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Italian Vegetable Soup and Pesto Grilled Cheese #SundaySupper
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Pesto Grilled Cheese and Italian Vegetable Soup

A hearty and flavorful meal that's great any time of the year! You will love how EASY our Pesto Grilled Cheese and Italian Vegetable Soup is to prepare, and the flavor combo of this grilled cheese and soup pairing will quickly become a family fave! Perfect for a weeknight or weekend meal!
Course Main Course
Cuisine Italian
Keyword Soup and Grilled Cheese
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings 4
Calories 853kcal
Author Isabel Laessig

Ingredients

For the soup

  • 6 cloves garlic
  • 1 small onion can use white, yellow, or red
  • 4 large carrots
  • 3 cups green beans fresh
  • 1 Tbsp. olive oil
  • 4 cups vegetable broth
  • 16 oz. can cannellini beans
  • 15 oz. can tomato sauce
  • 1 tsp. sugar
  • 1 tsp. Italian seasoning heaping
  • pinch salt
  • pinch pepper

For the sandwiches

  • 8 slices sourdough bread
  • 4 Tbsp. basil pesto jarred
  • 8 oz. mozzarella cheese fresh
  • 1 large tomato
  • 1 Tbsp. butter

Instructions

For the soup:

  • Mince 6 cloves garlic and 1 onion.
  • Cut 4-5 large carrots into slices. Try to make sure the carrots are a uniform size to ensure even cooking.
  • Wash and trim 3 cups of fresh green beans. Cut the beans in half.
  • Heat 1 Tbsp. or so of olive oil in a cast iron Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed soup pan.
  • Add the garlic and onions and saute for 4-5 minutes, stirring often.
  • Add the carrots along with a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Saute for 4-5 minutes, stirring often. Add a splash of vegetable broth to the pan if carrots begin to stick.
  • Add the green beans to the pan and saute for 4-5 minutes, stirring often. Add more vegetable broth if necessary.
  • Add 3 ½-4 cups of vegetable broth. Cover the pan and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer/low boil and cook with the cover on for 20 minutes or so or until the carrots and green beans are soft but not mushy.
  • Add 1 16 oz. can of cannellini beans, 1 15 oz. can of tomato sauce, 1 tsp. sugar, 1 heaping tsp. of Italian seasoning, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Stir to combine and reduce heat to low.

For the sandwiches:

  • Assemble and make the sandwiches while the soup is simmering.
  • Cut 1 large tomato into uniform slices.
  • Cut 1 ball of mozzarella into uniform slices.
  • Spread 1 Tbsp. or so of jarred basil pesto onto 4 slices of bread. Top each slice of bread with 2-3 mozzarella slices and 2 tomato slices. Place the second piece of bread onto each one (total 4 sandwiches).
  • Heat a flat-bottomed skillet to slightly lower than medium.
  • Spread a small amount of butter onto one side of the sandwich and place in the pan (butter side down). Butter the other half at this point.
  • Cook the sandwiches (2 at a time) for 4-5 minutes per side or until the bread is golden brown and the cheese is melted.
  • Cut the sandwiches in half and serve with a bowl of soup.

Notes

Optional: Top the soup with a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese and some freshly chopped herbs.

Nutrition

Calories: 853kcal | Carbohydrates: 118g | Protein: 38g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Cholesterol: 53mg | Sodium: 2974mg | Potassium: 1038mg | Fiber: 15g | Sugar: 19g | Vitamin A: 14410IU | Vitamin C: 25.7mg | Calcium: 534mg | Iron: 10.1mg