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Pesto Caprese Grilled Cheese

Delicious Pesto Caprese Grilled Cheese

This Pesto Caprese Grilled Cheese combines fresh ingredients into a gourmet sandwich that will be a crowd-pleaser.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Servings: 4 sandwiches
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Italian
Calories: 812

Ingredients
  

Bread and Cheese
  • 1 loaf ciabatta or ciabatta rolls, focaccia bread, or sourdough bread sliced into 8 equal slices
  • 8 ounces buffalo mozzarella or fresh mozzarella of choice, sliced
Pesto and Seasoning
  • 2 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
  • ⅓ cup pine nuts
  • ⅓ cup grated parmigiano cheese
  • 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
  • ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • to taste salt
  • to taste pepper
Vegetables
  • 1½ cups baby arugula
  • 2 medium ripe tomatoes, sliced into ¼-inch thick rounds
Finishing Touches
  • 1 tablespoon thick balsamic vinegar or balsamic glaze (optional)
  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • to taste flaky sea salt or kosher salt

Equipment

  • food processor
  • panini press or grill pan

Method
 

Pesto Preparation
  1. In a food processor, combine the basil leaves, pine nuts, Parmesan cheese, and minced garlic. Pulse until finely chopped. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil until the desired consistency is reached. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
Sandwich Assembly
  1. Preheat a panini press or grill pan over medium heat. Spread a generous amount of basil pesto on one side of each slice of bread.
  2. On 4 slices of bread, layer the buffalo mozzarella slices evenly. Top with slices of tomato and a sprinkle of salt. Add baby arugula on top.
  3. Drizzle balsamic vinegar or glaze (if using) over the arugula. Place the remaining slices of bread pesto side down on top of the sandwiches to close them.
Grilling the Sandwiches
  1. Brush the outer sides of each sandwich with olive oil. Grill for 3-4 minutes or until the bread is toasted and cheese is melted. If using a grill pan, press down with a spatula.
  2. Once golden brown, remove from heat and let cool for a minute. Cut each sandwich in half diagonally. Serve warm.

Nutrition

Serving: 1sandwichCalories: 812kcalCarbohydrates: 60gProtein: 26gFat: 53gSodium: 924mgFiber: 3gSugar: 3g

Notes

Feel free to customize your sandwich with different cheeses or additional toppings like roasted peppers or avocado.

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