Pesto grilled cheese melt (Printer-friendly)

Golden bread layered with pesto, mozzarella, and sun-dried tomatoes for a delicious vegetarian main dish.

# What You'll Need:

→ Bread

01 - 4 slices sourdough or country bread

→ Cheese

02 - 4 oz fresh mozzarella, sliced

→ Pesto

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

→ Vegetables

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

→ For Grilling

05 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter, softened

# Steps:

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

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's ready in less than twenty minutes, which means weeknight lunch just became exciting.
  • The pesto gives you that restaurant quality taste without any fussing, and the sun-dried tomatoes add a sweet-tart punch that regular tomatoes can't match.
  • Mozzarella melts into silky pockets of warmth while the bread gets impossibly crispy and golden on the outside.
02 -
  • The bread will continue cooking after you remove it from heat, so pull it off the skillet when the outside looks almost golden enough—it'll deepen as it sits.
  • Room-temperature or cold mozzarella melts more evenly than warm mozzarella, so don't leave it sitting out while you prep everything else.
03 -
  • If your butter is still cold straight from the fridge, let it sit on the counter for five minutes while you assemble the sandwich—it spreads so much more smoothly and evenly.
  • A cast-iron skillet or heavy griddle holds heat more steadily than a thin nonstick pan, which means more even browning and fewer hot spots that can burn the bread.
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