Matt Taylor-Gross

Normandy-Style French Onion Soup

Matt Taylor-Gross

This thick, porridgelike soup is a hearty way to start a meal.

Get the recipe for Chicken and Broccoli Rabe Stromboli

Pressing down on this sandwich with a spatula while it toasts in the pan is the key to achieving the outer crispness and well-melted cheese that you want in a Reuben. Pile the meat on generously but not more than an inch or two thick or else the interior won’t get sufficiently warmed.

Chicken soup may or may not be a cure-all for physical and psychic ills, but if you add a few matzo balls it definitely becomes a deli classic. This recipe, from Gillie Feuer of Long Island, New York, was a tightly held secret, until we pried it loose. The key? Lots of veggies, and her light and floaty dumplings: “They’re very well behaved,” she told us. “They plump up just like little dolls.” The trick? “Margarine.” But, she warned, “I’m not perfect. You can see my fingerprints on them.” It might just be the fingerprints that make them so good. Get the recipe for Aunt Gillie’s Matzo Ball Soup »

Beloved throughout modern trattorias and osterias in Rome, this simple, rustic dish of shredded beef braised in tomatoes and onions make a great stew and a fantastic sandwich filling. Get the recipe for Roman Braised Beef with Tomato and Onion (Picchiapò) »

In this twist on the classic comforting soup, tomatoes are smoked on the stove top before being reduced with red wine and puréed. The smokier taste to this soup compliments grilled sausage well in the ultimate grilled cheese sandwich—the Kumru. Get the recipe for Smoked Tomato Soup »

Pork Schnitzel Sandwich

A crisp collard slaw and tangy tartar and cocktail sauces top pan-fried softshell crabs in this classic sandwich. Get the recipe for Softshell Crab Sandwich with Slaw »

Lightened with vegetables, ying yang soup gives a double dose of briny crab flavor to softshell sandwiches. Get the recipe for Maryland Ying Yang Crab Soup »

Pork Belly Gyro

Chilled Yogurt and Chickpea Soup

A simple mix of brown butter, lemon juice, and salt gives this lobster roll a warm, nutty flavor.

The briny, classic Manhattan-style chowder is made with two types of clams and plenty of tomato. Perfect for adding a briny helping to browned butter in lobster rolls. Get the recipe for Manhattan Clam Chowder »

With roast pork, ham, Swiss cheese, and pickles, it’s almost identical to a Cuban sandwich, save for the bread, a sweet egg load that’s similar to challah. Get the recipe for Cuban Medianoche Sandwich »

This soup draws flavor from alcaparrado, a mix of pimento-stuffed olives and capers, and sweetness from raisins and along with the medianoche, makes a hearty Cuban-inspired meal.