Bing Crosby’s Favorite Comfort Meal Is Perfectly Vintage

Even the most cheerful Christmas icons need a lift from time to time. Take a cue from Bing Crosby, the voice behind “White Christmas,” one of the most enduring holiday songs ever recorded. Whenever he felt low, he didn’t reach for winter delicacies like gingerbread cookies or mulled wine.

Instead, he turned to a simple, humble dish for comfort. It may seem modest at first, but this recipe offers the same warm and nostalgic feeling that his music brings.

Bing Crosby’s Favorite Comfort Food

Crosby’s go-to comfort food was a cheesy, tomato soup toastie that he called a Red Devil. He shared the recipe in the 1939 cookbook “What Actors Eat When They Eat,” sharing, “The combination of ingredients in this dish gives it a rare flavor which is particularly tempting when one’s appetite needs a lift.” With just seven ingredients—most of them pantry staples—this simple meal transforms humble components into a warm, cheesy delight.

Crosby’s recipe might leave you wondering what the final dish should look like. It resembles an open-face toastie, which is a dish popular in the U.K. that features toasted bread layered or topped with warm, melty ingredients—in this case, cheese, tomato soup, and peas. The combination may sound unusual, but it’s a pretty common pairing.

The dish evokes classic grilled cheese and tomato soup flavors, enhanced by fragrant herbs, garlic, and the natural sweetness of tender peas. All the ingredients meld into a thick, creamy sauce, lightened by whipped eggs that get folded in. It’s definitely a novel recipe, but it reflects the 1930s Depression era, when processed foods were staples in many American kitchens.

How to Make Bing Crosby’s Red Devil

This cozy dish starts by sautéing minced garlic clove and dried oregano in olive oil. Next, a pound(!) of American cheese is added into the skillet, along with a can of tomato soup, which gets stirred in until the cheese is melted and the mixture is smooth. A can of drained peas then simmers in the sauce until tender.

Finally, the skillet is taken off the heat before two beaten eggs are folded in for a rich, creamy finish. The cheesy mixture is spooned over toast for a vintage delight.

You can find Crosby’s full Red Devil recipe here, so you can recreate this comfort dish at home just in time for the holiday season.

How to Make Bing Crosby’s Recipe Your Own

Go ahead and follow the recipe as written if you want to stay true to its vintage roots. But if you’re open to putting your own spin on it, a few simple tweaks will solidify its place in your comfort food rotation.

• Swap the cheese. This recipe leans on American cheese, but anyone who prefers another option can reach for plenty of great stand-ins. Grate in Parmesan for a salty kick, melt in Fontina for extra creaminess, or fold in goat cheese for an earthier, tangier twist.
• Use your favorite bread. When building this toastie, choose a sturdy slice that stands up to the hot, saucy topping. Opt for crusty sourdough, a thick-cut brioche, or garlicky Texas toast.
• Add a crispy topping. The cheesy tomato sauce offers a creamy bite, but for extra layers of flavor, try garnishing with fried pancetta, bacon, or shallots. They’ll add crunchy, salty pops that make this toastie even more satisfying.
• Finish with fresh basil. This cheesy tomato soup toastie is hearty comfort food, but a few fresh basil leaves can add a bright, aromatic touch that’ll “lift” its flavor to new heights.