Gruyère Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup
Golden and crispy Gruyère grilled cheese paired with homemade tomato soup is old-school comfort food that’s hard to resist! While the soup simmers, butter and grill Texas toast with melty Gruyère and provolone cheese inside. Dunking the sandwich in the soup is optional but highly recommended.
Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup
I love a classic, and grilled cheese and tomato soup is one of my favorites. But instead of canned soup and Kraft singles, we’re upgrading this favorite sandwich and soup combo with thick slices of Texas toast, nutty Gruyère cheese, melty provolone, and a simple homemade tomato soup that’s so easy to make. It’s the perfect lunch or dinner for two when you have a craving for something nostalgic.
Recipe Instructions
Make the soup first, and while it simmers, assemble and cook the sandwiches. Or, you can make the soup ahead – it keeps well in the fridge – and make the grilled cheese sandwiches fresh when you’re ready to indulge in some comfort.
More Sandwiches
| Pizza Sandwich | Mushroom Grilled Cheese | Chicken Club Sandwich | Italian Sandwich Sliders |
PrintGruyère Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup
This grilled Gruyère cheese with homemade tomato soup is what to make when you’re craving some classic comfort food. The sandwiches are made with two kinds of cheese, and the soup is full of tomato-basil flavor. It’s a delicious lunch or dinner for two.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 2 servings 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stove
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
For the Soup
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- ½ cup chopped onion
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 (14-oz) can fire roasted tomatoes
- 3/4 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 2/3 cup water
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 to 3 fresh basil leaves, chopped
For the Sandwiches
- 4 slices Texas toast
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 2 ounces Gruyère cheese, shredded
- 2 ounces Provolone cheese slices, cut into strips (see note)
Instructions
How to Make the Soup
- Heat the olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and onion. Stir and cook them in the oil for a minute or so.
- Add the tomato paste, tomatoes, sugar, and water. Stir and bring the soup to a simmer.
- Add the salt and basil and puree the soup with an immersion blender. Adjust the heat to medium-low to low heat and simmer the soup while you make the sandwiches.
How to Make Grilled Cheese
- Butter each slice of bread on one side. Place both kinds of cheese on two slices of bread (nonbuttered side). Top each with a piece of bread with the butter side up.
- Heat a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Once the pan is hot, place the sandwiches in the pan. Cook them on the first side until golden and crispy. Turn them over, lightly press them down with the spatula, and cook them until golden on the other side and the cheese is melted.
- Slice the grilled cheese in half and serve with the tomato soup.
Notes
Provolone cheese: You can use the slices as is or cut them into strips. I like to cut them into strips to melt better in the sandwiches. Sometimes, whole slices (especially if they’re sliced thicker) take longer to melt.
Make-ahead: The soup can be made ahead and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for several days. You can also double or triple the soup and freeze it for several months.
Nutrition
- Calories: 774
- Sugar: 18.6g
- Sodium: 1967.2mg
- Fat: 48.8g
- Saturated Fat: 26g
- Unsaturated Fat: 20.3g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 58.6g
- Fiber: 9.5g
- Protein: 22.5g
- Cholesterol: 111.9mg
The nutrition is an estimate only. It was calculated using Nutrifox, an online nutrition calculator.
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Substitutions
Bread: I love Texas toast because it’s usually sliced thick and it takes really well to pan grilling. I’ve also made these grilled cheese with thick slices of sourdough bread and Italian bread.
Cheese: If you can’t find Gruyère cheese, use the same amount of Swiss cheese. You can swap the provolone cheese for mozzarella, Monterey Jack, or other good melting cheese.
Butter: If I forget to leave the butter out to soften, the same amount of mayonnaise works great in its place. Mayo adds a bit of a tangy flavor and also helps the bread turn deliciously golden and crispy.
Heat: If you like a spicy tomato soup, feel free to add a few pinches of red pepper flakes when you cook the onion and garlic in the oil.
Creamy tomato soup: I like the acidic, slightly sweet tomato soup paired with the rich and cheesy sandwiches. If you want to cut the brightness of the soup a bit, add some half and half or heavy cream to make it a creamy tomato soup. Add it at the end before serving it.
Recipe Tips
Tomato Soup
This soup is a variation of my super easy 10-minute tomato-basil soup made with canned tomatoes, garlic, onion, and basil. The main difference is this version has tomato paste which adds rich flavor and also helps thicken the soup a bit.
Make the soup first, and then leave it to simmer while you make the sandwiches. I like to blend the soup with an immersion blender so it’s nice and smooth. You can leave it chunky if you prefer.
Grilled Cheese
I like to shred the Gruyère cheese, so it melts faster in the sandwich. I can’t always find shredded provolone cheese, so I use sliced cheese and cut each slice into strips. Doing this ensures the cheese will melt in the time it takes to cook the outside of the sandwiches. I’ve tried using whole slices, and they don’t always melt completely.
Be sure to monitor the heat when you cook the sandwiches. The cheese should be fully melted by the time the bread is golden brown. If the heat is too high, the bread will burn before the cheese melts. Maintaining medium heat works best for me (and I cook on an electric stove), but if you’re using a gas stove, you may need to adjust the heat.
The sandwiches are best when they’re made, but you can make the soup ahead and refrigerate it or double or triple the batch and freeze it for later. Then, when you’re feeling nostalgic and want comforting grilled cheese and tomato soup, you’re just minutes away from satisfying that craving. I hope you love it!
Happy cooking,
