Grilled Cheese with Pesto and Roasted Red Peppers

This Grilled Cheese with Pesto and Roasted Red Peppers recipe is sponsored by Applegate. I am a longtime Applegate customer, and I am so excited to collaborate with them today. As always, all content and opinions stated in this post are my own. Thank you for your support!

Ahh, grilled cheese, the food of my childhood dreams. When I was growing up we had an old school sandwich maker (similar to this one) that I used to make grilled cheeses all the time. I think it must have been the first cooking appliance that my parents allowed me to use on my own because I remember using it often.

Most people are surprised when I tell them that I was very unhealthy as a kid. Besides grilled cheese sandwiches, my diet basically consisted of macaroni and cheese, frozen pizza, PB&J, and all things carbs. I made those famous grilled cheese sandwiches with potato bread, highly processed American cheese, and butter. Not exactly a nutrition powerhouse, huh?

Well, clearly times have changed, and I am happy to say that I am a MUCH better eater now. This Grilled Cheese with Pesto and Roasted Red Peppers is quite the upgrade from that circa 1998 version. The key to making this Grilled Cheese extra delicious is to use quality ingredients. I used a crusty loaf of 100% whole wheat bread, good pesto (make sure that basil and extra-virgin olive oil are at the top of the ingredient list), roasted red peppers, and Applegate Natural’s Provolone Cheese.

Applegate recently launched a line of new natural cheeses made from grass-fed cows that are humanely raised and never administered antibiotics or growth hormones. The cheeses have no added colors or artificial ingredients and are Non-GMO Project Verified.

I don’t eat a lot of dairy anymore, but when I do, I like to make sure that it meets all of the criteria above. In the United States, so much of our dairy contains added hormones and antibiotics, which I have found to cause breakouts on my skin. I don’t know about you, but I do NOT want unnecessary hormones and antibiotics in my food. It’s comforting to know that Applegate’s new cheeses are a safe choice.

This Grilled Cheese is perfect for any of you in a lunch rut and sick of the same ol’ turkey sandwich or boring salad. Pleeeeeeease make sure to dip the sandwich halves in warm marinara sauce or tomato soup! OH MY GAWD it is so good, and you will be so glad you did.

I know you all are always looking for easy recipes that use minimal ingredients, so I hope you find that this vegetarian sandwich fits the bill! If you try it, let me know how it turns out it in the comment section below or over on Instagram.

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Grilled Cheese with Pesto and Roasted Red Peppers

Prep Time

5 mins

Cook Time

4 mins

Total Time

9 mins

 

Upgrade lunchtime with this Grilled Cheese with Pesto and Roasted Red Peppers. Serve this sandwich with warm marinara or tomato soup for the ultimate comfort meal.

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: pesto, Provolone, Roasted Red Peppers, whole wheat

Servings: 1 sandwich

Author: Rachel (littlechefbigappetite)

Ingredients

• 2 slices crusty whole wheat bread
• 2 teaspoons pesto
• 1.5 slices Applegate Naturals Provolone Cheese
• 1/4 cup jarred roasted red peppers, drained and dried to remove excess liquid
• Olive Oil or Cooking Spray
• Marinara or Tomato Soup

Instructions

1. Preheat medium nonstick pan over MEDIUM heat.

2. On a large cutting board, spread each slice of bread with 1 teaspoon of pesto (2 teaspoons total). On one slice of bread, layer the provolone cheese and roasted red peppers. Place the other slice of bread on top to make a sandwich.

3. Lower the pan heat to LOW, and lightly coat it in olive oil or cooking spray. Put the sandwich on the pan and cook for 2 minutes, or until the first side is crispy and lightly browned. Spray the top of the sandwich with cooking spray (or brush with olive oil), and flip, cooking for an additional 2-3 minutes on the other side. If at this point the cheese is not melted enough for your liking, you can stick the pan in an oven preheated to 250 degrees.

4. Slice the sandwich in half and serve with warm tomato soup or marinara sauce.

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