Spicy Tomato Basil Soup with Italian Grilled Cheese Dippers

Bring your soup and sandwich game to a new level with this Spicy Tomato Basil Soup with Italian Grilled Cheese Dippers.

A Comfort Food Classic: Tomato Soup and a Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Growing up, a very simple meal we would have on occasion (as did many of us), was tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches. There was nothing fancy here. Canned tomato soup and Velveeta cheese slices on toasted white bread.

So, as an adult, this meal never really had an appeal for me. That all changed in one weekend lunch with my husband.

The restaurant we were at had a lovely patio with a beautiful view of one of our local rivers. Almost everything on the menu sounded fantastic, but the thing that caught my eye was a lobster grilled cheese. It had chunks of lobster, dill Havarti cheese, truffle oil and it was served with a tomato basil soup.

The sandwich was amazing, and much to my surprise, the soup was fantastic as well! It brought tomato soup and grilled cheese to a whole new level. The soup was so good that I decided I had to give it a try at home.

Preparing the Recipe

Making the Spicy Tomato Basil Soup

This really is a pretty simple tomato basil soup recipe. The ingredients to prepare this soup are likely already in your kitchen or easily found at the local grocery store. I used fresh tomatoes, fresh garlic, chicken stock (you can use vegetable stock, if you prefer), parmesan cheese, a touch of half and half and of course, basil.

And, the soup I had at the restaurant was definitely a spicy tomato soup. So, I added red pepper flakes to mine to give it a little heat.

The result was delicious! My family doesn’t normally like tomato soup, but they loved this creamy tomato soup and ate every last bite! 

Making the Italian Grilled Cheese Dippers

I did not forget about the sandwich. Dipping a grilled cheese sandwich into a hot bowl of homemade tomato soup is pretty much a must. 

While the restaurant has an absolutely delicious lobster grilled cheese, we know lobster can get pricey. So, I wanted something a little more affordable and accessible, but still fun and interesting. That’s where I came up with the idea of an Italian Grilled Cheese Sandwich (“Dipper”).

I do like a high quality bread that can stand up to being dipped in a soup. So, I bought some artisan sourdough bread (always a favorite of mine).

I used garlic butter for toasting the outside of the bread and filled the sandwiches with a combination of parmesan and mozzarella cheese. Once toasted, they were amazing and perfectly complemented the soup.

This recipe is a wonderful way to bring your soup and sandwich game to a new level. It’s become one of our favorite recipes and I know it will become one of yours also.

More Soup and Sandwich Combos to Enjoy

• Easy Instant Pot Minestrone and a Toasted Italian Sub Sandwich
• Homemade Weeknight Chicken Noodle Soup and a Grown Up Manchego Grilled Cheese Sandwich
• Slow Cooker Bean with Bacon Soup and a Garden Club Sandwich

Tips and Tricks

• Fresh tomatoes are best for this recipe, but in a pinch substitute canned tomatoes.
• I prefer using half and half to keep the soup from becoming too heavy, but substitute heavy cream if that’s what you have on hand. 
• Any leftover soup can be stored in an airtight container and stored in the refrigerator for 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
• To make sure the cheese in the sandwiches gets totally melted and the bread doesn’t burn, do not go above medium heat on the stove.

Ingredients Needed to Make Spicy Tomato Basil Soup

Full instructions can be found below in the printable recipe card

• Fresh tomatoes
• Fresh garlic
• Crushed red pepper
• Olive oil
• Salt
• Black pepper
• Shredded or grated parmesan cheese
• Chicken stock
• Half and half
• Fresh basil leaves

How to Make Spicy Tomato Basil Soup

• Heat oil in a large pot over medium low heat.
• Add garlic and crushed red pepper.
• Add tomatoes to pan and increase heat to medium.
• Season with salt and pepper.
• Cook until tomatoes have cooked down, stirring occasionally.
• Puree tomatoes in the pot with an immersion blender or ladle into a blender to puree.
• Stir cheese into tomatoes and continue stirring until melted.
• Stir in chicken stock and bring to a boil.
• Once soup has come to a boil, stir in half and half.
• Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for about 10 minutes.
• Stir in chopped basil right before serving.

Ingredients Needed to Make Italian Grilled Cheese Dippers

Full instructions can be found below in the printable recipe card

• Sourdough bread – Make sure it is good quality to ensure the best tasting dippers.
• Butter
• Fresh garlic
• Shredded mozzarella cheese
• Shredded parmesan cheese

How to Make Italian Grilled Cheese Dippers

• Heat a large skillet or griddle over medium heat.
• In a small bowl, combine garlic with softened butter.
• Spread butter on one side of each slice of bread.
• Then flip over and divide cheeses equally between the slices.
• Flip half of the buttered slices of bread over and divide cheeses equally between them.
• Top each slice with the remaining slices of buttered bread.
• Toast each sandwich for a few minutes on each side until golden brown.
• Serve immediately with the soup.

ENJOY!