So you’ve finally perfected your creamy tomato soup recipe just in time for fall? Congrats! But wait, why does it still feel as if something is missing?
You’ve already added flavored cream, herbs, oil, and cheese. So what’s still there to add? Well, how about some fantastic tomato soup pairings?
While tomato soup is already a filling meal in itself, adding a few side dishes can turn your favorite soup into a full meal.
Do you want to know what is best paired with tomato soup?
Since we’re tomato soup lovers ourselves, we’ve made it our life’s mission to find out what are the best pairings for tomato soup.
Now, without further ado, here are some of the best ideas on what to eat with tomato soup:
1. Grilled Cheese Sandwich
For some reason, tomato and cheese just go oh so well together. That’s why it won’t come as a surprise that many of us consider grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup to be a classic pairing. We firmly believe that cheese is the yin to tomato’s yang.
Fun Fact: This classic combo works because the creamy, buttery, and umami qualities of cheese complement tomato’s sweetness and tame its acidity.
If you’re a tomato soup lover like us, you probably already know the perfect cheese mixture (parmesan cheese, gruyere, and cheddar)and hacks to create the best-grilled sandwich. (*)
But do you know how to take your favorite recipe to a whole new level? We do! Here are some grilled cheese sandwich variants you may want to try out:
Hawaiian Grilled Cheese Sandwich
If you love pineapples pizza, there’s no way you wouldn’t like adding a tropical flair to your favorite sandwich!
Grilled Cheese Sandwich with Pesto
How about we add an Italian twist to this classic American comfort food? We can do that by adding mayo pesto mixture to your sandwich.
Since pesto contains a nutty and savory taste (thanks to pine nuts and basil), it works well as a pasta sauce and adds a new depth and flavor to your grilled cheese sandwich.
- Pro Tip: Pesto sauce will taste best when paired with provolone and peppers.
Grilled Cheese Sandwich with Avocado
Another way to level up your grilled sandwich game is to add avocado slices. In addition to adding a pop of color to your sandwich, the avocado slices will also lend a rich layer to it. Let’s also not forget that it will provide you with lots of healthy fats, which will make your tomato soup a well-rounded meal.
Pro Tip: The best cheeses to pair with avocado are Manchego cheese, Cheddar, Gruyere, Monterey Jack, and Brie.
Grilled Cheese Sandwich with Bacon
And if you genuinely want this the ultimate American comfort food, just add bacon!
2. Grilled Tuna Melt Sandwich
There’s no denying that sandwich and soup is one tasty and filling lunch combination. However, if you’re already getting tired of tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches, then you may want to serve tomato soup with a grilled tuna melt sandwich.
This is very much like a grilled cheese sandwich but with a fishy and fatty twist to it! If you’re looking for a lighter option than bacon, this is the best option that you have.
There are a lot of ingredients used to prepare the tuna spread, but the common ones are red onion, parsley, mustard, mayonnaise, pepper, lemon juice, fresh dill, and celery.
- Pro Tip: Pair a tuna melt sandwich with creamy tomato basil soup for best results.
3. BLT Sandwich
Why limit yourself to a grilled cheese sandwich with bacon bits when you can always go for BLT? The best thing about this is it has more texture than the usual grilled cheese.
After all, you have the crisp, savory, and smoked bacon, refreshing lettuce, and juicy and fruity tomatoes. All of these would complement your tomato soup’s creamy and acidic flavor.
- Pro Tip: You can make your BLT sandwich more flavorful by adding caramelized onions, fried eggs, fig jam, hot peppers, bean sprouts, and many more.
4. Mozzarella Sticks
Do you want to enjoy the classic combo of gooey cheese and tomato soup without the extra carbs from the bread? If yes, then go for mozzarella sticks!
This appetizer is often served with either marinara sauce or ketchup, so dipping it in tomato soup would work just well.
Mozzarella sticks are gooey on the inside and crunchy on the outside. Dip this in a hot bowl of creamy soup, and you get the perfect comfort food for a cold day.
5. Pizza
And yes, we’re not yet done with the cheesy selection, and here’s our best entry yet— your favorite pizza!
This doesn’t come as a surprise, considering that pizza is the epitome of food items that combine cheese and tomatoes.
- Pro Tip: Since garlic is one of the herbs that go well with tomatoes, we recommend going for a roasted garlic and cheese pizza.
6. Baked Potato
Are you looking for something filling and satisfying to serve with tomato soup? You should serve tomato soup with a baked potato, and you’ll never go wrong!
If you want a game-changing tomato soup side dish, try baked stuffed potatoes loaded with bacon and chives and topped with sour cream and your choice of melted cheese.
Pro Tip: You can make baked potatoes even without an oven! All you need to do is microwave the potatoes for 10 minutes, flipping them halfway.
7. Shrimp Ceviche
How about a light, refreshing, and protein-rich side dish to serve with tomato soup? If you like the idea, shrimp ceviche is the way to go!
This refreshing combo works well because the sweet, tangy, and crisp shrimp complements the creaminess of tomato soup.
Do you find shrimp ceviche to be a bit intimidating?
Don’t! It’s very easy to do.
Just mix cumin, honey, olive oil, pepper, vinegar, clam juice, onions, fresh tomatoes, and garlic altogether. Marinate the shrimp in the resulting mixture, chill it for about 2 hours, and then serve. Yes, it’s that easy!
8. Sausage
Since we’re already on the subject of protein-rich tomato soup pairings, you should try eating tomato soup with sausages too!
Of course, you can always go for cheesy sausages. But if you’re looking for something different, we recommend going for Italian sausage, which has an intense and robust flavor that will cut through the sweetness of tomatoes.
- Pro Tip: For a healthier or child-friendly version of this combo, try chicken tenders in place of sausage.
9. Salads
Is the sandwich-and-soup combo not your thing? Perhaps the salad-and-soup combo is! Both are light and refreshing and the perfect match if you want a low-calorie meal.
The good news is you have lots of salad choices that can make your meal more exciting. Here are some of them:
Simple Salad
Sometimes, a simple salad is just what you need. For example, if you’re too lazy to whip up a fancy salad, you can just simply toss arugula and spinach in a vinaigrette of your choice and top it off with shredded mozzarella or Parmesan cheese.
Shrimp Avocado Salad
Who says salad and soup is not a complete meal?
The shrimp avocado salad and tomato soup combo will beg to differ! You got your fiber from the tomato soup and greens, protein from shrimp, and healthy fats from the avocado slices. So what else do you need?
Baked Goat Cheese with Spring Lettuce Salad
You can never go wrong with this classic California salad with its cheesy and nutty taste!
10. Toppings
For people who don’t have the time to whip up an entirely new dish, toppings are your best friends. These accouterments will add further depth and texture to your favorite tomato soup, and you’ll never look at it the same way again.
Here are some topping ideas that you can choose from:
Crunchy Toppings
The best crunchy toppings are tortilla strips, pretzels, pumpkin seeds, and croutons.
Creamy Toppings
If you wish to add a hint of refreshing taste to your piping hot bowl of creamy soup, go for melted cheese, avocado cubes, or a dollop of sour cream.
Zesty Toppings
For a kick of flavor, top your tomato soup with salsa or jalapeños.
Fresh Toppings
You can always add a sprinkle of green to your tomato soup with a few basil leaves or chopped green onions.
Final Words
There’s no denying that tomato soup is the ultimate comfort food, especially during the fall season. But no matter how nutritious and delicious it already is, it still lacks depth, texture, and other nutrients that we need.
So what is a good side dish for tomato soup? Apparently, there are plenty of tomato soup pairings — from sandwiches to salads to toppings, and many more!
And if you have leftover tomato soup, you can even use them for boosting the flavors of your favorite tomato-based dishes like cabbage rolls and seafood stew. Amazing, right?
So, which of these is your favorite tomato soup side dish? Let us know in the comments section!
