you control the salt. Chicken broth can replace it in the same amount if the soup doesn’t need to stay vegetarian; expect a fuller, less purely vegetable flavor.
- Heavy cream — This is what makes the soup feel lush rather than simply tomatoey. Half-and-half can replace it in the same amount for a lighter, thinner finish; keep the heat low either way. There’s no need for a specialty brand of cream.
- White sandwich bread and softened butter — Soft, even slices bend easily into the mummy-toast shape, and softened butter spreads without tearing them. Whole-wheat sandwich bread works in the same format and adds a nuttier taste, though its denser crumb makes a less classic-looking mummy.
- Mozzarella and black olives — Mozzarella melts into mild, stretchy strips without competing with the soup. Provolone slices can stand in for a slightly stronger, savory flavor. Ordinary sliced black olives are ideal for the eyes; pat them dry if they look wet so they sit neatly on the melted cheese.
Build the Soup First, Then Toast the Mummies in Two Stages
Soften the onion before adding garlic
Warm the olive oil in a 4-quart saucepan over medium heat, then add the chopped onion. Cook for 5–7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it’s softened; it should look translucent around the edges rather than browned. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds, just until fragrant. Garlic can turn bitter if it darkens, so move on as soon as that aroma comes up.
Simmer the tomatoes until the flavors settle
Add the crushed tomatoes, vegetable broth, sugar, kosher salt, and black pepper. Bring the mixture to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low and cook uncovered for 15 minutes. You’re looking for gentle bubbles, not a vigorous boil that spits tomato around the saucepan. Stir once in a while, especially if the soup is bubbling more actively around the edges.
Puree first, then warm in the cream
Blend the soup with an immersion blender until no visible pieces of onion remain and the texture looks even. Keep the blender head below the surface to limit splashing. Stir in the heavy cream and warm the soup over low heat for 2–3 minutes without letting it boil. It should be hot and silky, with the cream fully blended into the tomato base.
Toast, cover, and finish the mummy faces
Heat a 12-inch skillet over medium-low heat. Spread softened butter on one side of each bread slice and toast in batches, butter-side down, for 2–3 minutes until the undersides are golden. Cut the mozzarella into strips and arrange them crosswise on the unbuttered side, leaving a gap near one end for the eyes. Cover the skillet and cook in batches for 2–4 minutes until the cheese melts, then add two olive slices to each toast and serve with the soup.
Two Easy Ways to Adapt the Mummy Toasts
Make a gluten-free batch
Use gluten-free sandwich bread and gluten-free vegetable broth in place of the regular versions. The soup stays tomato-forward, while the toast may be more delicate than white sandwich bread, so handle the slices gently when spreading butter and arranging the cheese.
Turn the mummies into dunkers
After the cheese has melted and the olive eyes are in place, cut each toast into strips for dipping. You’ll get more crisp edges in every bite, though the mummy faces become less distinct once the toast is sliced.
Storage and Reheating
- Refrigerator: Cool the soup and toast separately, refrigerate within 2 hours, and use the soup within 3–4 days. The toast is best within 1–2 days; the bread softens as it sits.
- Freezer: Freeze the soup in airtight portions for up to 2–3 months. Cream-based soup may separate slightly after thawing, so whisk it as it warms; cooked toast loses its crisp texture in the freezer.
- Reheating: Warm the soup in a saucepan over low heat, stirring until hot, and don’t let it boil. Reheat the toast in a skillet over medium-low heat; microwaving it tends to make the bread soft.
Questions That Come Up While Making This Soup and Toast
Bloody Tomato Soup Served with Grilled Cheese Mummies
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Heat the olive oil in a 4-quart saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened.
- Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds, until fragrant.
- Add the crushed tomatoes, vegetable broth, sugar, salt, and pepper. Bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low and cook uncovered for 15 minutes.
- Puree the soup with an immersion blender until smooth.
- Stir in the heavy cream and warm over low heat for 2-3 minutes without boiling.
- Heat a 12-inch skillet over medium-low heat.
- Spread the butter on one side of each bread slice.
- Toast in batches, butter-side down, for 2-3 minutes until golden underneath.
- Cut each mozzarella slice into strips.
- Arrange the mozzarella strips crosswise over the unbuttered side of each toast, leaving space near one end for eyes.
- Cover the skillet and cook in batches for 2-4 minutes until the cheese melts.
- Add two olive slices to each toast as eyes.
- Serve with the soup.
