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    Home » Lunch

    Pesto Grilled Cheese with Garlic Butter

    Published: Nov 7, 2022 by Shweta with 1 Comment · This post may contain affiliate links ·

    Take your grilled cheese to the next level with this Pesto Grilled Cheese. Gooey pepper jack cheese, fresh walnut basil pesto, juicy tomatoes spread on sourdough bread with garlic butter - the BEST grilled cheese sandwich you’ll ever have.
    Jump to Recipe Pin Recipe
    stacked pesto grilled cheese sandwich with tomatoes

    Sandwiches are my favorite kind of lunch (especially peanut butter & jelly with chips-don’t judge until you try it!). The best savory sandwiches, like my balsamic glaze sandwich, can be served with a filling soup like my Instant Pot Minestrone soup or a flavorful sweet potato soup.

    cheese pull grilled cheese sandwich
    Jump to:
    • 📖 Best Pesto to Use for Sandwiches
    • 🔪 Ingredients
    • 💭 Tips on How to Make a Pesto Grilled Cheese
    • 🍽 Storage
    • 📖 Recipe
    • ⭐ Reviews
    pesto grilled cheese sandwich cut into 4

    📖 Best Pesto to Use for Sandwiches

    I love using walnut basil pesto. Traditionally, pesto is made of pine nuts but this is a pesto recipe without pine nuts. Pine nuts are very expensive and aren't really budget-friendly or something I keep on hand. I use walnuts in this recipe but really, any nuts work really well. I know with budget constraints, you have to adapt to what you already have in your pantry. I’ve used almonds in a pesto recipe before and even made a pistachio pesto. Plus, walnuts are a great source of good fats, plant-based omega-3 alpha-linolenic acid, fiber, and protein.

    🔪 Ingredients

    • Cheese. I LOVE pepper jack cheese. Tillamook cheese is a great option for vegetarians (non-animal rennet) cheese, and it’s my absolute favorite. If you prefer to go with a classic option, you can use mozzarella cheese for your sandwich.
    • Bread. I love using sourdough bread for my vegetarian sandwich recipes. It gives it the ultimate crispiness and taste of a delicious sandwich.
    • Tomatoes. I wanted to add more than just pesto and cheese, so you can’t go wrong with tomatoes in grilled cheeses. I love using vine-ripe tomatoes in this particular sandwich.
    • Pesto. I like to use my walnut pesto recipe because it’s simple, affordable, and easy to make. Usually, I freeze leftovers and pop out a cube or two, and let it thaw when I want to make this sandwich.
    • Garlic Butter. For this, I used: butter, freshly grated garlic, red pepper flakes, and Italian seasoning.

    💭 Tips on How to Make a Pesto Grilled Cheese

    For the Pesto

    • Toasting the nuts first really adds flavor to the pesto. You are welcome to skip this step to save time, however, I highly recommend it. I use toasted nuts for many of my dishes so I like to toast them and store them in my pantry. For toasting your walnuts on the stove top, toast on medium-high heat for about 5-7 minutes while tossing occasionally (careful not to burn them, as they brown quickly).
    • To get the best basil walnut pesto recipe down, add the walnuts to the food processor first. Pulse until they're crumbly. Then add the rest of the ingredients. The pesto should have a little bit of texture to it, not be uniformly smooth.

    For the Garlic Butter

    • I like more garlic but if you find it too pungent, you can add 2 cloves instead of 4.
    garlic butter

    Making the Sandwich

    • If your loaf is not precut, cut your sourdough into thick slices. The thickness really helps the sandwich not get so soggy.
    • I use a very basic Panini Press. You don't need a fancy one. In fact, if you don't have a panini press or a sandwich maker, just make it on the stove in a skillet!
    cheese pull grilled cheese sandwich

    🍽 Storage

    • I recommend eating the sandwiches fresh as they can get soggy when you store them in the fridge.
    • Store unused pesto in an airtight jar in the fridge for up to one week with a layer of olive oil on top. Or freeze for up to 6 months.
    • You can store the unused butter in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks. Soften before use.

    If you loved this Pesto Grilled Cheese Recipe, let me know in the comments below! I’d love to connect with you on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest! Subscribe to my weekly emails so you never miss a new recipe!

    📖 Recipe

    stacked pesto grilled cheese sandwich with tomatoes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    5 from 1 vote

    Pesto Grilled Cheese

    Take your grilled cheese to the next level with this Pesto Grilled Cheese. Gooey pepper jack cheese, fresh walnut basil pesto, juicy tomatoes spread on sourdough bread with garlic butter - the BEST grilled cheese sandwich you’ll ever have.
    Prep Time: 15 minutes mins
    Cook Time: 5 minutes mins
    Total Time: 20 minutes mins
    Servings: 8 people
    Author: Shweta

    Ingredients 

    For the Sandwich

    • 1 sourdough loaf
    • 8-12 slices of pepper jack cheese
    • 4 roma or vine ripe tomatoes

    Basil Walnut Pesto

    • 3 cups loosely packed basil leaves
    • 1 cup walnuts
    • 3 cloves garlic
    • 2 teaspoons nutritional yeast
    • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
    • ½ teaspoon sea salt
    • ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
    • 2-3 tablespoons water,, as needed

    Garlic Butter

    • ½ cup butter,, softened at room temperature
    • 2-4 cloves of garlic,, grated
    • 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
    • 1 teaspoon italian seasoning

    Instructions

    Make the Pesto

    • First toast your walnuts on the stove top (optional step but recommend for added flavor): In a skillet, toast on medium-high heat for about 5-7 minutes until a nutty aroma has released, while tossing occasionally (careful not to burn them, they brown quickly).
    • Add the walnuts to the food processor until slightly crumbled. Add the basil, garlic, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, and sea salt. Blend until it becomes a paste consistency. Scrape the sides and gradually add the olive oil until pesto becomes like a sauce.
    • Pesto should have some texture to it and is not completely smooth.

    Make the Garlic Butter

    • In a medium bowl, take the softened butter and add the grated garlic, red pepper flakes, and Italian seasoning. Combine well.

    Making the Sandwich

    • If your loaf is not precut, cut your sourdough into thick slices.
    • Spread the garlic butter on both sides of the bread. On both slices, spread the pesto evenly on one side. To one slice, add one slice of cheese, then add tomatoes. Optionally, you can end with a second slice of cheese and close the sandwich.
    • Close the sandwich maker and cook according to your panini press instructions (or until both sides are browned and cheese is melted).
    • If you don’t have a sandwich maker or panini press, you can use a skillet and cook the sandwich like a grilled cheese. Spread the butter on both sides of the bread and cook one side of the bread. Add pesto on the cooked side of both slices, layer the cheese and tomatoes to one slice and close the bread. Grill on medium low heat and cook both sides until the cheese melts.
    • Enjoy your sandwich warm!

    Notes

    Store unused pesto in an airtight jar in the fridge for up to one week with a layer of olive oil on top. Or freeze up to 6 months.
    You can store the unused butter in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks. Soften before use.

    Nutrition Info

    Calories: 524kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 38g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 9g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Trans Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 49mg | Sodium: 711mg | Potassium: 281mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 1331IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 232mg | Iron: 3mg
    Tried this recipe? Let me know!Tag @sharethespice or tag #sharethespicerecipes!

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Jgohel

      November 11, 2022 at 1:33 pm

      5 stars
      Super delicious

      Reply

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    Hey y’all, I'm Shweta!

    I’m the blogger, recipe developer, and photographer behind this blog. Share the Spice is a blog about vegetarian and vegan recipes that focus on healthy, flavorful meals. My goal is to show you how to make nourishing meals that are easy and full of flavor.

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