Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup {Disneyland Copycat}
Servings: servings
Prepare a Disney-worthy meal at home with this delicious Disneyland grilled cheese and tomato soup recipe! The homemade tomato soup is richly flavored and oh so creamy, perfect for dunking the ooey, gooey grilled cheese. Your kids will go wild for it!
Ingredients
For Tomato Soup
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes, low sodium
- 1/4 cup sliced sun-dried tomatoes
- 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 5 fresh basil leaves, minced
- 1 1/2 cups partly skimmed 2% evaporated milk
- Salt and pepper to taste
For the Grilled Cheese
- 8 slices sourdough bread (about 1.3-1.5 cm thick)
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter or olive oil
- 1 cup freshly grated medium cheddar cheese
- 1 cup freshly grated mozzarella cheese
Instructions
To make tomato soup:
- In a medium saucepan or Dutch oven, heat about a tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add onions and cook until softened, about 3-4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
- Add diced tomatoes, sun dried tomatoes, Italian seasoning, onion powder and basil to the saucepan. Bring to a simmer, lower heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat. Add in the evaporated milk.
- If using an immersion blender, blend soup until smooth. You may need to tilt the pot for the blender to work effectively. If using a regular blender, allow the soup to cool for 10 minutes before transferring it to the blender and blend until smooth and creamy. If soup is too thick, you can blend in a little broth or additional milk. Return to saucepan.
- Add salt and pepper to taste. Reheat over medium heat if necessary.
- Garnish with a sprinkle of freshly grated parmesan cheese and thinly sliced basil if desired.
To cook grilled cheese:
- Spread both sides of each piece of bread with the butter or brush with olive oil.
- Heat a heavy-bottomed skillet or frying pan over medium low heat (you don’t need oil or butter). Place two pieces of bread in the skillet and lightly toast for 1 minute to warm them through and start to crisp up the bread. (This will give the cheese a head start when we add it).
- Flip one slice of bread, then add ¼ cup shredded cheddar cheese followed by ¼ cup shredded mozzarella. Place the other slice of bread on top, with the warm toasted side in contact with the cheese.
- Cook for 2-3 minutes or until the bread is evenly golden and crispy, pressing down lightly with a spatula occasionally. If it's browning too quickly, remove from the heat to cool down a bit and lower heat.
- Turn the sandwich over, and cook the other side for 2-3 minutes or until the bread is golden and the cheese is melted. Repeat with remaining bread and cheese.
- Transfer sandwich to cutting board. Cut in half in one swift motion and enjoy with a cup of the tomato basil soup.
Notes
- If you prefer a thinner tomato soup, add some extra evaporated milk or broth.
- All canned tomatoes are different. If your tomatoes taste acidic, you can add 1-2 teaspoons of honey or other desired sweetener to cut some of the acidity.
- For extra smooth and creamy soup, blend tomato soup in a high power blender. Just wait for the soup to cool slightly before transferring to the blender.
- We like to use sourdough bread for the grilled cheese, but you can use whole wheat bread if preferred.
- Be sure to use freshly grated cheese rather than pre-grated cheese since pre-shredded often contains additives that prevent it from melting properly.
Nutrition
Calories: 505kcal | Carbohydrates: 48g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 58mg | Sodium: 740mg | Potassium: 945mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 1830IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 1022mg | Iron: 3mg
