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13 Iconic Soup & Sandwich Combos

This is our kind of You-Pick-Two.

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pumpkin tomato soup and grilled cheese sticks
PHOTO: ERIK BERNSTEIN; FOOD STYLING: BROOKE CAISON

Think you can only get a bomb soup and sandwich combo at Panera Bread? Think again! We've got all the fun and classic combinations that go way beyond what you can get in a You-Pick-Two, featuring recipes like grilled cheese and tomato soup (obvi), as well as fun spins like our ultimate veggie sandwich and carrot ginger soup. Trust us, we've taken the task of determining the most iconic soup and sandwich combos very seriously. The result? 13 easy, yet clever combinations and recipes that'll suit any and all moods this upcoming soup season.

For all you wild-children out there, you're going to want to get familiar with our new favorite combos. We decided to take the idea of a "sandwich" a bit loosely because, let's be real: There's a whole lot of other things that are also *very* happy dipped into soup. Our new favorites? Black bean tostadas are so good when they take a dive in some pozole. Let's also not forget how good a lobster roll goes with our new bacon jalapeño corn chowder!

Maybe you're more of a soup and sandwich purist? In which case, we've definitely got some options for you that go beyond just grilled cheese and tomato. A ham and cheese sandwich along with split pea soup is basically a hug you can eat (ditto our pumpkin tomato soup with grilled swiss cheese sticks). Want to feel like you've been transported to your favorite NYC deli? Our recipes for a reuben sandwich and matzo ball soup will absolutely help with that!

1

Pumpkin Tomato Soup With Grilled Swiss Cheese Sticks

pumpkin tomato soup and grilled cheese sticks
PHOTO: ERIK BERNSTEIN; FOOD STYLING: BROOKE CAISON

While we love classic tomato soup, we sometimes want to shake things up a bit when fall comes around. This soup gets an extra creamy dose, not only thanks to sweet pumpkin puree, but with heavy cream and sharp Parmesan. One of the best parts? Both the soup and cheese sticks are ready in under 30 minutes, making this the easiest weeknight dinner you'll have no problem getting the whole fam to enjoy. And it's definitely kid-friendly—they'll be obsessed with the grilled cheese sticks.

Get the Pumpkin Tomato Soup With Grilled Swiss Cheese Sticks recipe.

2

Reuben Sandwich

food, cuisine, dish, ingredient, patty melt, baked goods, finger food, produce, sandwich, recipe,
PARKER FEIERBACH

A good reuben should be loaded—and we can assure you that this one is! Not only is built on one of the best of all sandwich breads, rye of course, but it balances the salty, cured corned beef with tart sauerkraut and mild, almost creamy melted Swiss that is just begging to be eaten alongside some matzo ball soup. And don't get us started on Russian dressing.

Get the Reuben Sandwich recipe.

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3

Matzo Ball Soup

chicken matzo ball soup
PHOTO: ERIK BERNSTEIN; FOOD STYLING: ERIKA JOYCE

A symbolic dish of past hardships, warming matzo ball soup is an essential component of the Passover feast. This classic recipe—complete with homemade chicken broth and light and fluffy matzo balls—has a few ingredients that may surprise you, but truly perfect this pinnacle comfort food that only gets more cozy with a reuben.

Get the Matzo Ball Soup recipe.

4

Ultimate Veggie Sandwich

ultimate veggie sandwich

There's something so special and refreshing about a sandwich that is absolutely packed to the gills with veggies. The miso eggplant in here makes this one extra special and plays off the sweetness of our carrot ginger soup.

Get the Ultimate Veggie Sandwich recipe.

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5

Carrot Ginger Soup

bowl of carrot ginger soup topped with crispy shallots, chili oil, and cilantro
PHOTO: Erik Bernstein; FOOD STYLING: Simon Andrews

This is a recipe we come back to again and again: Canned coconut milk makes it super-creamy and rich, and just a tablespoon of fish sauce adds depth and makes this soup feel that much more special and dinner-worthy alongside our ultimate veggie sandwich.

Get the Carrot Ginger Soup recipe.

6

Copycat Panera Frontega Chicken Panini

copycat panera frontega chicken panini
PHOTO: LUCY SCHAEFFER; FOOD STYLING: SPENCER RICHARDS

We love hot panini of any kind, but this homemade version of our favorite Panera Bread panini is extra-special. Smoky shredded chicken, melty mozzarella, and juicy tomatoes are pressed between focaccia to create a sandwich that’s crispy-crunchy on the outside, and soft and warm in the middle. Lunchtime heaven.

Get the Copycat Panera Frontega Chicken Panini recipe.

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7

Panera Autumn Squash Soup

panera autumn squash soup
PARKER FEIERBACH

Panera's soups have a cult following (understandably so), but their Autumn Squash soup's popularity is unparalleled. Our copycat version has butternut squash, pumpkin, carrots, and shallots for a sweet and fully fall flavor that goes so well with our Copycat Panera Frontega chicken panini.

Get the Panera Autumn Squash Soup recipe.

8

Ham & Cheese Sandwich

ham and cheese sandwich
Parker feierbach

This ham sandwich is great for many reasons. It's got a beautiful golden crust (thanks mayo!), a quick and simple honey mustard sauce, and briny pickles for crunch. Make it with leftover spiral ham, and serve up with split pea soup, and you've got yourself a prize-winning lunch.

Get the Ham & Cheese Sandwich recipe.

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9

Split Pea Soup

split pea soup
Park Feierbach

The secret to the best split pea soup? A good, smoky ham hock. It imparts so much delicious flavor, and if you're lucky, you can get some meat off of it too for that ham and cheese sandwich!

Get the Split Pea Soup recipe.

10

Lobster Roll

lobster rolls
Bryce Johnson

This lobster roll is Connecticut style, which means absolutely no mayo in sight, just melted butter and some chives for freshness. We think this version really lets the lobster take center stage so, crustacean lovers, this is the sandwich for you. Serve with our bacon jalapeño corn chowder for the full experience!

Get the Lobster Roll recipe.

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11

Bacon Jalapeño Corn Chowder

bacon jalapeno corn chowder
Andrew bui

We already know that corn chowder + lobster rolls is delicious (see our cheesy, easy corn chowder). But what we didn't understand until recently is that it could get even better. Our favorite upgrades: bacon + jalapeño. The salty, porky flavors of the bacon and the spiciness from the jalapeño pair beautifully with sweet corn, and the resulting soup will change your view of corn chowder forever!

Get the Bacon Jalapeño Corn Chowder recipe.

12

Best Grilled Cheese

grilled cheese delishcom
Parker feierbach

With a grilled cheese, it's all about the crust. Choose a hearty bread, butter it up, and shred your favorite cheddar for the best grilled cheese ever: crispy-crunchy on the outside, melty, cheddar middle, and the world's most impressive cheese pull.

Get the Best Grilled Cheese recipe.

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13

Best Tomato Soup

bowl of tomato soup topped with basil and swirls of heavy cream
PHOTO: RACHEL VANNI; FOOD STYLING: LENA ABRAHAM

Tomato soup is often a mediocre backup singer for a grilled cheese sandwich, but with this recipe, we’re pulling it into the spotlight and making it exceptional. Where other soups go heavy with the basil or Parm, we chose to focus on the star of the show in our recipe—three types of tomatoes blended with a generous splash of heavy cream creates a soup that’s rich and robust, with big flavor and a super-creamy finish.

Get the Best Tomato Soup recipe.

14

Best Chicken Salad

poached chopped chicken tossed with onion, dill, celery, mayo, and greek yogurt with lettuce and tomato on whole grain bread
PHOTO: ANDREW BUI; FOOD STYLING: SPENCER RICHARDS

When it comes to chicken salad, we'd argue that our balance of add-ins here is the pinnacle, but once you nail the chicken and the dressing, you can feel free to spread your wings and give it your own personal flair. Whatever you add, chicken salad is just as perfect eaten on its own as it is piled on a croissant with a hearty bowl of our leek and potato soup.

Get the Best Chicken Salad recipe.

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15

Leek And Potato Soup

leek and potato soup in a white bowl on a dark wooden surface
June xie

This savory leek and potato soup can be left chunky or blended smooth, but the best part is the crunchy garnish that tops each bowl. While many recipes using leeks call for discarding the tougher, more fibrous green tops, we reserve them, slice 'em real thin, and stir-fry them until crispy and golden. Sprinkled with a little salt, fried leek greens transform an otherwise fine bowl of soup into an outstanding one that really sings next to our chicken salad sandwich.

Get the Leek And Potato Soup recipe.

16

Classic BLT

classic blt
Emily Hlavac Green

A classic BLT doesn't need much to be good. With such little ingredients it's important to use the best ones available. So reach for the homegrown juicy red tomatoes and the extra thick-cut bacon. Here we really elevate the bacon by brushing it with maple syrup and a little cayenne pepper that goes so well with the spicy-sweetness of our curried butternut squash soup.

Get the Classic BLT recipe.

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17

Curried Butternut Squash Soup

curried butternut squash soup
Parker feierbach

Soup season is our favorite time of year and this one is always first on our list to make. It's a vegan soup but you would never guess, because it's satisfying enough to be the main course (or for dipping a BLT.) The warm, rich flavors of curry powder play beautifully with sweet roasted butternut squash. Topped with a drizzle of rich coconut milk, toasted peanuts, and fresh cilantro, this picture-perfect dinner is sure to please everyone—even the omnivores.

Get the Curried Butternut Squash Soup recipe.

18

Best Steak Sandwich

dish, food, cuisine, ingredient, sandwich, rou jia mo, hamburger, produce, recipe, staple food,
Lucy schaeffer

Toasty, juicy, and smothered in melty Provolone and a homemade garlic aioli, if there's one steak sandwich recipe to commit to memory, this is it. Our recipe makes three sandwiches, so plan to share (or, you know, don't). It's also the best way to give leftover steak new life and play off the savory umami of french onion soup. There is nothing that doesn't taste better as a sandwich the next day. Toasty bread, melty cheese, and a killer sauce are all life giving.

Get the Best Steak Sandwich recipe.

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19

French Onion Soup

french onion soup
Parker feierbach

This French onion soup switches things up in the most delicious way. First, we use a white wine instead of red or sherry. Second, we use a combo of chicken AND beef stock. The results are a slightly sweeter take on the comforting classic that matches the savory richness of our steak sandwich.

Get the French Onion Soup recipe.

20

Black Bean Tostadas

black bean tostadas
Lucy schaeffer

With only 5 ingredients and less than 30 minutes, these black bean tostadas will have you serving up an easy and delicious vegetarian dinner on the table with hardly any work at all. These tostadas use ingredients you’re more than likely to have on hand, making them the easiest last-minute meal to throw together when you just can’t be bothered to cook up anything else. The best part? Because of their simplicity, these tostadas are endlessly versatile. Make them as-is for the most basic version, or use them as a base to add all your favorite seasonings and toppings (and then dip them into some pozole!)

Get the Black Bean Tostadas recipe.

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