Grilled cheese and tomato soup is a classic combination that can’t go wrong. I love dunking a warm cheesy grilled cheese sandwich in a hot, piping cup of tomato soup. While contemplating having this meal for lunch the other day, I thought to myself, “Why not make grilled cheese croutons to combine the two?” Of course, I didn’t just stop there. Instead of ordinary grilled cheese, I decided to make it extra cheesy with an inside-out grilled cheese AND add maple bacon. I’ve recently become obsessed with maple bacon and have been adding it to almost everything; a grilled cheese seemed like the perfect opportunity to incorporate the bacon into another one of my dishes. Lo and behold, this creamy tomato soup with grilled cheese and bacon croutons delivered on all levels – comfort food at it’s best!

Serves 2

812

Tomato soup with grilled cheese and bacon croutons

45 minTotal Time

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Ingredients

Tomato soup
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1/2 small onion, chopped
• 1 carrot, peeled and chopped
• 1 celery stalk, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 14.5 oz can tomatoes, chopped
• 1 cup vegetable stock
• 2 sprigs thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
• salt and pepper
Croutons
• 1 tbsp butter, divided
• 2 slices sourdough bread
• 8 oz shredded extra sharp cheddar cheese
• 3 strips maple dijon bacon

Instructions

1. Heat oil in medium pot over medium-high heat. Add onion, carrot, celery, and garlic. Saute until vegetables have softened, about 7-8 minutes. Add tomato - Italian seasoning, stirring to combine. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and blend soup until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Return soup to pot and keep warm.
2. Heat nonstick pan over medium-low heat. Add 1/2 tbsp butter and melt. Add both slices of white bread, allowing them to soak up the butter. Spread cheese on one side of the bread. Top with 3 slices of bacon per sandwich followed by more cheese. Stack the other slice of bread on top, buttered side facing up. Spread cheese on top of the bread and cook until golden brown on the bottom.
3. Melt the remaining butter in the pan. Flip the sandwich over and spread cheese on the top of the bread. Continue to cook for 3-4 minutes.
4. Flip sandwich over once more and let cheese on the outside caramelize and get crispy. Remove sandwich from the pan. Cut into bite size pieces. Ladle soup into bowls and top with grilled cheese and bacon croutons.

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**Helpful tips and common mistakes

Everyone knows that a grilled cheese sandwich is simply that, cheese and bread. To make the best grilled cheese, you want to use extra sharp cheddar cheese and white bread. I chose sourdough but you can use regular white bread.

While the tomato soup is cooking, make the grilled cheese. Slather one side of each of the bread with a good amount of butter. Place the cheese in the center followed by bacon, the remaining slice of bread and extra cheese on top. Carefully place the sandwich on a warm griddle or non-stick pan and cook over medium heat.

Don’t be afraid of the cheese that falls to the bottom of the pan. The cheese will crisp up around the bottom of the sandwich, creating an extra crust. Once the bottom becomes nice and golden, flip and continue to cook on the other side.