Bennett David

01 Grilled Cheese & Tomato Soup

4 min read

Ultimate Grilled Cheese with Rich Tomato Basil Soup

Analysis

Core components:

  • Grilled cheese: Bread, cheese, fat for cooking
  • Tomato soup: Tomatoes, aromatics, liquid base, enriching elements

Key processes:

  • Maillard reaction for bread browning
  • Fat emulsion for soup richness
  • Cheese protein melting transitions
  • Acid-fat balance in soup

Critical control points:

  • Bread toasting temperature
  • Cheese melting point
  • Soup emulsion stability

Batch cooking considerations:

  • Soup excellent for batch preparation
  • Grilled cheese best made fresh
  • Storage impact on soup emulsion

Overview

A classic comfort food pairing elevated through careful ingredient selection and technique. The soup is designed for batch cooking, while the grilled cheese is optimized for immediate preparation to ensure perfect texture.

Shopping List

Produce

  • 2 medium yellow onions
  • 6 cloves fresh garlic
  • 1 bunch fresh basil
  • 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves

Dairy & Refrigerated

  • 8 oz aged sharp cheddar (preferably 2+ years aged)
  • 8 oz Gruyère cheese
  • 1 pound (4 sticks) high-quality unsalted butter
  • 1 pint heavy cream

Canned & Pantry

  • 2 (28 oz) cans whole peeled San Marzano tomatoes
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 4 cups high-quality chicken or vegetable stock
  • 1 tablespoon honey

Bread & Bakery

  • 1 loaf thick-cut sourdough bread (day old preferred)

Seasonings

  • Kosher salt
  • Fresh black pepper
  • Pinch red pepper flakes (optional)

Ingredients

For the Soup (Makes 8-10 servings)

  • 2 (28 oz) cans whole peeled San Marzano tomatoes
  • 1 large yellow onion, finely diced
  • 6 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 4 cups chicken or vegetable stock
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves
  • 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • Salt and fresh black pepper to taste
  • Pinch red pepper flakes (optional)

For each Grilled Cheese

  • 2 slices sourdough bread (1/2 inch thick)
  • 2 oz aged sharp cheddar, grated
  • 2 oz Gruyère, grated
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature

Equipment Needed

  • Large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot
  • Immersion blender or standard blender
  • Large non-stick skillet or griddle
  • Box grater
  • Wooden spoons
  • Ladle
  • Storage containers
  • Metal spatula

Instructions

Tomato Soup

  1. Melt 4 tablespoons butter in Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onions with a pinch of salt and cook until translucent (8-10 minutes).
  2. Add garlic, cook until fragrant (30 seconds).
  3. Add tomato paste, cook until darkened (2-3 minutes).
  4. Add canned tomatoes with their juice, stock, thyme, and honey. Bring to simmer.
  5. Reduce heat to medium-low, simmer uncovered 30-40 minutes.
  6. Add cream and basil. Using immersion blender, blend until smooth.
  7. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Grilled Cheese

  1. Mix grated cheeses together.
  2. Butter one side of each bread slice generously.
  3. Heat non-stick skillet over medium-low heat.
  4. Place bread butter-side down in skillet.
  5. Add cheese mixture (about 4 oz total per sandwich).
  6. Top with second slice, butter-side up.
  7. Cook until golden brown (3-4 minutes per side).
  8. Cover briefly with lid to ensure cheese melts completely.

Science Notes

Soup Science

  • San Marzano tomatoes provide ideal balance of sweetness and acidity
  • Honey helps neutralize tomato acidity
  • Fat from cream and butter creates stable emulsion
  • Blending while hot promotes emulsion stability

Grilled Cheese Science

  • Room temperature butter ensures even spreading and browning
  • Medium-low heat allows proper cheese melting while achieving optimal Maillard reaction on bread
  • Mixture of aged cheddar and Gruyère provides optimal melt properties and flavor complexity
  • Covering briefly creates steam environment for proper cheese melting

Storage Guidelines

Soup Storage

  • Cool completely before refrigerating
  • Store in airtight containers
  • Keeps 4-5 days refrigerated
  • Can be frozen up to 3 months
  • When reheating, warm gently while stirring to maintain emulsion

Grilled Cheese

  • Best prepared fresh
  • Do not store assembled sandwiches
  • Cheese can be grated and mixed ahead, stored up to 5 days

Batch Cooking Notes

Soup Scaling

  • Recipe easily doubles
  • Maintain simmer time regardless of batch size
  • Cool in smaller containers for faster chilling

Components to Prep Ahead

  • Grate and mix cheeses
  • Chop onions and garlic
  • Make full batch of soup

Fresh Components

  • Always cook grilled cheese to order
  • Fresh basil garnish for soup

Troubleshooting

Soup Issues

  • If soup breaks (separates), re-blend while hot
  • If too thick, thin with warm stock
  • If too acidic, add more honey or cream

Grilled Cheese Issues

  • If bread browns too quickly, lower heat
  • If cheese isn’t melting, cover pan briefly
  • If bread is too dry, add more butter

Graph View

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