Pesto Grilled Cheese Delight (Printable)

Golden toasted bread layered with creamy mozzarella, tangy sun-dried tomatoes, and aromatic basil pesto.

# What You'll Need:

→ Bread

01 - 4 slices sourdough or country bread

→ Cheese

02 - 4 ounces fresh mozzarella, sliced

→ Pesto

03 - 2 tablespoons basil pesto (store-bought or homemade)

→ Vegetables

04 - 4 to 6 sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and sliced

→ For Grilling

05 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

# Steps:

01 - Lay out the bread slices and spread 1 tablespoon of pesto evenly over two slices.
02 - Layer the sliced mozzarella and sun-dried tomatoes over the pesto-coated bread slices.
03 - Top with the remaining bread slices to form two sandwiches.
04 - Spread a thin layer of softened butter on the outside of each sandwich.
05 - Preheat a nonstick skillet or griddle over medium-low heat.
06 - Place the sandwiches buttered side down in the skillet and cook for 3 to 4 minutes until golden brown.
07 - Butter the top side, flip the sandwiches, and cook another 3 to 4 minutes, pressing gently, until the cheese is melted and both sides are golden.
08 - Remove from heat, let rest for 1 minute, then slice and serve warm.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes like you spent hours perfecting it, but you're done in under 20 minutes.
  • The pesto does all the heavy lifting flavor-wise, so you don't need complicated techniques.
  • It's crispy on the outside, melty in the middle, and genuinely different from what you make every other day.
02 -
  • Medium-low heat is not negotiable—go too hot and your butter burns before the cheese even thinks about melting, leaving you with a hard, dark crust and a cold center.
  • Draining your sun-dried tomatoes matters more than you'd think, because that oil will make your bread turn into toast instead of staying tender inside.
03 -
  • If your mozzarella is cold from the fridge, it won't melt as efficiently—let it sit out for five minutes so it cooperates with the heat.
  • Pressing gently while the second side cooks helps the cheese distribute evenly and prevents one half from being gooey while the other stays clumpy.
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