It’s fall, and pumpkin is the star of the show, especially in this smooth pumpkin tomato soup. If you haven’t tried it yet, this cozy soup will win you over—pumpkin adds the perfect touch of sweetness to traditional tomato soup. The best part? You can whip up both the soup and cheesy sticks in under 30 minutes, making it the easiest fall dinner that everyone in the family will love. And let’s not forget, it’s super kid-friendly—the grilled cheese sticks are sure to be a hit!
For the pumpkin tomato soup:
Pumpkin puree gives this soup a savory, comforting twist, while heavy cream and Parmesan cheese make it extra creamy. We like to serve it with fresh basil and a drizzle of heavy cream, but feel free to get creative: skip the herbs, add extra Parmesan, or even try a dollop of pesto.
For the grilled cheese sticks:
You can’t have tomato soup without grilled cheese, right? These cheesy sticks are a breeze to make with your favorite cheese! We love the sharp flavor of Swiss, but you can use any deli sliced cheese you like, such as Havarti, cheddar, or Monterey Jack.
Storage:
If you end up with leftovers, just pop them into an airtight container in the fridge, and they’ll stay fresh for up to 5 days.
Pumpkin Tomato Soup With Grilled Swiss Cheese Sticks
Ingredients
SOUP
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1/4 cup tomato paste
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 15-ounce can pure pumpkin puree
- 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese plus shavings for serving
- Kosher salt
- 3 tablespoons heavy cream plus more for drizzling
- Chopped fresh basil leaves for serving
GRILLED CHEESE STICKS
- 8 slices white bread crusts removed
- 8 slices deli-sliced baby Swiss cheese
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Instructions
**SOUP:**
- In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, melt the butter. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes, and cook, stirring, until fragrant and lightly golden, about 1 minute.
- Stir in the tomato paste and cook for another minute until lightly toasted. Add the chicken broth, pumpkin puree, grated Parmesan, and 3/4 teaspoon salt. Bring it to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium and let it simmer, stirring occasionally, until the soup slightly thickens and the flavors blend, about 5 minutes. Stir in the heavy cream.
**GRILLED CHEESE STICKS:**
- Flatten each slice of bread with a rolling pin until they’re about 1/4 inch thick. Place one slice of cheese on each piece of bread and roll them up tightly.
- In a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, melt the butter, swirling it to coat the bottom of the pan. Working in batches, add the rolled-up sticks to the skillet with the seam side down and cook, turning them often, until the bread turns golden and the cheese melts, about 3 minutes.
- Serve the soup in bowls, drizzle with cream, sprinkle with basil, and enjoy with the grilled cheese sticks on the side!