Creamy Tomato & Cheddar Soup

A rich and flavorful soup with fire-roasted tomatoes, sharp white cheddar, and fresh dill, served with crusty bread and butter.

Cook time: 30 minutes

Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 1 large Vidalia onion finely chopped
• 10 scallions thinly sliced
• 0.75 cup dill leaves coarsely chopped
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 large Vidalia onion finely chopped
• 10 scallions thinly sliced
• 1.25 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1.5 teaspoons black pepper
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 43.5 ounces crushed tomatoes preferably fire-roasted
• 1.5 cups heavy cream
• 1.5 cups water
• 1.5 teaspoons kosher salt
• 3 ounces sharp white cheddar cheese coarsely grated
• 0 black pepper to taste
• 0.25 cup dill leaves additional for serving
• 0 crusty bread optional
• 0 unsalted butter room-temperature, optional
• 0 flaky sea salt to taste

Instructions

1. Finely chop the large Vidalia onion. Thinly slice the scallions crosswise. Coarsely chop the dill leaves.
2. Heat the butter in a large Dutch oven over medium heat until melted. Add the onion, scallions, kosher salt, and black pepper. Cook, stirring often, until very soft but not brown, about 7 to 8 minutes.
3. Add the tomato paste to the onions and cook, stirring often, until the paste begins to stick to the bottom of the pot and turns a shade darker in color, about 3 minutes.
4. Add the crushed tomatoes, heavy cream, and water to the pot. Stir well to combine. Continue to cook until the soup has thickened slightly and the flavors meld together, about 6 to 8 minutes.
5. Remove from heat and stir in 1.5 teaspoons of kosher salt. Taste and add more salt if needed. Divide the soup among serving bowls and top each bowl with grated cheddar cheese, more black pepper, and additional dill leaves.
6. Serve the soup with crusty bread, room-temperature butter (if desired), and flaky sea salt.