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Grilled Cheese Sandwiches with Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto

Delicious gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches featuring a rich sun-dried tomato pesto, perfect for any meal.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings: 4 sandwiches
Course: Main Course, Snack
Cuisine: American
Calories: 450
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Pesto
  • 1 jar 8.5-oz jar of sun-dried tomatoes packed in olive oil
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 0.5 teaspoon salt
  • 0.25 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes for heat
  • 0.5 teaspoon sugar for sweetness
  • 1 cup packed fresh basil leaves
  • 0.25 cup pine nuts plus 2 tablespoons
  • 0.33 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
  • 2 tablespoons water for consistency
For the Sandwiches
  • 8 slices Italian bread
  • 4 tablespoons softened butter for cooking
  • 8 oz Fontina or Gruyere cheese sliced or grated
  • 0.5 cup homemade sun-dried tomato pesto for spreading

Method
 

Preparation
  1. In the bowl of a food processor, combine the sun-dried tomatoes with their oil, garlic, salt, crushed red pepper flakes, sugar, fresh basil leaves, pine nuts, Parmigiano-Reggiano, and water. Pulse until finely puréed.
Assembling the Sandwiches
  1. Spread one side of each slice of bread with softened butter. Flip and spread sun-dried tomato pesto on the unbuttered side.
Cooking the Sandwiches
  1. Heat a large nonstick or cast iron pan over medium heat. Place 4 slices of bread butter-side-down in the pan. Evenly divide the cheese over the bread and top with the remaining slices of bread, pesto-side-down.
Finishing the Sandwiches
  1. Cook until the first side is golden brown, then carefully flip and continue cooking until the cheese is melted and the bread is golden brown.
Serving
  1. Let sandwiches cool slightly before slicing in half. Serve warm.

Notes

For a twist, add sautéed spinach, arugula, or layers of ripe tomatoes. Try different cheeses for diverse flavors.