Nothing says comfort like grilled cheese and tomato soup — all the more so when the recipe is inspired by your favorite feel-good TV show, Virgin River. At Netflix House in Philadelphia and Dallas, you can order grilled cheese and tomato soup just like the one Preacher makes at Jack’s Bar. But with this recipe, you can also make the dish at home.

In the Virgin River Season 7 finale, Jack (Martin Henderson) and Preacher (Colin Lawrence) reminisce about how the ex-Marine buddies first went into business together. As Preacher says, he was “completely lost in life. Didn’t know which way was up.” Jack hadn’t even opened the bar yet, but needed to improve upon the menu. Luckily, Preacher was there to contribute sliders and other comfort foods, helping to make Jack’s Bar feel like home for anyone looking for a cold drink and a hot meal. “You made more than a menu, you know? You made that bar feel like a place where everyone had a seat at the table,” Jack tells his best friend. 

You can pull up a seat and dine on the Jack’s Bar delicacy at the Netflix Bites restaurants at Netflix House in both Philly and Dallas. But you can also enjoy this welcoming meal in your own home with the recipe below, just like Preacher makes it. A garlic aioli instead of regular mayo or butter adds an extra sharp tang to the sandwich while allowing the bread to brown evenly on both sides, and you can customize the rest of the flavors by using almost any combination of medium-hard cheeses, from Gouda to cheddar or Gruyère. Although it’s optional, we recommend serving with a couple of pickles on the side — call them cornichons if you want to feel fancy — for extra crunch. 

Virgin River star Alexandra Breckenridge, who plays Jack’s beloved wife, Mel, stopped by Netflix House in Philadelphia and tried Preacher’s Classic Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup herself. The verdict? “It’s delicious,” she confirms. 

The recipe below makes four servings of soup and two sandwiches.

TOMATO SOUP

knives
medium sauce pot
measuring spoons
immersion blender
bowls

1 medium onion, diced 
¾ cup diced carrot
3 large cloves garlic, minced 
3 tablespoons olive oil, plus more as garnish
½ teaspoon dried basil 
800 grams (2 cans) canned tomato
6 Roma tomatoes, roasted in the broiler until deeply colored
½ cup heavy cream 
Pinch chili flake
Salt & black pepper to taste    

1. Prepare the vegetables by chopping, dicing, and roasting.
2. Heat olive oil in a medium sauce pot and add onion, carrot, and garlic to the pot.
3. Sauté the onion, carrot, and garlic over medium heat until soft and lightly starting to color.
4. Add the basil and the canned and roasted tomatoes. Simmer on low heat for 30–45 minutes until all the vegetables are tender and cooked through.
5. Remove the pot from the heat and blend until smooth using an immersion blender.
6. Return the pot to the stove over low heat. Add the cream, chili flakes, and season the soup to taste with salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer and remove from heat.
7. Divide the soup among four bowls and garnish with a drizzle of nice olive oil.

GRILLED CHEESE

knives
nonstick skillet
cheese grater
cutting board

4 slices rustic sourdough bread (about ¾ inch thick)
3 tablespoons garlic aioli or mayonnaise*
*if you don’t have garlic aioli on hand, stir finely minced garlic into store-bought mayonnaise
4 slices American cheese
2 ounces shredded fontina cheese
2 ounces shredded Cooper’s sharp cheddar cheese
2 ounces shredded butterkäse cheese

1. If necessary, prepare the aioli and shred the cheeses. 
2. Spread the garlic aioli on one side of each slice of bread.
3. With the aioli side down, build the grilled cheese by layering each of the different cheeses on two slices of the bread. Top with the remaining bread, aioli side up.
4. Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the grilled cheese to the pan and cook until the bread is golden brown and the cheese has started to melt. 
5. Gently flip each grilled cheese and continue cooking until golden brown and the cheese has fully melted.
6. Remove the grilled cheese from the pan onto a cutting board and slice in half. Serve with tomato soup (and optional pickles, if desired).

If you’re in the Philly or Dallas areas, be sure to visit Netflix House — it’s free to enter and explore. Dine at the Netflix Bites restaurant, take selfies with beloved characters, shop exclusive merchandise, and participate in larger-than-life experiences.