Spinach Pesto Grilled Cheese (Print page)

Garlicky spinach pesto paired with melted mozzarella and cheddar on crispy, buttered sourdough. Ready in just 25 minutes.

# What You Need:

→ Spinach Pesto

01 - 2 cups fresh spinach leaves, packed
02 - 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves
03 - 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
04 - 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts or walnuts
05 - 1 large garlic clove
06 - 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
07 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
08 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
09 - 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

→ Grilled Cheese Assembly

10 - 4 slices sourdough or country bread
11 - 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
12 - 4 ounces mozzarella cheese, sliced or shredded
13 - 2 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, sliced or shredded
14 - 2 tablespoons prepared spinach pesto

# Directions:

01 - In a food processor, combine spinach, basil, Parmesan, pine nuts, garlic, salt, and black pepper. Pulse until finely chopped. With the processor running, stream in olive oil and lemon juice until a smooth, spreadable paste forms. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
02 - Butter one side of each bread slice. Lay the bread slices, buttered side down, on a clean surface.
03 - Spread 1 tablespoon of spinach pesto on the unbuttered side of two bread slices. Top each with half the mozzarella and cheddar cheese.
04 - Place the remaining bread slices on top, buttered side out, to form sandwiches.
05 - Heat a large skillet or griddle over medium heat. Cook sandwiches for 3 to 4 minutes per side, pressing gently, until bread is golden brown and cheese is melted.
06 - Let cool slightly, then slice and serve warm.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes like you went to a fancy cafe, but you never changed out of your sweatpants.
  • The pesto keeps for days, so you can make multiple sandwiches without any extra work.
  • Two cheeses mean you get both stretch and sharpness in every bite.
  • It is green, so you can pretend it is healthy while eating melted cheese on buttered bread.
02 -
  • If your pesto looks too thick, add olive oil a teaspoon at a time until it spreads easily but still clings to a spoon.
  • Medium heat is your friend here, too hot and the bread burns before the cheese melts, too low and it just sits there getting soggy.
  • Press gently with the spatula, not hard, or you will squeeze out all the melted cheese onto the pan.
03 -
  • Toast the pine nuts in a dry skillet over medium heat, shaking the pan often, until they smell nutty and turn light golden, it only takes three minutes but transforms the flavor.
  • Use a cast iron skillet if you have one, it holds heat evenly and gives you the most consistent golden crust.
  • Let the sandwiches rest for a full minute after cooking, cutting into them too soon makes all the cheese run out onto the plate.
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