Mini Grilled Cheese Bites with Tomato Soup Dip ~ a fun, adorable, and delicious way to do a soup and sandwich combo lunch! Serve it shooter style for a unique appetizer.
We had this appetizer at a wedding last week and I couldn’t wait to make it for myself. Easy peasy, but lots of fun for everyone. Essentially it’s mini grilled cheese sandwiches with a bowl of fresh tomato soup for dipping. Everyone went wild. You can make it simple or extra special. I went for extra special with garden ripe tomatoes and fresh basil for the soup, and a beautiful Red Leicester cheese for the sandwich bites.
I think this is an ingenious concept because it swings from kids lunch, to game night grub, to elegant party appetizer. I’d forgotten how great a simple tomato soup can be, and the second half of summer is the perfect time to make it, the tomatoes are so good you can’t fail. And who can resist a mini grilled cheese sandwich? Nobody I know.
Reader Rave ~
“I made the soup and grilled cheese and they turned out delicious. The soup was cozy, creamy and perfect for the rainy El Niño storms we have coming in this week. I plan on making several of your soup recipes this week..” ~Yvonne
Don’t forget to follow me on facebook and Pinterest!
Mini Grilled Cheese with Tomato Soup Dip
Ingredients
tomato soup dip
- 1 lb tomatoes, I used plum tomatoes
- 1 Tbsp butter
- 1/2 onion, peeled and chopped
- 1 1/2 cups chicken stock
- 2 bay leaves
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp fresh cracked black pepper
- 1-2 Tbsp heavy cream
- fresh basil for garnish
sandwich bites
- 10 slices of white bread
- 5 slices cheese, American, Cheddar, whatever you like
- butter, at room temperature
Instructions
- Rinse and give the tomatoes a rough chop.
- Melt the butter in a pan and add the onions and tomatoes. Saute for a minute or two, and then pour in the stock and add the bay leaves. Bring up to a simmer and let cook, loosely covered, for about 20 minutes. Remove the bay leaves and season with salt and pepper.
- Working in batches, puree the soup in a food processor or good blender. When it is completely smooth, blend in the cream.
- Reheat the soup on the stove and taste to adjust the salt and pepper.
- Serve hot with a garnish of fresh basil leaves.
- Make the grilled cheese sandwich bites by first cutting off the crusts from your bread. You are going to make larger sandwiches to grill, and then cut them down to mini size after they are cooked.
- Put a piece of cheese in between two pieces of bread. Butter the outside of the top and bottom. Place the sandwich on a hot pan and cook until golden on both sides. Remove the sandwiches and set them aside to cool a bit so they will be easier to slice.
- Slice with a sharp serrated knife into smaller squares, and then in half into little 'bites'.
Thoughts on keeping these warm during a party? I would like to make these an hour or two in advance. Thanks!
That’s a tough one, I think you might keep them in foil in a low oven, and maybe even leave them whole, and cut them just before serving.
What a lovely tomato soup recipe! THANKS
This will be so GOOD!! Our local farmers’ market starts up April 13th…. We always have a wonderful vendor with hydroponically grown tomatoes… which really are GOOD. This will be a perfect dinner! THANKS!
I want to try this but can I substitute the heavy cream for coconut milk or coconut cream?
I would just leave the cream out, Margaret, it will be fine. I don’t think coconut would work in this recipe.
Hi I’ve been a fan of your baking recipes for awhile, as I’m a cardamom fan too. I made the soup and grilled cheese and they turned out delicious. The soup was cozy, creamy and perfect for the rainy El Niño storms we have coming in this week. I plan making several of your soup recipes this week.
Thanks so much Yvonne – I think that’s why I’ve been pinning this recipe so much this week, subconsciously getting ready for the cozy rain!
I’m a bit confused on how to do the grilled cheese. You grill the bread before you put the cheese in the middle? Do you butter the bread slices, then grill and then add the cheese and then put on a hot pan with butter on top again?
I’d like to make this for new years..let me know what the best strategy is for the grilled cheese portion?
Hi Nikita — I just rewrote the instructions to be a little clearer. You care going to make regular grilled cheese sandwiches, and then cut them into smaller bite sizes after they are cooked. Hope this helps, and enjoy!
This brings me back to my mother’s kitchen table! I think I need to make these soon 🙂
Oooo I’m going to have to remember this for my wedding! And also make it for dinner next week. Sounds outrageously good.
So excited about your wedding, Joanne, it’s fun to follow along with all your planning decisions. At the wedding we were at they passed around appetizers while the photographs were being taken, and these were the runaway favorite!