This Grilled Mozzarella Sandwich is made with fresh tomatoes and walnut pesto grilled with sourdough bread. It's easy to assemble and bursting with flavor!
GRILLED MOZZARELLA SANDWICH
Ingredients
For the Sandwich
- 4 slices sourdough bread
- 4 oz mozzarella cheese sliced
- 1 large tomato sliced
- 2 oz roasted red peppers jarred
For the Pesto
- 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves
- 2 cloves garlic peeled
- 2 tablespoons walnuts
- 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1/4 cup olive oil
Instructions
- To make the pesto, place the basil, garlic, walnuts, and Parmesan cheese in the food processor; season with salt and pepper, to taste and blend. While the food processor is on, pour the olive oil slowly into the mixture in order to allow the olive oil to emulsify.
- Spread the pesto equally on the 4 slices of bread and place the bread on the panini maker or in a toaster oven for 2 minutes.
- Then place the mozzarella cheese, tomatoes, and roasted red peppers on top of bread slices and allow the cheese to melt and the veggies to soften.
- Once the cheese melts, close the sandwich, cut and serve immediately
Notes
Storage: Leftover pesto should be covered and stored in the refrigerator, it will keep fresh for one week. I would not recommend storing the sandwich though for more than a couple hours. If you have sandwich leftovers, it's best to reheat using a toaster oven or panini maker.
Make-Ahead Tips: You can make the pesto up to one week in advance and then use it in the grilled sandwich when you're ready.
Substitutes: For best results, follow the recipe as is. However here are some common substitutes that would work well in this recipe.
Instead of whole mozzarella, you can use shredded mozzarella. Although I think it creates a completely different flavor and texture to the sandwich.
Instead of walnuts, you can use other nuts, like pine nuts, almonds or pecans, to make the pesto
Equipment: I use the Kitchen Aid 7-Cup Food processor Kitchen Aid 11-Cup Food Processor to make the pesto. It has a high and low pulse speed so you can make the pesto as smooth or chunky as you’d like. And it has a 3-in-1 wide mouth feed tube to make it easier to slowly add olive oil while the machine is running.
It’s so fun to make sandwiches in my panini maker. I have the Cuisinart 5-in-1 Griddle – pretty much a magic appliance in my kitchen that does so much! If you don't have a panini grill, you can use a skillet and cook the sandwich for 2 minutes per side, pressing down with a spatula as you cook.
Nutrition: Please note that the nutrition label provided is an estimate based on an online nutrition calculator. It will vary based on the specific ingredients you use. This information should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. The nutrition value is for one serving which is one whole sandwich (half the recipe)
Nutrition
Serving: 1 g | Calories: 449 k cal | Carbohydrates: 41 g | Protein: 16 g | Fat: 25 g | Saturated Fat: 6 g | Cholesterol: 24 mg | Sodium: 742 mg | Potassium: 302 mg | Fiber: 2 g | Sugar: 3 g | Vitamin A: 960 I U | Vitamin C: 16.1 mg | Calcium: 224 mg | Iron: 3 mg
[adapted from FEEL GOOD FOODIE]