Easy upgrade for tomato soup and grilled cheese

Few things are as satisfying as this soup and sandwich combo.

February 23, 2021, 8:31 AM

Few things can match the perfect flavor and texture combination of grilled cheese and tomato soup and while there's anything wrong with the original, why not try a new way to spruce up the classic soup and sandwich pairing for a weekday win in the kitchen?

Food52 and New York Times Food contributor Carolina Gelen joined "Good Morning America" to share her simple and easy to execute twist.

Grilled cheese and tomato from Carolina Gelen.
Carolina Gelen

Her simple soup comes together after just slow roasting tomatoes in the oven and then blending with stock and something creamy.

In order to get the perfect cheese pull, Gelen uses a mixture of low moisture mozzarella and cheddar cheese. Plus, she toasts the bread on both sides to get the right amount of crunch.

Check out both recipes below, cook, dunk and enjoy.

Grilled Cheese Sandwich

A crispy, melty grilled cheese from Carolina Gelen.
Carolina Gelen

Serves: 1

Ingredients
2 slices bread of choice (sourdough, brioche, etc.)
3 tablespoons ghee or 3 tablespoons of butter + a drizzle of oil
70-100 grams shredded cheese, use a combination of mozzarella and a sharp cheese like mature cheddar
1 tablespoon water
Salt

Instructions
Start with a pan, preferably cast iron, on medium heat, add in the butter and oil or the ghee, let it melt, then place both slices of bread in the pan. Toast them for 2 minutes on one side.
Flip both slices of bread, add all the shredded cheese to one slice, then place the other slice on top (toasted side down). Turn the heat to medium-low and toast each side of the sandwich for 2 minutes each, adding a tablespoon of butter at each flip.
Once both sides are toasted, add in the pan 1 tablespoon of water (around the sandwich, not on top of the sandwich) and cover the pan with a lid for 1 1/2 mins, this will steam the sandwich making the cheese extra gooey.
Serve!

Tomato Soup

Creamy oven-roasted tomato soup.
Carolina Gelen

Serves: 2

Ingredients
500-700 grams cherry tomatoes
1 head of garlic, cut into 2
1 yellow onion, roughly chopped
1 red chile, optional
Olive oil
Fresh thyme and basil
Salt and pepper
1/2 cup full fat canned coconut milk or heavy cream
1/2 to 2/3 cup vegetable stock , depending on the consistency you want

Directions
Preheat the oven to 480 degrees.
Drizzle some oil onto a baking pan, add in the yellow onion, head of garlic (cut side down), fresh basil and thyme, red chile, cherry tomatoes, more olive oil on top, a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Bake everything until the tomatoes are slightly charred for 25 to 35 minutes.
Add the coconut milk, vegetable stock and all the baking ingredients, besides the thyme, in a blender and blend everything until smooth, for 3-5 minutes. Serve with a piece of toast or a grilled cheese sandwich.