Nothing quite hits the spot like a warm, creamy bowl of tomato soup paired with a perfectly crisp, melty grilled cheese sandwich. This Tomato Soup with Grilled Cheese Sandwich Recipe is a cozy classic that’s both comforting and delicious in every bite — it’s genuinely a hug in food form.
Jump to:
- Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Ingredients & Why They Work
- Make It Your Way
- Step-by-Step: How I Make Tomato Soup with Grilled Cheese Sandwich Recipe
- Top Tip
- How to Serve Tomato Soup with Grilled Cheese Sandwich Recipe
- Make Ahead and Storage
- Frequently Asked Questions:
- Final Thoughts
- Tomato Soup with Grilled Cheese Sandwich Recipe
Why You'll Love This Recipe
I always say a great tomato soup and grilled cheese combo is my ultimate comfort meal, especially on a chilly day. This recipe balances that rich, creamy soup with a golden, cheesy sandwich that’s so satisfying you’ll want to make it again and again.
- Homemade Goodness: Making the soup from scratch with real tomatoes and cream flavors it deeply and naturally, unlike canned soups.
- Perfectly Melty Grilled Cheese: Using a mix of white cheddar and mozzarella gives you that irresistible gooey texture.
- Simple Enough for Weeknights: You can whip this up in about 35 minutes, making it realistic for busy days.
- So Many Ways to Customize: Easily adjust the cheese, bread, or soup seasonings to fit your tastes or what you have on hand.
Ingredients & Why They Work
This recipe combines classic, fresh ingredients that play off each other beautifully. Rich butter and cream mellow the acidity of the tomatoes, while a parmesan rind boosts savory depth. For the sandwich, sturdy sourdough holds the cheese perfectly without getting soggy.
- Unsalted Butter: Perfect for controlling saltiness and browning your sandwich to a golden crisp.
- Onion: Adds subtle sweetness and aroma when sautéed.
- Minced Garlic: Gives a warm, fragrant base flavor to the soup.
- All-purpose Flour: Acts as a natural thickener for the soup, making it creamy without cream alone.
- Vegetable Broth: A flavorful liquid base - low sodium helps benefit seasoning control.
- Canned Crushed Tomatoes: The star of the soup with that classic, bright tomato taste.
- Tomato Paste: Concentrates tomato flavor for richness and color.
- Heavy Whipping Cream: Adds silkiness and balances acidity with richness.
- Parmesan Rind (optional): Infuses an umami boost during simmering - don’t skip if you have it!
- Sourdough Bread: It’s sturdy and flavorful, holding up to grilling without falling apart.
- White Cheddar & Mozzarella Cheese: Cheddar gives sharpness, mozzarella smooth meltiness – a perfect pair.
Make It Your Way
I love experimenting with this Tomato Soup with Grilled Cheese Sandwich Recipe depending on my mood or what's in the pantry. It’s super forgiving, so you can really make it your own with different cheeses, breads, or even soup mix-ins.
- Variation: For a smoky twist, I sometimes swap the vegetable broth for smoked paprika-infused chicken broth — it adds a subtle depth that’s irresistible.
- Dietary Swap: Use gluten-free bread and a dairy-free cream alternative for a vegan-friendly version that still tastes amazing.
- Seasonal Tip: In summer, I add fresh basil to the soup right before blending for a bright, fresh herb flavor.
Step-by-Step: How I Make Tomato Soup with Grilled Cheese Sandwich Recipe
Step 1: Build your soup base with flavor
Start by melting butter in a large pot over medium heat. Toss in your chopped onions and cook them gently until softened and translucent — about 2 minutes. Add the minced garlic and stir just until you get that lovely fragrant aroma, about 20 seconds — don’t let it brown or it can get bitter.
Step 2: Thicken and simmer the soup
Lower the heat and sprinkle in the flour, whisking constantly with a splash of broth to avoid lumps. Cook this mixture for about 1 minute to get rid of that raw flour taste. Then pour in the rest of the broth, crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, and if you have it, the parmesan rind. Bring everything to a gentle simmer and cook for about 15 minutes, stirring often so nothing sticks or burns. The soup will thicken slightly and develop a beautiful depth of flavor.
Step 3: Blend until silky smooth
Remove the parmesan rind and turn off the heat. I prefer using an immersion blender right in the pot — it’s less messy and super quick. If you don’t have one, transfer the soup carefully in batches to a blender, leaving the vent open so steam can escape safely. Blend until super smooth and creamy.
Step 4: Add cream and season
Return your blended soup to low heat. Stir in the heavy cream gently, then taste and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper according to your preference. Warm through until steaming, but don’t let it boil.
Step 5: Assemble and cook the grilled cheese sandwich
Butter one side of each slice of sourdough bread evenly with softened butter. Place one slice, butter-side down, in a skillet over medium heat. Layer the white cheddar and mozzarella cheese on top, then add the second slice of bread, butter side up.
Cover the skillet with a lid to trap heat and melt the cheese, cooking about 2–3 minutes per side or until golden brown. Flip carefully and watch closely so it doesn’t burn. If your cheese isn’t fully melted after flipping, just lower the heat and cover again for a minute or so.
Step 6: Serve and savor
Cut your grilled cheese in half diagonally and serve alongside a steaming bowl of the tomato soup. Garnish the soup with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil or shredded parmesan if you like!
Top Tip
From many attempts in my kitchen, I've learned a few simple tricks to make this Tomato Soup with Grilled Cheese Sandwich Recipe truly standout without fuss.
- Even Butter Spread: Make sure your bread is evenly buttered, right up to the edges, for a perfect golden crust. Uneven buttering leads to soggy spots!
- Don’t Skip the Parmesan Rind: If you can get one, toss it in while simmering the soup – it adds a wonderful umami that lifts the whole flavor.
- Watch Your Heat: Grill your sandwich on medium rather than high heat; it cooks the cheese fully without burning the bread.
- Blend Carefully: When using a blender with hot soup, always vent to avoid splashes or burns — safety first!
How to Serve Tomato Soup with Grilled Cheese Sandwich Recipe
Garnishes
I like to keep my garnishes simple — a little drizzle of good quality extra virgin olive oil on the soup just before serving adds richness and shine. Sometimes a sprinkle of shredded parmesan cheese or fresh basil leaves brightens things up beautifully.
Side Dishes
Though the grilled cheese and tomato soup make a filling meal on their own, I enjoy pairing them with a crisp green salad or crunchy pickles for balancing freshness and acidity alongside the richness.
Creative Ways to Present
For a fun twist at gatherings, try cutting the grilled cheese into mini triangles and serving with soup shooters — it’s a playful, bite-sized way to enjoy this combo and sure to impress guests.
Make Ahead and Storage
Storing Leftovers
I keep leftover tomato soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. When storing the soup separately from the sandwich, the flavors actually get better after resting overnight.
Freezing
I’ve frozen the soup with great results — just cool completely, transfer to a freezer-safe container, and freeze for up to 3 months. The grilled cheese sandwich doesn’t freeze well, so I recommend making fresh sandwiches when ready to serve.
Reheating
Reheat the soup gently on the stovetop over low heat, stirring occasionally to keep it smooth and creamy. For the grilled cheese, I lightly toast it again in a skillet over low heat to revive that crispy bread and melty cheese sensation.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Absolutely! You can substitute fresh, ripe tomatoes if they're in season—just blanch, peel, and crush them before cooking. It might take a little longer to simmer to get the same thickness, but fresh tomatoes give a bright, vibrant flavor.
Make sure you spread the butter evenly over the entire surface of the bread, and cook your sandwich on medium heat for a slow, even crisping. Covering the skillet helps melt the cheese without burning the bread, giving a perfectly crunchy outside with melty cheese inside.
Yes! For the soup, replace the butter with olive oil and swap heavy cream for coconut cream or cashew cream. Use a vegetable broth to keep it vegan. For the sandwich, use vegan bread, dairy-free butter, and dairy-free cheeses. It won’t be exactly the same, but still delicious!
I recommend reheating the soup gently on the stove over low heat while stirring. For the grilled cheese, pop it into a skillet over low heat to crisp the bread again and melt the cheese slowly. Avoid the microwave if possible, as it makes the bread rubbery.
Final Thoughts
This Tomato Soup with Grilled Cheese Sandwich Recipe is one of those timeless dishes I always turn to when I want something comforting and truly delicious. It’s easy enough for a weeknight but special enough to feel like a treat. I hope you love making it at home as much as I do — it’s a simple joy that warms the heart and the belly.
Print
Tomato Soup with Grilled Cheese Sandwich Recipe
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
A comforting classic meal featuring creamy tomato soup paired with a perfectly melty grilled cheese sandwich. This recipe guides you through making the rich and velvety tomato soup from scratch, along with instructions for stovetop or oven grilled cheese sandwiches.
Ingredients
For the Soup (6 servings)
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 tablespoons minced garlic
- 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
- 3 cups vegetable broth, preferably low sodium
- 28 ounces canned crushed tomatoes
- 6 ounces can of tomato paste
- ¾ cup heavy whipping cream
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 parmesan rind, optional
- Extra virgin olive oil or shredded parmesan cheese, for garnish, optional
For the Grilled Cheese Sandwich (Makes 1)
- 2 slices sourdough bread
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 2 slices white cheddar cheese
- 2 slices mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Cook the onion and garlic: In a large pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and cook, stirring frequently, until softened and translucent, about 2 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook until just fragrant, about 20 seconds.
- Add remaining ingredients and cook: Reduce heat to low and add the flour along with a splash of the broth, gently whisking constantly. Cook about 1 minute. Then add the rest of the broth, crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, and parmesan rind if using. Bring to a simmer and cook about 15 minutes, stirring frequently, until the soup thickens slightly.
- Remove the parmesan rind: Turn off the heat and remove the parmesan rind from the pot.
- Blend the soup: Using an immersion blender, blend the soup until smooth and well combined. Alternatively, use a standard blender with the top vented to release steam safely.
- Add cream and season: Return the blended soup to the pot on low heat. Stir in the heavy cream, then season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Warm through gently.
- Add garnishes: Serve the tomato soup with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and/or a sprinkle of shredded parmesan cheese if desired.
- Butter the bread: Spread 2 tablespoons of softened butter evenly on one side of each slice of sourdough bread.
- Assemble grilled cheese: Place one slice of bread, buttered side down, in a skillet. Layer white cheddar and mozzarella slices on top. Place the second slice of bread on top, buttered side up.
- Cook the grilled cheese (stovetop method): Over medium heat, cook the sandwich for about 2-3 minutes per side, covering the skillet with a tight-fitting lid. Check periodically and flip once golden brown. If cheese isn’t fully melted, return the sandwich to the skillet covered over medium-low heat for 1 minute per side until melty.
- Serve: Cut the grilled cheese sandwich diagonally and serve hot alongside the steaming tomato soup.
- Alternative grilled cheese (oven method): Preheat oven or toaster oven to 375ºF. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil. Butter each bread slice on one side. Assemble sandwich buttered side down on the sheet with cheese slices inside and top bread buttered side up. Bake about 5 minutes until cheese melts. Then broil 40 seconds to 1 minute per side until golden and crispy, watching carefully.
Notes
- Use low sodium broth to control salt levels in the soup.
- Parmesan rind adds depth of flavor but can be omitted for easier preparation.
- The soup can be made ahead and reheated gently before serving.
- For a vegan version, substitute butter with plant-based margarine and heavy cream with coconut cream or cashew cream, and use vegan cheese.
- When blending hot soup in a standard blender, vent the lid slightly to allow steam to escape safely.
- Adjust cooking time for grilled cheese to achieve preferred level of crispiness.
- Using sourdough bread adds a nice tangy flavor and chewy texture to the sandwich.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving soup + 1 grilled cheese sandwich
- Calories: 450 kcal
- Sugar: 8 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 30 g
- Saturated Fat: 15 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 35 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 15 g
- Cholesterol: 60 mg
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