Vegetable Soup and Pesto Grilled Cheese

This homemade Vegetable Soup is made with fresh garden veggies! It's perfect served with a mozzarella Grilled Cheese Sandwich for dipping.

Soup and sandwiches are a classic combo for lunch or a light dinner. This Chunky Vegetable Soup and Pesto Grilled Cheese Sandwich make for a great hearty vegetarian meal.

This is a great meal to prepare during the late summer and early fall months because it's packed with fresh seasonal vegetables. A hearty vegetable soup like this one is the perfect way to utilize summer garden veggies.

It's even better paired with a flavorful grilled cheese sandwich for dipping. This grilled cheese is made even tastier with the addition of fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced tomatoes, and jarred basil pesto.

The sandwiches are grilled on the stove top until the bread is crusty and the cheese melted, making them perfect for dipping into a bowl of hearty vegetable soup.

The soup is made with green beans, carrots, spinach, tomatoes, and cannellini beans all simmered in a savory broth, all of which complements the flavors of the sandwich nicely.

Jump to:

• What Are The Best Vegetables For Soup?
• Ingredients For Vegetable Soup and Pesto Grilled Cheese
• How To Make Vegetable Soup
• How Long Does It Take To Make Vegetable Soup?
• Which Bread Is Best For Grilled Cheese?
• How To Make Pesto Grilled Cheese
• How Long Does Pesto Grilled Cheese Take To Cook?
• What To Serve With Vegetable Soup
• How Long Does Vegetable Soup Last In The Fridge?
• Can It Be Frozen?
• Vegetable Soup and Pesto Grilled Cheese

What Are The Best Vegetables For Soup?

Vegetable soup is incredibly versatile in that you can add just about any veggies you like to it. It's important to keep in mind that cooking times may vary depending on the type of vegetable used.

For instance, lighter vegetables with a higher water content, such as zucchini or summer squash, asparagus, and bell peppers have shorter cooking time.

Heartier veggies, such as carrots, rutabaga, green beans, and sweet potatoes have a lower water content and take longer to cook.

Generally, the heartier vegetables with a longer cooking time are added at the beginning of the soup and ones that cook quickly are added toward the end of the cooking time.

This Vegetable Soup is made primarily with hearty vegetables like carrots and green beans. These veggies take longer to cook than the spinach, which is added just before the soup is finished cooking.

The garlic and onions are sautéed at the beginning of the cooking process, creating a rich base of flavor for the soup.

Ingredients For Vegetable Soup and Pesto Grilled Cheese

Here's what you'll need to make it.

• 6 cloves Garlic
• 1 Onion (any color)
• 4-5 Carrots (yields 3 cups chopped)
• 1 lb. Green Beans (yields 3 cups chopped)
• 2 Tbsp. Olive Oil
• 4 ½ cups Low Sodium Vegetable Broth
• 1 15 oz. can Cannellini Beans
• 1 14.5 oz. can Diced Tomatoes
• 1 tsp. Italian Seasoning
• ½ tsp. Kosher Salt
• ¼ tsp. Pepper
• 2 packed cups Spinach (or hearty greens of choice)
• 4 slices Gluten Free Sandwich Bread (or any sandwich bread if not gluten free)
• 4 Tbsp. Jarred Basil Pesto
• 1 Roma Tomato (or fresh tomato of choice)
• 8 oz. Fresh Mozzarella
• 2 Tbsp. Butter

How To Make Vegetable Soup

This is a straightforward vegetable soup recipe that's made in a cast iron Dutch oven or any heavy-bottomed soup pot on the stove top.

All that's needed to make it is to prepare the aromatics and vegetables, sauté them in olive oil, and simmer the veggies in broth along with some cannellini beans, diced tomatoes, and fresh spinach.

It's seasoned simply with some Italian seasoning along with kosher salt and pepper.

1. Start by mincing 6 cloves of garlic and 1 onion (any color).
2. Peel 4-5 large carrots and cut them into slices (yields 3 cups chopped carrots). Cut the slices into halves or quarters, depending on the size of the carrots.
3. Wash and trim the ends from 1 lb. of green beans (yields 3 cups chopped green beans). Cut the green beans into halves or thirds, depending on the size of the green beans.
4. Place a cast iron Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed soup pot on the stove top and heat to medium-high. Add 2 Tbsp. of olive oil to the pot.
5. Once the oil is heated, add the minced garlic and onions. Sauté for 4-5 minutes, stirring often.
6. Add the chopped carrots and green beans along with ½ tsp. of kosher salt and ¼ tsp. of pepper. Sauté for 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally.
7. Pour 4 ½ cups of low sodium vegetable broth into the pot along with 1 14.5 oz. can of diced tomatoes (and juices) and 1 tsp. of Italian seasoning. Stir until completely combined.
8. Bring the soup to a boil. Once boiling, reduce to a low boil, cover, and cook for 15 minutes.

How Long Does It Take To Make Vegetable Soup?

Once all of the aromatics and vegetables are chopped, sautéed, and have been brought to a boil, it only takes about 20 minutes for this vegetable soup to cook on the stove top.

The heartier veggies simmer for about 15 minutes on a low boil. The remaining ingredients are added at that point and cook for another 5 minutes or so until the spinach has wilted and the veggies are tender, but not mushy.

1. Roughly chop 2 packed cups of spinach (or hearty greens of choice such as kale, Swiss chard, or arugula).
2. After 15 minutes, add the chopped greens to the soup along with 1 15 oz. can of drained cannellini beans. Stir until combined.
3. Place the lid back on the pot and cook the soup on a low boil for another 5 minutes.

Cooking times may vary slightly, but the soup is done when the carrots and green beans are tender, but not mushy and the spinach has wilted.

Feel free to adjust the seasoning as needed.

Which Bread Is Best For Grilled Cheese?

A variety of firm, but not hard bread that's not too thick, too soft, or too perforated is best for making grilled cheese sandwiches.

Some varieties of bread that are great for grilled cheese include sourdough, ciabatta, deli sandwich bread, French boule, or a rustic Italian loaf.

This recipe is gluten free and calls for gluten free sandwich bread, but you can opt for any variety that is best suited for grilled cheese if gluten is not an issue for you.

When it comes to gluten free bread, try to choose a variety of gluten free bread that is firm, not too perforated, not too dry, and wide enough to hold all of the fillings without falling apart.

If possible, try to find a variety of deli style gluten free sandwich bread. The slices tend to be wider, which makes for a larger, more stable canvas. Schar, Udi's, BFree, and Katz all offer deli style sandwich breads.

You may need to look in the freezer section of your local grocery store to find them. Alternately, you can grab a loaf from a gluten free bakery if there is one near you.

How To Make Pesto Grilled Cheese

The great thing about these Pesto Grilled Cheese Sandwiches is that they can be prepared while the soup is simmering on the stove top. This is just a basic grilled cheese with an Italian twist.

This recipe makes 2 sandwiches and calls for 4 slices of bread, but you can adjust the amount of sandwiches adjust the amounts according to how many sandwiches you'd like.

1. Start with 4 slices of gluten free deli style bread (or any bread if not gluten free). Spread 1 Tbsp. or so (adjust to taste) of jarred basil pesto onto each slice of bread (alternately, you can use homemade pesto if you prefer).
2. Cut 1-2 Roma tomatoes into slices (you can use any variety of tomatoes you like, but I like Roma tomatoes for their low water content).
3. Cut 1 ball of fresh mozzarella cheese into slices (alternately, you can use pre-sliced fresh mozzarella).
4. Place as many slices of the fresh mozzarella cheese onto each slice of bread as you like.
5. Add a few slices of fresh tomato on top of the cheese.
6. Place the other half of the bread on the sandwich. Spread a generous amount of softened butter onto the outside piece of each bread.

You can use any variety of cheese you like in place of mozzarella, just be sure that the cheese used in a variety that melts well. Here are some varieties that work well for grilled cheese:

• Smoked Mozzarella
• Havarti
• Fontina
• White Cheddar
• Monterrey Jack
• Colby
• Swiss
• Provolone
• Brie
• Muenster

How Long Does Pesto Grilled Cheese Take To Cook?

1. To make the sandwiches, place a large skillet on the stove top and heat to medium-low. Make sure the skillet is thoroughly heated before adding the sandwiches.
2. Only add as many sandwiches as fit comfortably in the skillet. Overcrowding the pan makes it difficult to flip the sandwiches.
3. Cook the sandwiches on one side for 5-8 minutes, or until the cheese has started to melt and the bread is golden brown.
4. Flip and cook for another 5-8 minutes.
5. Repeat with the remainder of the sandwiches (if making).

The cheese should be melted and the outside of the bread crusty and golden brown when the sandwiches are done.

Love sandwiches? Check out these recipes!

• Gouda Chicken Grilled Cheese
• Chipotle Chicken Panini
• Italian Mozzarella Grilled Cheese
• Turkey Rachel Sandwich
• Reuben Sandwich
• BLT with Lemon Basil Mayo

What To Serve With Vegetable Soup

This recipe makes 2 grilled cheese sandwiches, which I recommend cutting in half. Feel free to make more sandwiches if you'd like.

Serve the sandwich halves along with a bowl of the vegetable soup. You can garnish the soup with shredded Parmesan or Asiago cheese, or fresh herbs like basil or parsley if you prefer.

If you aren't in the mood for sandwiches, you can serve this soup with these savory cheddar chive scones or homemade biscuits.

You can also prepare the soup without the sandwiches or the sandwiches without the soup if you don't feel like making both of them.

How Long Does Vegetable Soup Last In The Fridge?

Any leftover soup may be stored for 2-3 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Make sure to allow the soup to cool completely before transferring to the fridge for storage.

The sandwiches may be stored for 1-2 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Keep in mind that they may become a bit soggy the longer they are stored.

Can It Be Frozen?

Yes, vegetable soup makes a great freezer meal!

HOW TO FREEZE

1. Prepare the soup as directed and allow it to cool completely before transferring to the freezer for storage.
2. Once cooled, place in heavy-duty freezer bags or airtight freezer-friendly food containers, label with the date, and freeze up to 3 months.

HOW TO REHEAT

1. Transfer the soup to the refrigerator and allow it to thaw overnight.
2. Place the thawed soup in a soup pot and heat on the stove top or in the microwave.
3. You can also place the frozen soup in a Dutch Oven or heavy-bottomed soup pan, add some water or broth, thaw and reheat on the stove top.

Love healthy soups? Check out these recipes!

• Harvest Vegetable Soup
• Vegetable Orzo Soup
• Potato Leek Cauliflower Soup
• Chunky Vegetable Soup
• Vegetable Noodle Soup
• Root Vegetable Soup
• White Bean Turkey Soup

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Broccoli and Cauliflower Soup

Tomato Florentine Soup