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Pesto Grilled Cheese

Pesto grilled cheese made on sourdough with basil pesto, gooey melted mozzarella, and sun-dried tomatoes. Pan-toasted until deep golden brown for a quick lunch grilled to a melty interior.
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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
Calories: 730
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.
Sun-dried tomatoes
  • 0.25 cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained Drain well to avoid soggy bread.
Butter
  • 2 tbsp butter Softened.

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Build the sandwiches
  1. Spread softened butter on the outside of each sourdough bread slice, covering the full surface for even browning.
  2. Spread basil pesto generously on the inside (unbuttered) side of all four bread slices.
  3. Layer fresh mozzarella slices and drained sun-dried tomatoes on two of the pesto-covered slices, distributing evenly to the edges.
  4. Top with the remaining two bread slices, pesto-side in and buttered-side out, pressing lightly to help the layers adhere.
Grill and melt
  1. Cook in a skillet over medium-low heat for 4–5 minutes per side, pressing gently so the cheese makes contact and melts smoothly.
  2. Flip and continue cooking for 4–5 minutes per side until deep golden brown and the cheese is fully melted.
  3. Slice in half and serve immediately to keep the pesto and mozzarella at peak gooey texture.

Notes

Pro tip: keep the heat medium-low and press gently only as needed—this helps the crust brown without burning the pesto. Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 2 days; reheat in a skillet over medium-low until warmed through and the cheese remelts (best texture within 1 day). Freezing isn’t recommended because the bread texture can soften after thawing. For a gluten-free swap, use gluten-free bread slices of similar thickness and toast them the same way.