Gourmet Italian Grilled Cheese with Pesto

The grilled cheese lover in all of us will find this gourmet Italian grilled cheese utterly irresistible. Nothing like a fancy grilled cheese sandwich layered with four cheeses, pesto, prosciutto and roasted peppers for added flavor in every bite!

Before hitting the skillet, these Italian grilled cheese sandwiches are schmeared with an herby, parmesan butter that makes the crusty bread deliciously golden and crisp. There’s no denying that gooey melted cheese oozing from the sides when biting into this classic comfort food.

Why You’ll Love this Italian Grilled Cheese

• Delicious combination of Italian flavors
• Components can be prepped ahead
• Customizable
• Uses basic pantry ingredients

Ingredients

• Cheese! A blend of provolone cheese, fontina, ricotta and parmesan.
• Tuscan Bread or sourdough
• Pesto – Store-bought or homemade (I included a basil pesto in the recipe card).
• Prosciutto
• Roasted Red Peppers
• Sun-dried Tomatoes
• Fresh Basil and Parsley
• Butter
• Salt and Black Pepper

Best Bread for Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

I like using large round loaves of Tuscan or sourdough bread for this recipe. But you can always change things up with the following:

• Ciabatta
• Focaccia
• Brioche
• Multigrain
• Garlic Bread
• White Bread, thickly sliced (aka Texas Toast)

Best Cheese for Grilled Cheese

For this Italian-themed recipe, I chose provolone and fontina for the melty cheese factor you don't get from ricotta or parmesan. You can easily add mozzarella cheese into the mix but don’t use fresh. It’s too moist (see Tips section below). Other great melting varieties include:

• Sharp Cheddar Cheese
• American Cheese
• Monterey Jack
• Gruyere
• Raclette
• Blue cheese but be sure to combine with a milder cheese above.

Cooking Steps

The pesto whipped ricotta and seasoned butter can be made five days in advance of making the sandwiches.

Whip the ricotta with pesto until airy and fluffy. Combine the shredded provolone and fontina with sun-dried tomatoes in a medium bowl.

Blend softened butter with parmesan cheese and fresh herbs in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper. You could also add garlic powder or Italian seasoning.

To assemble, slather four slices of bread with the pesto ricotta and top with a few basil leaves. Top two of the slices with the shredded cheese mixture.

Top the cheese with red peppers and prosciutto. Add a little more of the shredded cheeses. In an even layer, generously spread the softened butter mixture on top of the sandwiches.

Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium-low heat. Carefully place sandwiches buttered side down in skillet. Spread butter on the top side of the sandwiches.

Cook until the bottom has golden crispy crusts, about 5 minutes. Carefully flip the sandwiches and cook another 5 minutes on the other side until golden and the cheese has completely melted.

Let grilled cheese sandwiches rest a couple minutes before serving. Waiting is the hardest part!

Recipe Tips

1. Medium-low heat. Lower heat gives the bread a chance to toast while the cheese melts.
2. Shredded cheese. It melts more evenly and quicker than slices. And what falls over the edges of the bread will crisp up to perfection.
3. Avoid fresh mozzarella. If you include mozzarella, the high moisture level of fresh will make a soggy sandwich. And, don't buy the packaged, pre-shredded stuff. It has a potato-starch coating that keeps it from melting evenly. Go with a block of whole milk or part skim and shred yourself.
4. Don’t skimp on the butter. A good slather makes the sandwich crisp outside and soaks into the bread for buttery deliciousness.

Sides for Grilled Cheese

Grilled Cheese FAQs

More Cheesy Recipes!

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📋 Recipe

Gourmet Italian Grilled Cheese with Pesto

This four-cheese Italian grilled cheese takes one of our favorite guilty pleasures to a whole new level layered with crisp prosciutto and roasted peppers for added flavor in every bite.

5 from 9 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Dinner, Lunch, Main Course

Cuisine: American, Italian

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes minutes

Servings: 2 sandwiches

Calories: 874kcal

Author: Kim Peterson

Equipment

• ▢
  12-inch cast iron skillet
• ▢
  Hand Mixer
• ▢
  Mixing bowls

Ingredients

Italian Grilled Cheese

• ▢ 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ▢ 2 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto
• ▢ 8 ounces ricotta cheese
• ▢ ¼ cup homemade* or store-bought pesto
• ▢ 3 ounces provolone cheese , freshly grated
• ▢ 3 ounces fontina cheese , freshly grated
• ▢ ¼ cup marinated sun-dried tomatoes
• ▢ 6 tablespoons butter , room temperature
• ▢ ¼ cup parmesan cheese , freshly grated
• ▢ 2 tablespoons fresh parsley , chopped
• ▢ 4 slices Tuscan or sourdough bread , ½-inch thick
• ▢ 3 ounces marinated roasted red peppers , drained and patted dry
• ▢ Kosher salt and black pepper

*Basil & Parsley Pesto

• ▢ 1 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves
• ▢ 1 cup loosely packed fresh parsley
• ▢ 2 large cloves garlic , peeled
• ▢ ½ cup parmesan cheese , freshly grated
• ▢ ½ lemon , juiced
• ▢ ¼ cup pine nuts (optional)
• ▢ ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil

Instructions

Italian Grilled Cheese

• Heat olive oil in a large cast iron or non-stick skillet over medium heat.
• Add prosciutto in a single layer and cook until starting to get crisp but not dry. Remove from skillet when done and place on a paper towel-lined plate. Set aside. Remove skillet from heat.
• In a medium bowl, whip ricotta with either homemade or your favorite store-bought pesto with a hand mixer or whisk until well combined. Set aside.
• In another medium bowl, combine provolone and fontina cheese with sun-dried tomatoes. Set aside.
• In a small bowl, use a hand mixer or whisk to blend softened butter, parmesan cheese and parsley. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Set aside.
• To assemble sandwiches, place the 4 slices of bread on a work surface. Slather each slice with the pesto ricotta (reserve extra for another use). Top 2 of the slices with about a ½ cup or so of the grated cheese blend.
• Top the cheese with roasted red peppers and prosciutto. Add a little more of the grated cheeses and place the other 2 slices on top ricotta side down and press slightly to hold together.
• Heat same skillet used for the prosciutto over medium heat.
• In an even layer spread herb butter on top of each sandwich. Carefully place sandwiches buttered side down in skillet. Spread butter on the top side of the sandwiches.
• Cook until the bottom side is golden brown and crisp, about 5 minutes. Carefully flip the sandwiches and cook another 5 minutes on the other side until golden and the cheese has completely melted.
• Let sandwiches rest a couple minutes before serving. Enjoy!

*Basil & Parsley Pesto

• Add basil, garlic, parmesan, and pine nuts to bowl of a food processor. Pulse until well combined.
• With the machine running, slowly pour in the oil. Process until desired consistency.
• Season to taste with salt and pepper. (Makes about ¾ cup. Can be made ahead. Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate up to 5 days.)

Notes

Recipe Tips

1. Medium-low heat. Lower heat gives the bread a chance to toast while the cheese melts.
2. Shredded cheese. It melts more evenly and quicker than slices. And what falls over the edges of the bread will crisp up to perfection.
3. Avoid fresh mozzarella. If you include mozzarella, the high moisture level of fresh will make a soggy sandwich. And, don't buy the packaged, pre-shredded stuff. It has a potato-starch coating that keeps it from melting evenly. Go with a block of whole milk or part skim and shred yourself.
4. Don’t skimp on the butter. A good slather makes the sandwich crisp outside and soaks into the bread for buttery deliciousness.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 sandwich | Calories: 874kcal | Carbohydrates: 79g | Protein: 42g | Fat: 34g | Cholesterol: 98mg | Sodium: 2323mg | Potassium: 848mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 1701IU | Vitamin C: 30mg | Calcium: 681mg

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