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Good Cheap Eats

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Pesto Grilled Cheese Sandwich (with Tomato!)

Jessica Fisher · March 30, 2011 · 23 Comments

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This pesto grilled cheese sandwich made on sourdough bread, with fresh tomato slices takes the grilled cheese sandwich to a whole new level!
grilled cheese sandwich with tomato and pesto

As you have no doubt figured out, I like pesto. The rest of my family aren’t huge fans. And since I buy the big, honking jar from Costco, it lasts me awhile. So, I get creative with my use of it, slathering it on a goat cheese pizza, mixing it into macaroni and cheese, stirring it into pasta salad.

Sure, sometimes, I get efficient and freeze it in 1/2 cup portions so that I don’t have to eat it everyday for two weeks until it’s gone. But, that wouldn’t be this time.

And, yes, pesto is very easy to make yourself. But, since I have a very ungreen thumb these days, it’s better to just buy a jar and call it good.

This sandwich was fantastic! Sourdough bread, tomato slices, jack cheese, and a slathering of pesto. Oh me, oh my! Very, very yummy. Takes the grilled cheese sandwich to a whole new level.

And now that the pesto jar is empty…. well, I’ll have something else to talk about next week.

Best bread for a grilled cheese

What makes it a good cheap eat is that I try to use whatever bread I find on sale, so use what you have and like. Thicker bread will hold up better, however, than thinner sliced bread. 

But for this grilled cheese, and our personal favorite, is sourdough bread! You can buy it, or try  making your own sourdough bread!

Best cheese for grilled cheese

Just like the bread, whatever cheese you can find on sale or like is best. For this pesto grilled cheese sandwich we used pepper jack, but you could use American cheese, cheddar, even brie are also delicious options.

Use a combinations of cheese for an epic grilled cheese sandwich!

How to make this pesto grilled cheese sandwich

  • Heat a large skillet or griddle to medium high heat.
  • Butter one side of each slice of bread.
  • Prepare each sandwich with one slice of bread (butter side out), 1 tablespoon of pesto spread on the inside, 2 ounces of sliced cheese, sliced tomatoes to cover, and the other slice of bread (butter side out).
  • Cook on the hot griddle until the bread is cirsp and toasty and the cheese is melted, flipping once.
  • Remove from heat and serve immediately.

GRILLED CHEESE VARIATIONS

You can dress up your grilled cheese by varying the cheese or adding a spread, veggies, or meat. Consider the following combinations:

  • Turkey, Pepper Jack, and Avocado Salsa
  • Ham, Swiss, and Dijon Mustard
  • Brie and a slather of Fruit Jam
  • Turkey, Brie, and Red Onion
  • Roasted Veggies and Cheddar Cheese

griddleTOOLS NEEDED TO MAKE GRILLED CHEESE NIGHT EASY

While a regular fry pan or skillet works well for one or two sandwiches, it certainly slows down your cooking for a crowd. For ease of cooking, I make good use of two appliances:

The Electric Griddle – This is a necessary gadget at our house, enabling me to cook five grilled cheese sandwiches, eight pancakes, or a dozen chimichangas at one time. We also use it to cook homemade corn tortillas or quesadillas in an efficient manner. We store it atop our refrigerator and use it at least 1-2 times per week.

The Panini Press – I was a skeptic, but now, I’m a believer. The Panini Press saves so much time since I don’t have to stand and flip. This is a great feature when you’re filling sandwiches with goodies that might tumble out upon turning. I get two sandwiches toasting and set the timer for 4 minutes. Easy peasy. And no need for buttering the bread!

 

 

If you prepare this recipe, be sure to take a picture and hashtag it #GOODCHEAPEATS. I can't wait to see what you cook up!
grilled cheese sandwich with tomato and pesto
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Pesto & Tomato Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

Garlicky pesto, juicy tomatoes, and gooey melted Jack cheese join forces in this grilled sammy that is packed with flavor.
Prep Time5 mins
Cook Time15 mins
Total Time20 mins
Course: Main Course, Snack
Cuisine: American
Keyword: grilled cheese sandwich, pesto grilled cheese sandwich
Servings: 4
Calories: 754kcal
Author: Jessica Fisher

Ingredients

  • 8 slices sourdough bread
  • 1/4 cup butter softened
  • 1/4 cup pesto
  • 8 oz jack cheese (sliced)
  • 2 tomato sliced
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Heat a large skillet or griddle to medium high heat.
  • Butter one side of each slice of bread.
  • Prepare each sandwich with one slice of bread (butter side out), 1 tablespoon of pesto spread on the inside, 2 ounces of sliced cheese, sliced tomatoes to cover, and the other slice of bread (butter side out).
  • Cook on the hot griddle until the bread is cirsp and toasty and the cheese is melted, flipping once.
  • Remove from heat and serve immediately.

Notes

Nutritional values are approximate and based on 1 sandwich.

Nutrition

Calories: 754kcal | Carbohydrates: 76g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 37g | Saturated Fat: 20g | Cholesterol: 82mg | Sodium: 1210mg | Potassium: 356mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 1615IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 514mg | Iron: 5mg

Filed Under: Meatless, Recipe, Sandwiches Tagged With: 30-minute meals

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Kathryn says

    March 30, 2011 at

    Thanks for inviting up to link up! Hope your readers enjoy this recipe for Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Muffins!

    Reply
  2. Kathryn says

    March 30, 2011 at

    Your sandwich looks so good! Hope your readers enjoy this recipe for Meatless Macaroni and Cheese!

    Reply
  3. Debbi Does Dinner Healthy says

    March 30, 2011 at

    Holy cow this looks awesome! Here’s a sandwich I would LOVE! Thanks!

    Reply
  4. Nora@ The Dollar Hollering Homemaker says

    March 30, 2011 at

    I love pesto as well, this sounds so yummy

    Reply
  5. Tami says

    March 30, 2011 at

    #10 has the wrong link to it. If possible, please delete it. I’ve corrected it in #12.
    Sorry for the mistake!!

    Your sandwich looks lip smacking good! 🙂

    Reply
  6. melissa @IWasBornToCook says

    March 30, 2011 at

    Love pesto on my panini…looks great.

    Reply
  7. Kim says

    March 30, 2011 at

    I’ve never had pesto but your sandwich makes me want to! (Walking away to find something to eat) MMMmmm

    Reply
  8. Katie says

    March 30, 2011 at

    Yes, that looks amazing.

    Reply
  9. SnoWhite says

    March 30, 2011 at

    I can’t wait to grow basil in our garden — pesto {made w/o nuts} here we come!

    Reply
  10. JessieLeigh says

    March 30, 2011 at

    Ooh, so good. We used to frequent a little converted caboose into diner back in Rhode Island called Jiggers and they sold a sandwich like this. Crazy tasty!

    Reply
  11. Megan says

    March 30, 2011 at

    Ok, so I have to share one of my favorite things to do with pesto, salad dressing. You basically make a cream dressing base (mayo, sour cream and buttermilk or regular milk) then mix in some pesto. It’s so delicious on a simple green salad. I love stirring it into alfredo sauce too. Then I mix in tortellini, broccoli, caramelized onions, and cooked chicken chunks. Everyone in the house loves it and they are not huge fans of pesto either.

    Reply
  12. Sarah says

    March 30, 2011 at

    That looks soooo good! I am such a sucker for a good sandwich.

    Reply
  13. Candi says

    March 30, 2011 at

    That looks really good!!!

    Reply
  14. Jessica McKain says

    March 30, 2011 at

    This looks SOOOOO GOOD!!!!!!!!!
    Thank you for giving me an idea of a grown-up grilled cheese sandwich!

    Reply
  15. Alex says

    March 30, 2011 at

    I am so happy I found your blog! I have floundered with my blog for a year now and finally started posting about things that I cook. I can’t wait to dive in and look at all your recipes. Thanks for hosting!

    (I accidentally posted 2 links, the first one needs to be taken off, I’m sorry!)

    Reply
  16. Debbie says

    March 30, 2011 at

    I guess we were both in pesto moods this week!

    Reply
  17. Krissa says

    March 30, 2011 at

    I love pesto too…made a Chicken pesto, sundried tomatoes, and artichoke heart pasta this week…yum!

    Reply
  18. Martha Artyomenko says

    March 31, 2011 at

    I love pesto!!! How much is a jar at Costco?

    Reply
  19. Ally @Tiny Wallet Style says

    April 1, 2011 at

    That turkey baguette looks amazing. I just ate breakfast and my tummy is already grumbling after seeing that photo. I’d sub pesto for the mayo and add some avocado. Nom.

    Thanks for the link up!!

    Reply
  20. Steph says

    April 2, 2011 at

    Why have I not tried pesto on a sandwich before…. Must do that next time!!

    Reply
  21. AllieZirkle says

    April 3, 2011 at

    This looks YUMMY!

    When I have leftover pesto, I use it in red sauce instead of dried basil. It works great!

    Allie

    Reply
  22. dawn says

    April 19, 2011 at

    your sandwich looks delicious!

    Reply
  23. Marelie says

    May 3, 2011 at

    I am new here.I found your linky while browsing.I just linked my Baked Chicken Tortilla Wrap.Thanks a lot for hosting

    Reply

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