We write about a lot of classic food pairings here at Sporked: Pizza & beer. Chips & dip. Bagels & cream cheese. They’re all as iconic as Barbie & Ken (sorry, we won’t let you escape that IP this summer), but one food duo is arguably more comforting than all the rest: soup & grilled cheese. If you’ve indulged in this combo, you probably had grilled American cheese with a cup of tomato soup, right? Well, we’re all about options here at Sporked and that certainly isn’t the only one. Like, hey, maybe you’re sick and in the mood for chicken soup. Maybe tomato soup gives you heartburn. Maybe you think American cheese is kind of weird and gross, although, we’d have to disagree. Whatever the sitch, we’d like to remind you grilled cheese pairs perfectly with all sorts of soups. Here are some of the best soup and grilled cheese pairings we’ve found in our taste tests (but we’re leaving the bread up to you).
Pacific Foods Organic Creamy Tomato Soup + Kraft Deli Deluxe American
Okay, first thing’s first. The classic pick for the best soup and grilled cheese combo is obviously an American cheese grilled cheese and tomato soup. We love a classic combo, but do you know what we love more? The best version of a classic combo. The next time you get a hankering for this home-sick-from-school lunch of champions, opt for Kraft Deli Deluxe American cheese and Pacific Foods creamy tomato soup. Sporked editor-in-chief Justine Sterling called this delicious tomato soup “cozy” and, in my opinion, the ultimate soup and grilled cheese pairings should embody that word, so we’re off to a good start. As for Kraft Deli Deluxe, we’re telling you, these slices are way better than Kraft Singles—smooth, creamy, and melty. Ditch the condensed soup and Singles, and try this tomato soup and grilled cheese pairing instead.
Read the full rankings of the best tomato soup and the best American cheese
Specially Selected Gourmet Soup Tomato Parmesan Bisque + Tillamook Farmstyle Thick Cut Mozzarella Cheese
Grilled cheese and tomato soup, but make it Italian. How? Pair Specially Selected Gourmet Soup Tomato Parmesan Bisque with a toasty grilled cheese made with Tillamook’s thick cut mozzarella shreds. That’s a hell of a long name for a tomato soup, so let me just sum it up by saying that Justine loved how much parmesan flavor it packs. Pair it with a grilled cheese made with creamy, mild Tillamook mozzarella and you’re basically eating a cheese pizza you didn’t have to preheat the oven to make. (Also, shreds melt really well for grilled cheese—give them a shot!)
Read the full rankings of the best tomato soup and the best mozzarella cheese
Amy’s Quinoa, Kale & Red Lentil + Field Roast Chao Slices Creamy Original
It’s only natural that the best-melting vegan cheese we could find earns a spot on this list of the best soup and grilled cheese pairings. According to Sporked senior writer Jordan Myrick, these Chao slices “melt like a dream”—now all you need is a vegan soup to complete the combo. Amy’s Quinoa, Kale & Red Lentil soup is just the thing. It’s flavorful, savory, and packed with veggies that make each spoonful different. Cook your grilled cheese till it’s well done so you can use the sandwich to scoop up all that goodness. This combo is obviously bitchin’ for vegans, but meat eaters can get behind this, too. Promise.
Read the full rankings of the best vegetarian soup and the best vegan cheese
Bar Harbor New England Style Clam Chowder + Old Croc Sharp Cheddar Cheese
The Boston accent that lies dormant in each of us really comes out when you put chowdah and cheddah in the same sentence, so get ready for this dialectical adventure. Sure, it’s a play on a regional accent, but I really do believe that clam chowdah can be the best soup for grilled cheese that’s made with cheddah. And Bar Harbor makes a killah clam chowdah. Sporked contributor Danny Palumbo called it “thick, smooth, and downright tasty.” A soup this clammy and flavorful requires a cheese with some bite, so we went with Old Crock Sharp. Pahk your cah in the yahd, shred up some of this highly flavorful cheese, and dig in.
Read the full rankings of the best clam chowder and the best cheddar cheese
Rao’s Chicken Noodle Soup + Sargento Sliced Swiss
Chicken noodle soup probably wasn’t what you expected when you settled in to read about the best soup with grilled cheese, but give me a few precious seconds to convince you. First of all, Rao’s Chicken Noodle Soup is good. It’s so good, in fact, that Danny said he could be convinced it was jarred and put on grocery store shelves by someone’s very enterprising grandma. And because chicken noodle soup is already kinda salty, we’re pairing it with a grilled cheese made with mild and nutty Swiss cheese. On its own, Sargento sliced Swiss had a dry, chewy texture that was great, but imagine pairing that grandma’s chicken noodle soup. A grilled cheese and soup combo for the ages.
Read the full ranking of the best chicken noodle soup and the best Swiss cheese
Thoughts? Questions? Complete disagreement? Leave a comment!