You pick up a thing or two when you’re working in a commercial kitchen. You quickly learn how to majorly scale recipes, process large volumes of food, and make daily specials from produce you need to use and items you need to sell. It’s all about being quick, nimble, and smart—while delivering delicious dishes your customers will love.
In addition to learning many kitchen skills and cooking techniques, you also memorize some darn good recipes that you can bring home and cook for your friends and family. This is one such recipe. My old restaurant would serve this simple topper on piping-hot bowls of soup. It was an incredibly easy addition that added so much flavor, texture, and intrigue to a humble bowl of soup. And though my kitchen days are long over, I still make this recipe every time fall rolls around.
The 2-Ingredient Recipe That Upgrades Every Bowl of Soup
Confessions of a Grocery Addict
Three words: Grilled Cheese Croutons. Yes, this soup-topper combo gives a one-two punch to any bowl of soup. You get crispy texture from toasted bread as well as a creamy, cheesy addition to every spoonful. (But don’t let it sit too long, or it will get soggy.)
The ingredients could not be simpler. While you could use whatever soft bread you use for sandwiches, something heartier with a thick crust like ciabatta, baguette, or sourdough will stand up better to a hot bowl of soup. Then, pair the cheese with whatever soup type you’re eating. I use Cheddar for classic tomato soup, Swiss for French Onion soup, or melty Brie for something like a chicken and rice soup. For many other soups, cream cheese and mozzarella are options that complement so many different flavors.
How To Make Grilled Cheese Croutons
There are a few different ways to cook grilled cheese croutons. If you’re only making enough for one or two bowls of soup, you can make a simple grilled cheese on the stove and cut it into bite-sized chunks. If you’re making many, you can easily prepare them in batches in the oven.
- Assemble the squares. Place the cheese between the bread, making as many sandwiches as you’d like. Slice into small squares, then place on an oiled baking sheet. To make transfer easier, use a bench scraper or large turner.
- Add oil, cook, and toss. Lightly drizzle olive oil on top of the squares, and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Pop them under the broiler, but don’t go far—they’ll cook up in as little as a minute or two, depending on the strength of your oven. When the top piece of bread starts to brown, give the croutons a light toss or turn them with a spatula.
- Remove from the oven and let cool completely. When both sides of the bread are golden brown and the cheese is melted, remove the grilled cheese croutons from the oven and let them cool completely on the baking sheet. (During those few minutes in the oven, the cheese gets so molten that it melts and “holds on” to the bread, so after cooking the croutons can be held individually.)
- Enjoy. Pop them on top of a warm bowl of soup right before serving. You won’t be able to help but love these cheesy soup toppings! Grilled cheese croutons can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container.
