Stanley Tucci’s Secret to the Best Grilled Cheese Sandwich on Planet Earth

I’ve read Stanley Tucci’s books, and I’ve seen every episode of his CNN series “Searching for Italy,” and it’s clear that the man knows food. He knows it so well that every time I hear him describe a dish, whether it’s on his Instagram account or in an interview, I’m always left feeling hungry. 

But his confession that he loves pairing grilled cheese with split pea soup gave me pause. My go-to has always been tomato soup but was I somehow wrong? Did Tucci know something I didn’t? Maybe he’s on to something.  

Stanley Tucci’s Grilled Cheese Pairing

Grilled cheese and tomato soup are an ideal pairing for a reason. The acidity of the tomatoes in the soup do a brilliant job of cutting through the creamy interior and crispy exterior of the grilled cheese. It’s simple and brilliant. If that’s the case, why pair a grilled cheese with anything else?

While I love dipping my grilled cheese in a bowl of hot tomato soup, I’m open to exploring other options. That’s why I said, “huh?” immediately followed by, “I’d give that a try” when I heard that Tucci prefers pea soup with his grilled cheese. Enamored by the simplicity of both dishes, I found myself agreeing that this could be a combination that works.

Tucci’s pea soup sounds simple, made by combining vegetable broth with ham, onions, garlic, and peas. The “basic-ness” is what works in its favor. No, you won’t get the same acidity as you would from the tomato soup, but you’ll get something satisfying and salty that might be a better pairing for grilled cheese on days when you’ve worked hard shoveling snow or played in a serious snowball fight. 

Try This When You Make Your Pea Soup

If you’re up for trying Tucci’s pea soup and grilled cheese combo, I have a recommendation: Make it from scratch. As he mentions in his interview, it’s not a complicated dish. Making it from scratch allows you to customize it. For example, I love a smooth, creamy pea soup, so I like to use a ham hock but then remove it and puree the soup before serving.

You can also play with adding herbs like thyme and rosemary. I also love adding a splash of vinegar or lemon juice for a delicious finishing touch. Remember to keep things simple—that’s part of the appeal of this pairing.