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Grilled Cheese with Tomato and Pesto

If you love Grilled Cheese with Tomato, you've got to try this elevated version with pesto and olive tapenade. Swap out your standard sandwich bread for a hearty sourdough, trade the American cheese for Italian fontina and fresh mozzarella, and you've got yourself an exceptional sandwich!

Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
5 mins
Total Time
15 mins
Servings: 1 sandwich
Calories: 631 kcal
Course: Lunch
Cuisine: Italian , American

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon Butter, at room temperature
  • ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
  • 2 slices rustic artisan bread such as levain, sourdough, or white
  • 1 tablespoon Kalamata olive tapenade or olive paste/spread (store-bought or homemade)
  • 1 teaspoon basil pesto (store-bought or homemade)
  • 1 ½ ounces (42 grams) Italian-style Fontina cheese, thinly sliced (preferably Fontina Val d’Aosta)
  • 3 slices ripe plum tomato (about ¼-inch thick)
  • 1 ½ ounces (42 g) fresh mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. In a small bowl, stir together the butter and garlic powder until combined.
  2. Spread the garlic butter on one side of each bread slice, dividing it evenly. Place both slices, buttered-side down, on a clean cutting board. Spread the tapenade on one slice and the pesto on the other. Layer the fontina, tomato slices, and mozzarella on top of the tapenade. Finish with the pesto bread, buttered-side up.
  3. Heat a medium nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Using a wide spatula, place the sandwich in the pan, cover, and cook until the bottom is nicely browned, about 6 to 8 minutes. Turn and cook until the second side is browned and the cheese is melted, about 4 to 6 minutes longer.
  4. Cut the sandwich in half, if desired, and serve immediately.

Notes

  • To flip this sandwich I recommend removing it from the skillet with a large spatula and placing on a plate. Then place an inverted plate on top, flip the whole thing over, then use the spatula to move the flipped sandwich from the plate back to the hot skillet. This will yield the least messy results and none of the filling should fall out.
  • Italian Fontina Val d’Aosta may be harder to find, as most American grocery stores will sell another variety (domestic or often from Swedish or Denmark), but I have found the Italian cheese at Whole Foods and at dedicated cheese shops. In a pinch, you can use other types of Fontina, but it's worth the extra effort to find Fontina Val d’Aosta if you can.
  • Note that this cheese is typically made with animal rennet which means it isn't vegetarian. If you're vegetarian, use a vegetarian cheese instead such as Boar's Head brand vegetarian Fontina.
  • Adapted from Grilled Cheese Kitchen

Nutrition Information

Serving 1sandwich Calories 631kcal (32%) Carbohydrates 50g (17%) Protein 28g (56%) Fat 36g (55%) Saturated Fat 21g (105%) Monounsaturated Fat 3g Cholesterol 101mg (34%) Sodium 1339mg (56%) Potassium 57mg (2%) Fiber 3g (12%) Sugar 1g (2%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 1sandwich

Amount Per Serving

Calories 631

% Daily Value*

Serving 1sandwich
Calories 631kcal 32%
Carbohydrates 50g 17%
Protein 28g 56%
Fat 36g 55%
Saturated Fat 21g 105%
Monounsaturated Fat 3g 15%
Cholesterol 101mg 34%
Sodium 1339mg 56%
Potassium 57mg 1%
Fiber 3g 12%
Sugar 1g 2%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.