For A Heartier Grilled Cheese Pairing, Look Beyond Tomato Soup

In the never-ending quest for the ultimate grilled cheese sandwich, people often take the fully-loaded toppings route. Indeed, additions like bacon, pesto, and even Buffalo chicken dip or sweet-sticky blackberry jam can instantly elevate a grilled cheese. But to really help the classic sammy shine, sometimes the best accouterment isn't a topping at all. Sometimes, it's a really good soup pairing, which is where Tasting Table's Moroccan chickpea stew recipe comes in.

This stew is all about a complex bouquet of aromatics. Warming spices of ginger, cumin, and cinnamon create a sweet-spiced interplay, a dimensional earthiness tailor-made for dunking a mild grilled cheese. Plus, it's far more filling than tomato soup. Best of all, this warming, hearty meal is totally vegetarian — perfect for plant-based foodies and everyone around their table. Simple yet flavorful, this dish is also a budget-friendly way to raid your own pantry.

Moroccan chickpea stew is comprised of less than 10 ingredients total, most of which are long-lasting pantry staples that can be stocked for the long haul. Despite its straightforward assemblage, the resulting stew is a stick-to-your-ribs comfort food ideal for busy weeknights and cold-weather evenings. 

The stew comes together in right around 30 minutes, only five of which are hands-on prep — an impressive development of layered flavors for such a short amount of time. Meanwhile, thanks to the 10 grams of protein per cup of canned chickpeas, it's a nutritional win. In our lineup of the best tomato soup alternatives that perfectly complement grilled cheese, this spiced chickpea stew is a standout contender.

To nail the grilled cheese, take a cue from Tasting Table's ultimate grilled cheese recipe, which can be assembled while the stew is simmering. To really drive the flavor profile home, stuff the grilled cheese with nutty gouda or buttery Havarti. Both complement the savory cumin and spiced cinnamon in the stew, while delivering a high moisture content to melt into a gooey bite with swoon-worthy cheese-pull action. Alternatively, for a sharper option, white cheddar also makes a fabulous grilled cheese for dunking into the spiced depth of this Moroccan stew. 

As for the best bread to use for your grilled cheese, a crusty multigrain slice would contribute even more heartiness and sweet-nutty flavor to this plant-based meal. Sourdough would also deliver a kick of fermented tang to cut through the richness of the cheese. If you're feeling like a loose cannon, you could even assemble that grilled cheese sandwich between two slices of garlic naan — an umami counterbalance to this dimensional Moroccan chickpea stew.