Pesto and Cheese Sandwich Recipe - 2 Ways
Grilled, toasted, or warmed in the microwave, this is the most delicious pesto and cheese sandwich recipe. Once you try this quick cheddar pesto sandwich you will be making it on repeat.
Ingredients
- 2-8 Bread slices, sourdough or similar, fresh is best
- 8 ounces Cheddar, sliced ¼ inch thick or thicker, if you prefer
- Pesto, jarred. Find a pesto without parmesan or make your own. I pretty much only use Seggiano Fresh Basil Pesto, which has the best flavor, does not contain any cheese, and is made in Italy.
- 1 head Lettuce, hand torn - If you can, use Butter lettuce—also known as Boston lettuce or Bibb lettuce—for this recipe. It is a delicate tasting lettuce that softens nicely when heated. It also won’t detract from other flavors in the sandwich.
- 3-4 Tomatoes, sliced about ¼ inch thick - You will need 2 slices of a medium to large tomato, such as Beefsteak or Hothouse, per sandwich. I usually slice the tomatoes about ¼ inch thick, but you can slice them thinner if you prefer.
Instructions
First Method: Pesto and Cheese Sandwich Microwaved Directions
- Slice the fresh bread into appropriately sized sandwich slices; about ¼ to ½ inch thick.
- Spread the pesto on one slice of the bread, per sandwich
- Arrange 3-5 slices of cheddar cheese in a single layer on top of the pesto. I slice the cheese fairly thin at no more than ¼ inch thick, but you can cut them thicker if you prefer.
- Arrange the tomato slice(s) on top of the lettuce.
- Place the lettuce on top of the cheese.
- Place the other slice of bread on top of the sandwich. Microwave the assembled sandwich until the cheese just barely begins to melt. For our 1000 watt microwave I set the time to 40 seconds.
- Remove from the microwave and allow to cool for a few minutes before enjoying. Caution as cheese and other ingredients may be very hot.
Second Method: Grilled Pesto and Cheese Sandwich Directions
- Slice the fresh bread into appropriately sized sandwich slices; about ¼ to ½ inch thick.
- Spread butter on one side of all slices of bread. The butter will grill up nicely and keep the bread from sticking to the pan.
- Turn the slices of bread over and, on only one slice of bread per sandwich, spread the pesto so it covers the bread. Note: You can put pesto on both slices of one sandwich, but I find it to be overly salty, especially combined with the cheese which tends to have quite a bit of sodium on its own.
- Arrange 3-5 slices of cheddar cheese in a single layer on top of the pesto. I slice the cheese fairly thin at no more than ¼ inch thick, but you can cut them thicker if you prefer.
- Arrange the tomato slice(s) on top of the lettuce.
- Place the lettuce on top of the tomatoes.
- Butter side up, place the other slice of bread on top of the sandwich. Add olive oil to a frying pan and turn the heat to medium/low. Once the oil has warmed up, place the sandwich butter side down in the pan.
- After a few minutes, use a turner spatula to check the underside. You want a nice golden brown. Flip the sandwich when it’s golden brown. Check this side more frequently, as it will brown faster.
- Once it’s browned, plate the sandwich and allow to cool for a few minutes before enjoying. Caution as cheese and other ingredients may be very hot.
Notes
Variations and Substitutions:
- Drizzle a little balsamic vinegar on the inside of the sandwich to add a sweet smoky flavor
- Use mozzarella instead of cheddar for a more authentic Italian sandwich
- Substitute Romaine or Iceberg lettuce if you don’t have Butter lettuce