What are the best side dishes for tomato soup? Tomato soup’s sweetness goes well with the rich saltiness of cheese, so baked feta, mushroom quiche, and grilled cheese fingers are perfect. Team tomato soup with other salty flavors like bacon and olives: crisp potato cakes, hearty lamb sliders, or an economic Italian pasta salad for a family dinner. Make a spicy pilaff and a zingy green salad with soup for a light meal.
Grilled cheese dunked in tomato soup is a winter tradition. But if you’re looking for some different and exciting sides for your tomato soup, look no further.
Baked Feta
Bright, creamy feta cheese makes a delicious, salty contrast to a creamy tomato soup. This baked cheese makes a great lunch if you’ve got any crackers.
Preheat your grill.
Slice a 7 oz block of feta cheese into two thick slices. Place each piece on aluminum foil, drizzle with olive oil, and scatter some fresh thyme.
Loosely wrap the foil around the cheese, place it on a baking sheet, and put it under the grill for about 10 minutes. The cheese should be warm, soft, and creamy.
Eat immediately.
Mushroom Quiche
A mildly flavored, savory quiche makes a delicious vegetarian lunch with a zesty tomato soup.
Heat your oven to a moderate temperature, 350⁰F (180⁰C). Buy or prepare a pastry case.
Heat two tablespoons of butter and gently sautée two cups of sliced mushrooms. Drain.
Beat two eggs, ½ cup of cream, ½ cup of milk, grated nutmeg, and pepper.
Add the mushrooms and ¼ cup of grated Gruyère cheese.
Pour the mushroom filling into the pastry case and bake for about 30 minutes until the filling sets.
Serve with a garnish of fresh herbs.
Cheese And Almond Fingers
Grilled cheese and tomato soup are the classic pairing, so make these savory toasts to enjoy with soup.
Fry ¼ cup chopped almonds in butter until pale golden brown.
Mix ¼ cup of butter, ¼ cup of cream, ½ cup of grated cheddar cheese, salt, and pepper.
Spread the mixture on hot toast fingers, sprinkle over the almonds, and grill for a few minutes to heat.
Serve immediately.
Aromatic Pilaff
Upgrade a curried tomato soup with a spicy pilaff inspired by Turkish cuisine.
Rinse two cups of long-grain rice under cold water until it runs clear. Drain.
In a heavy saucepan, heat two tablespoons of butter or olive oil. Gently fry a chopped onion until soft and fragrant. Stir in the drained rice and season. Stir continuously until the rice is translucent.
Add three cups of boiling chicken or vegetable stock, a bay leaf, a cinnamon stick, ½ cup of seedless raisins or sultanas, ½ cup of chopped dried apricots, and ¼ cup of chopped cashew nuts.
Bring the rice to a boil. Lower the heat, cover, and simmer the pilaff for 20 minutes. Remove the lid from the rice and allow to cook for two more minutes.
Fluff up the rice before serving and garnish with more raisins and chopped cashews.
Savory Potato Cakes
Potatoes make a hearty, warming side for tomato soup, the ideal comfort food.
These potato cakes or biscuits are great to make when you have a lot of leftover mashed potatoes. Or cook and mash 1½ pounds of potatoes.
Fry four rashers of bacon until crisp. Chop or crumble.
Add three tablespoons of flour to the potatoes and mix well. Add bacon.
Pat out the potato dough on a well-floured surface. Cut out rounds with a pastry cutter.
Fry the potato cakes in bacon fat, lard, or bacon, for about two minutes per side, until golden.
Serve hot.
Penne, Tuna, And Olive Salad
This budget-friendly side dish is ideal for a houseful of hungry teens who need something filling with their soup. The Italian flavors of this salad go well with tomato soup.
Cook 8-10 ounces of pasta until tender. Set aside to cool.
Mix a dressing with one clove of crushed garlic, two teaspoons of French mustard, a tablespoon of red wine vinegar, three tablespoons of olive oil, and a teaspoon of fresh tarragon. When the dressing is creamy and well-blended, pour it over the pasta.
Slice finely one red pepper, one medium onion, four celery sticks, and ¼ cup of fresh parsley. Toss the vegetables with the pasta. Add a handful of black olives.
Mix through a can of tuna, drained. Garnish with tomato chunks and parsley.
Zucchini And Lamb Sliders
These Greek-inspired patties make hearty sliders on small hamburger rolls and are a fun change from regular beef burgers. They pair well with roasted tomato soup.
Grate two cups of zucchini and plate in a colander. Sprinkle with salt and drain for 30 minutes. Squeeze out as much moisture as you can with your hands. Dry the zucchini on paper towels.
Combine two cups of ground lamb, one grated onion, two eggs, and ¼ cup of cream cheese. Season with salt, pepper, and ¼ cup of freshly chopped mint. Add two tablespoons of flour.
Form the meat mixture into small round patties and fry in olive oil for about five minutes on each side, until golden brown.
Serve hot, stuffed into buns with feta cheese.
Bacon And Egg Green Salad
Serve this delicious, protein-stuffed salad as a colorful and nutritious side to a wholesome tomato soup.
Fry four slices of bacon until crisp. Set aside and crumble.
Boil four eggs and allow them to cool. Slice into rounds.
Wash and trim a large bunch of baby spinach, mustard greens, or dandelion leaves.
Make a dressing with ¼ cup of apple cider vinegar, two tablespoons of olive oil, two teaspoons of mustard seeds, two teaspoons of freshly chopped herbs, one teaspoon of grated onion, and one teaspoon of sugar.
Pour the dressing over the spinach. Top the salad with bacon and egg.
Best Wine Pairings For Tomato Soup
Because tomato soup is acidic, it’s essential to choose a wine with low tannin levels but bold enough to stand up to the tomato’s sweetness and richness.
A crisp, light red goes well with all tomato dishes, so try a Chianti, Grenache, or Barbera. These medium-bodied wines have red fruit undertones with a hint of earthiness that matches your hearty soup.
Merlot is another excellent red, especially if you can get one with berry notes.
If your tomato soup is fresh and zesty, you can go for a bright white wine, like Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc, or Sancerre. Sparkling wine or even a fruity rosé is delightful with chilled tomato soup.
A fresh, dry sherry would also pair well with tomato soup.
Best Sauce And Garnish Pairings For Tomato Soup
We all know the popular toppings for tomato soup: pretzels, goldfish, croutons, or a swirl of sour cream and grated cheese.
What else can you use to make your tomato soup extra unique and attractive? Garnishes for tomato soup include the following:
- A drizzle of basil oil
- A dollop of pesto
- Whole basil leaves
- Snipped chives
- Finely chopped green onion
- Toasted almonds or pumpkin seeds
- Crumbled goat’s cheese
- Caramelized onions
- Guacamole
Try these simple Parmesan crisps if you’re not doing grilled cheese. Heat your oven to really hot. Lay out a baking sheet with a silicone sheet or baking paper.
Finely grate Parmesan cheese. Put well-spaced spoonful’s of Parmesan on the prepared baking sheet to allow for spreading.
Bake for 4-5 minutes until melted and edged with brown.
Allow to cool before eating.