This instant pot cheesy tomato soup is pressure cooked along with a Parmesan cheese rind to infuse a savory, nutty flavor into the soup. A little bit of cream cheese is added to give this homemade tomato soup a slightly creamy consistency. Finally each serving is topped with a generous spoonful of grated Parmesan for extra flavor.
It’s 7 degrees in Colorado today and when the temperature drops there’s nothing better than a warm and cozy bowl of tomato soup paired with a grilled cheese sandwich. While I love the smell of tomato soup cooking in the slow cooker all day, this family of five has kids’ games on this cold Saturday so it’s time to pull out the pressure cooker for slow cooked taste in a fraction of the time.
What’s tomato soup without a grilled cheese?
Who doesn’t love dunking a grilled cheese sandwich into homemade tomato soup? Here’s my favorite way to prepare a classic grilled cheese sandwich to pair with tomato soup. This sandwich only has three ingredients so each ingredient matters.
Ingredients
- Mayonaise
- Sourdough bread
- White or yellow American cheese
How it’s done
Spread about 1/2 tablespoon of mayonnaise on one side of two slices of sourdough bread. Heat the skillet on medium-low and place one slice of the bread mayonnaise-side down in a skillet. Top with 2-3 slices of American cheese . Add the second slice of bread mayonnaise-side up. Cook each side for 3-4 minutes or until golden brown.
Grilled cheese croutons!
Some people top their homemade tomato soup with croutons and some people prefer to pair it with grilled cheese sandwiches. Why not do both?
To make easy grilled cheese croutons, I toast two pieces of bread (I eat gluten free so I use gluten free bread) and as soon as they’re finished toasting, I place a piece of cheese between them and press down to make sure the cheese sticks to the bread. Cut the sandwich into bite size pieces. Sauté the grilled cheese bites in about one tablespoon of butter.
What’s in instant pot cheesy tomato soup?
- Olive oil or butter
- Onion – One medium size onion or two small onions
- Tomato paste
- Canned Tomatoes (diced) – When tomatoes are the star of the show, I suggest going for the good stuff. Cento is one of my favorite brands.
- Sugar – I like a little bit of sugar in my tomato soup to balance its natural acidity and tartness. If you prefer to skip the sugar, you can add 1-2 chopped carrots along with the onion.
- Vegetable broth or chicken broth
- Parmesan cheese with the rind – You can usually find this at the cheese counter at your local grocery store. The rind is the hard outer edge of the piece of Parmesan cheese. Use a sharp knife to remove the rind. The rind will simmer in the soup. Grate the cheese to sprinkle on top of each serving.
- Cream cheese or heavy cream.
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Instant Pot Cheesy Tomato Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 6 ounce can tomato paste
- 28 ounce can diced tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 cup vegetable or chicken broth
- 8 ounce piece of Parmesan cheese with the rind Remove the rind (hard outer edge) from the cheese
- 4 ounces cream cheese
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Add the oil and onion to the instant pot and select the sauté setting. Cook for about 5 minutes or until the onions start to turn translucent.
- Turn off the sauté setting and add the can of tomato paste. Stir to combine.
- Add the diced tomatoes, sugar, broth and rind to the instant pot. Secure the top of the instant pot and set the pressure cook setting to 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, use the quick release valve to vent the instant pot.
- While the pot releases, grate the Parmesan cheese.
- Once the instant pot has vented, remove the top. Use an immersion blender or a regular blender to puree the soup to create a smooth texture.
- Add salt and pepper to taste. Top each serving with the grated Parmesan cheese.
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