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This Margherita Grilled Cheese Sandwich is loaded with mozzarella cheese, sweet tomatoes, and basil pesto all on sourdough bread. Not your ordinary grilled cheese sandwich!
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Grilled cheese sandwiches are a highly requested lunchtime favorite, especially during summer months when the kids are at home. Personally, I get tired of boring grilled cheese, so I decided to create my own, fancier version: the Grown Up Margherita Grilled Cheese Sandwich! The combination of crisp sourdough bread, soft mozzarella, savory pesto, and sweet balsamic vinegar topped with juicy tomatoes is like a party for my taste buds! Plus, it’s a delicious way to use up garden tomatoes during the summer. Grilled cheese is not just for kids anymore!
Ingredients in Margherita Grilled Cheese Sandwich
- Sourdough bread
- Fresh mozzarella slices – sliced thick
- Pesto sauce
- Tomato
- Arugula lettuce
- Balsamic vinegar – a good, aged bottle
Tips for the Perfect “Grown Up” Grilled Cheese Sandwich
- I highly recommend investing in a good bottle of aged balsamic. I recently purchased a REALLY good balsamic and it is amazing the difference between it and the cheap stuff. An aged balsamic is almost like a balsamic reduction, it comes out more thick like a syrup. The taste is incredible and it will last you a really long time!
- If you can’t find a good, thick aged balsamic, you can easily make a balsamic reduction. Just take regular balsamic vinegar and pour desired amount into a small sauce pan. Add about a tablespoon of honey per one cup balsamic vinegar. Simmer and stir until the mixture begins to thicken. Remove from heat and cool.
- Fresh is best! Use fresh mozzarella cheese, fresh tomatoes, and fresh bread. It always makes the best sandwich. If you don’t love sourdough bread, thick slices of French bread, Italian bread, hearty white bread, or even our Honey Whole Wheat bread tastes delicious too.
- You can make your own pesto using our Fresh Homemade Basil Pesto recipe, or buy your favorite brand at the grocery store.
- I like to pile my grilled cheese sandwich high with spicy arugula lettuce, but you can use any lettuce you have on hand, including some fresh basil leaves.
Frequently Asked Questions
For more even browning and overall crispiness, it is better to butter the bread. Buttering the bread gives more flavor to your sandwich, as well as prevents any sticking or burning.
After much research, I can tell you that both do an equally good job. Both mayo and butter make crispy sandwiches with golden brown surfaces. The main difference is the flavor– while the buttered bread tasted more salty and buttery, the bread slathered with mayo had a slight tang. In the end, it comes down to personal preference.
Read More: 35+ Easy Lunch Ideas (Quick, Easy & Healthy)
What to Serve with a Grilled Cheese Lunch
My kids love apple slices and carrot sticks with their grilled cheese sandwiches, but since we’re keeping this lunch a little more “grown up” try a few of these delicious side dishes to round out your meal:
Pasta e Fagioli Soup (Olive Garden Copycat Recipe)
How to Make Margherita Grilled Cheese Sandwich
Margherita Grilled Cheese Sandwich
Video
Equipment
- Electric Griddle
Ingredients
- 4 slices sourdough bread
- 2 slices fresh mozzarella sliced thick
- 2 tablespoon pesto sauce
- 1 tomato sliced
- 1 cup arugula lettuce
- 2 tablespoon balsamic vinegar a good, aged bottle
Instructions
- Butter one side of two slices of sourdough. Place one of the slices of bread in a skillet over medium heat.
- Layer with sliced mozzarella, then a thin spread of pesto, then sliced tomatoes. I also like to salt and pepper my tomatoes.
- Put on the top slice of bread and grill both sides until toasty.
- Remove to a plate and open the sandwich to add the arugula tossed in some balsamic. Put sandwich back together and enjoy!
The flavor is so amazing!! Will be making it again soon!
Ohhh…. so grown up which is perfect cause nothing beats a grilled cheese sandwich!
This is the ultimate sandwich! Love it!
This is seriously my favorite grilled cheese EVER. So tasty!!
This is everything a gourmet sandwich should be and then some! Looking forward to having this for lunch today! Yum!
Looks good but seems like you need cheese in top of the tomatoes to get them to stick to the 2nd slice of bread.
Good point, that would be a great way to make it stick!
Yummy, this looks just perfect… crispy on the outside and my favorite part, ooey-gooey in the middle :)!
I am excited to try this! I will pair it with my yummy chicken tortilla soup and serve it to my Sweetheart soon! Thank you!