Supercharge Your Next Grilled Cheese With This Genius Cooking Hack

When we ran down the roll call of common grilled cheese mistakes, who knew that combining your grilled cheese and tomato soup into one delicious sandwich would make the list? Look, grilled cheese dipped in tomato soup is an iconic food pairing — even if we sometimes like to switch things up and dip our grilled cheese in applesauce (don't knock it!). When we're craving the homey, delicious simplicity of grilled cheese, we also tend to reach for a can of soup or whip up something like our creamy basil-infused tomato soup recipe. What if we told you that, using an underrated cooking technique, you could have your soup 'n sandwich combo all in one? The answer is making your sandwich into a savory French toast using condensed tomato soup as the base.

@chrystaelliott99

This was 10/10 try it right now #grilledcheese #gordonramsay #cooking #fyp #tutorial

♬ C.B.Rhumba by Sage Guyton and Jeremy Wakefield – SpongeRadio

When you think "French toast," you generally imagine sweet preparations, but you can totally take it to the other end of the flavor spectrum, and this grilled cheese is a great example. As demonstrated by TikTok user chrystaelliott99, just mix canned tomato soup with milk and egg to form an umami-rich, red custard. Then, much like you would with French toast, coat your sandwich in the mix thoroughly before frying. The result? A crispy, succulent handheld with an unexpected burst of tomato-y goodness. 

You've undoubtedly heard of slipping a slice of tomato in between your sandwich bread for juicy flair, and you've definitely appreciated the tomato-and-cheese flavor marriage by way of pizza and pasta. Why wouldn't you love grilled cheese made with a tomato soup French toast? The idea initially seems offbeat, but the fundamental logic makes perfect sense when you start thinking about it!

We love to add condiments to our tomato soup, and this grilled cheese made with tomato soup French toast is just begging for culinary experimentation. We've seen pesto smeared on the inside of the sandwich before frying for an easy, yummy upgrade. Want some extra savor? How about spiking your tomato soup custard with hot sauce for a fiery kick to your sando? We also wouldn't be mad about swapping the milk in your soup for heavy cream to really up the unctuousness of the dip and add crazy-good richness to your sandwich.

And, of course, none of that is getting into what you can put inside the sandwich! Your cheese choice will make a big difference here, so choose carefully. Mozzarella is a natural, really adding to the Italian flavor profile. Dare we suggest the addition of a schmear of ricotta inside the sandwich for extra creaminess to beautifully contrast with the crispy exterior of the bread? You definitely want something with superior melting factor, as the texture of the French toast will be absolutely dreamy when you have an ooey-gooey cheese layer holding things together. As much as we love Parmesan and Asiago, this is not the time for a hard cheese that will resist melting. If all else fails, grab some slices of American cheese and call it a day! Will you add fresh basil leaves, deli meats, or other veggies to your sandwich? The sky is the limit, so don't be afraid to get creative!