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Pesto Grilled Cheese

Pesto grilled cheese with a golden sourdough crust, gooey melted mozzarella, and a green pesto interior. Layered with sun-dried tomatoes for an Italian sandwich that melts evenly on medium-low heat.
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Servings: 2 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Italian-American
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Sourdough bread
  • 4 sourdough bread thick slices
Basil pesto
  • 4 tbsp basil pesto store-bought or homemade
Fresh mozzarella
  • 6 oz fresh mozzarella sliced

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Prep the bread
  1. Spread softened butter on the outside of each sourdough bread slice.
  2. Spread basil pesto generously on the inside (unbuttered) side of all four slices.
Assemble the sandwiches
  1. Layer fresh mozzarella slices and drained sun-dried tomatoes on two of the pesto-covered slices.
  2. Top with the remaining two bread slices, pesto-side in and buttered-side out.
Grill
  1. Cook the sandwich in a skillet over medium-low heat for 4–5 minutes, pressing gently, until the underside is deep golden brown.
  2. Flip and cook for an additional 4–5 minutes per side, pressing gently, until the cheese is fully melted and the second side turns deep golden brown.
Serve
  1. Slice the grilled cheese in half and serve immediately, showing the gooey pesto-mozzarella interior with sun-dried tomatoes.

Notes

For the best melt, keep heat at medium-low and press gently so the bread toasts without burning. Store leftover sandwiches in the fridge up to 3 days and reheat in a skillet over low heat until warmed through. Freezer: yes, freeze up to 2 months; reheat from thawed in a skillet for crispness. Dietary swap: use dairy-free butter and vegan mozzarella to make it dairy-free while keeping the same layering technique.