Pesto grilled cheese is a quick and easy comfort food to whip up for lunch or dinner. Pesto and melty gouda are sandwiched between buttery bread slices and cooked until golden brown and gooey.
Grilled cheese is a comfort food staple. I've added melty gouda and basil pesto for a bright summer twist on this classic sandwich.
Two layers of melty gouda cheese and herby pesto are sandwiched between garlicky buttered bread and cooked until golden brown and crispy. Whip up a batch of grilled cheese sandwiches in 15 minutes or less. They're perfect for busy weeknights!
Serve this melty grilled cheese on its own or with a garden salad and bowl of soup. It's sure to satisfy your comfort food cravings.
Ingredients and substitutions
- Bread - I prefer a quality brioche bread from the bakery when making a grilled cheese, but any sandwich bread will work in this recipe.
- Cheese - Gouda cheese is a nice melty cheese that pairs well with the flavors of pesto. Gouda can be substituted with mozzarella, gruyere, or white cheddar if desired.
- Pesto - Store bought or homemade pesto works in this recipe. Refrigerated store-bought pesto tends to have a brighter flavor than jarred varieties.
- Seasoning - Salt and garlic powder add flavor to your grilled cheese. The salt can be omitted if you're using salted butter.
- Butter - Adds flavor and helps the outside of your grilled cheese brown. If using salted butter, omit the listed salt in the recipe.
Tips and tricks
Buttering your bread - Spread a thin layer of softened butter all the way to the edges of your bread slices and season with garlic powder and salt.
Use a nonstick pan - For easy browning and flipping, use a nonstick pan.
Grilled cheese browning too fast? - Turn the heat down slightly. Medium to medium low heat is best for a melty, golden brown grilled cheese. Too high of heat can brown the outsides too quickly before the cheese has a chance to melt inside.
Storage
Leftover grilled cheese will keep for about 3 days in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator.
To reheat leftover grilled cheese, heat in a nonstick skillet over medium heat until warmed through and cheese has melted.
Frequently asked questions
Mozzarella, gruyere, white cheddar, and gouda are great pairings for pesto.
Tomato soup is a classic pairing for grilled cheese. You could also slice your grilled cheese into sticks and serve it with marinara sauce as an appetizer or snack. To lighten up your meal, add a garden salad or Italian chopped salad instead.
To build a grilled cheese, butter the outsides of the bread before placing in the pan. Sometimes the insides of the bread are also buttered for extra flavor. For a pesto grilled cheese, I recommend buttering the outsides of your bread only. Adding butter to the two layers of cheese and pesto inside will only create an overly greasy sandwich.
Recommended
📖 Recipe
Pesto Grilled Cheese
Ingredients
- 8 slices brioche bread
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, softened
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 8 slices gouda
- ¼ cup pesto
Instructions
- Heat a skillet or griddle over medium heat. Spread butter onto one side of each bread slice and season with garlic powder and salt. Place a bread slice, buttered side down, into skillet.
- Top bread with 1 slice of cheese. Top cheese with 1 tablespoon of pesto and spread into an even layer. Top pesto with another slice of cheese and then another bread slice, buttered side up. Repeat for each additional sandwich.
- Cook until golden brown on the bottom, about 2-3 minutes. Flip, then cook another 2-3 minutes on the second side, or until golden brown and melty.
- Remove from heat and serve immediately.
Equipment Recommendations
Notes
- Gouda can be substituted with your favorite melty cheese. I recommend gruyere, mozzarella, or white cheddar.
- Leftovers will keep for 3 days in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator.
- To reheat leftover grilled cheese, heat up in a skillet over medium heat until warmed through and cheese is melted.
Comments
No Comments