Step 1

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Step 2

Add tomatoes to a baking dish and drizzle with the olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and roast in oven for 15 minutes.

Step 3

Meanwhile, coat the bottom of a large stockpot with oil, and set over low heat. Add onions and garlic and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add roasted tomatoes to the pot and turn heat to high. Add water and bouillon cubes and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and let simmer 30 minutes.

Step 4

Add basil leaves and remove from heat. Let cool slightly, and purée soup until smooth using a handheld immersion blender. Add cream, and return to simmer over low heat for 10 more minutes. If soup is too thin, simmer 10 more minutes. Season to taste and ladle into bowls, topped with 2-4 of the croutons.

Step 5

To make the croutons:

Step 6

Preheat broiler and arrange bread slices on a baking sheet. Lightly brush one side of bread with olive oil. Broil until golden brown, 2-3 minutes.

Step 7

Remove from oven, flip the bread, and top each slice with a sprinkle of cheese. Broil until cheese is melted and bubbling. When ready to serve, press pieces together into a sandwich and slice into 6-8 smaller croutons.

Step 8

Enjoy!