These Grilled Cheese Sandwiches with Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto take a childhood classic and elevate it to a gourmet level. By pairing a rich, homemade pesto packed with savory sun-dried tomatoes and basil with melting Fontina cheese, you get a sandwich that is bursting with bold Italian flavors.
With buttery, golden-brown Italian bread and a gooey, stretchable cheese center, this is the ultimate comfort food lunch or dinner.
Recipe Details
- Flavor Profile: The pesto offers a robust, tangy, and slightly sweet flavor from the tomatoes and basil, which cuts through the rich, nutty creaminess of the melted cheese.
- Texture: You get a satisfying crunch from the butter-toasted bread followed by the soft, molten cheese and the slightly textured puree of the pesto.
- Time: 10 minutes prep, 10 minutes cook time.
- Difficulty: Easy. The food processor makes the pesto in seconds, and the rest is standard grilling.
What You’ll Need
To make this recipe, you will need a food processor fitted with a steel blade to puree the pesto ingredients into a smooth spread. You will also need a large nonstick or cast iron pan to grill the sandwiches evenly. The ingredients rely on high-quality staples like jarred sun-dried tomatoes (oil included), fresh basil, pine nuts, and a high-quality melting cheese.
Ingredient Notes
- Sun-Dried Tomatoes – You need an 8.5-ounce jar packed in olive oil. You will use the tomatoes and their oil, which adds incredible flavor and helps emulsify the pesto.
- Basil Leaves – Fresh basil is essential for that aromatic, herbal lift.
- Pine Nuts – These add a buttery, nutty undertone to the pesto.
- Parmigiano-Reggiano – Freshly grated parmesan adds a salty, savory bite to the pesto mixture.
- Italian Bread – Slices of sturdy Italian bread are perfect for grilling; they crisp up well without becoming too hard.
- Fontina or Gruyere – These are excellent melting cheeses. They have a nuttier, more complex flavor than standard American cheese, which stands up well to the strong pesto.
- Butter – Softened butter is spread on the outside of the bread to ensure a golden, crispy crust.
Add-ins and Substitutions
- Nut Free – If you have a nut allergy, you can substitute the pine nuts with sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds (pepitas).
- Cheese – If you cannot find Fontina or Gruyere, mild Provolone or a block of low-moisture Mozzarella are great melting alternatives.
- Greens – You could layer fresh spinach leaves inside the sandwich before grilling for added nutrition.
How to Make Grilled Cheese Sandwiches with Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto
- Make the Pesto: In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade, combine the sun-dried tomatoes with their oil, garlic, salt, red pepper flakes, sugar, basil, pine nuts, Parmigiano-Reggiano, and 2 tablespoons of water. Pulse the mixture, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary, until it is finely puréed.
- Prep the Bread: Spread one side of each slice of bread with softened butter. Flip the slices over and spread the prepared sun-dried tomato pesto evenly over the other side (the un-buttered side) of each slice.
- Assemble: Heat a large nonstick or cast iron pan over medium heat. Place 4 slices of bread, butter-side-down, in the pan. Divide the sliced or grated Fontina (or Gruyere) evenly over the bread slices in the pan. Top the sandwiches with the remaining bread, ensuring the pesto side is touching the cheese and the butter side is facing up.
- Grill: Cook until the first side is golden brown, which will take a few minutes. Carefully flip the sandwiches and cook until the cheese is fully melted and the second side of the bread is golden brown, a few minutes more.
- Serve: Let the sandwiches cool slightly to set the cheese, then slice them in half and serve.
Pro Tip: Don’t crank the heat up too high. Cooking over medium heat allows the heat to penetrate the bread and melt the cheese completely before the bread burns. If the bread is browning too fast but the cheese is still cold, lower the heat slightly.
Recipe Tips
- Use the Oil: The recipe calls for the entire jar of tomatoes, including the oil. Do not drain them! The oil is packed with tomato flavor and is necessary for the pesto texture.
- Pesto Yield: The pesto recipe makes about 1 1/2 cups, but you only need 1/2 cup for 4 sandwiches. This is great because you will have plenty of leftovers for pasta or more sandwiches later.
- Grate Your Own Cheese: Pre-grated cheese often has anti-caking agents that prevent a smooth melt. For the best cheese pull, grate or slice the block cheese yourself.
FAQs
- Can I freeze the extra pesto? Yes! The leftover pesto freezes beautifully. Place it in an airtight container or freeze it in ice cube trays for easy portioning later.
- Is this spicy? The red pepper flakes add a very subtle warmth, but it is not spicy. You can omit them if you are very sensitive to heat.
- Can I use store-bought pesto? You can, but this homemade version uses sun-dried tomatoes as the base rather than just basil, giving it a unique, intense flavor profile that standard basil pesto lacks.
Serving Suggestions
- Soup: Tomato soup is the classic pairing, but this also goes wonderfully with a roasted red pepper soup.
- Salad: Serve with a crisp green salad dressed with balsamic vinaigrette to cut through the richness of the cheese.
- Pickles: A side of dill pickles adds a nice crunchy contrast.
Make This Recipe in Advance
- Pesto Prep: You can make the sun-dried tomato pesto up to a week in advance and store it in the refrigerator.
- Sandwiches: These are best made fresh so the bread remains crispy. However, you can butter the bread and slice the cheese ahead of time to make assembly faster.
Grilled Cheese Sandwiches with Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 4 Sandwiches 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
These Grilled Cheese Sandwiches with Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto take a childhood classic and elevate it to a gourmet level. By pairing a rich, homemade pesto packed with savory sun-dried tomatoes and basil with melting Fontina cheese, you get a sandwich that is bursting with bold Italian flavors. With buttery, golden-brown Italian bread and a gooey, stretchable cheese center, this is the ultimate comfort food lunch or dinner.
Ingredients
The Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto (Makes 1 1/2 cups)
- 1 (8.5-ounce) jar sun-dried tomatoes packed in olive oil (do not drain)
- 1 cup packed fresh basil leaves
- 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons pine nuts
- 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 2 tablespoons water
The Sandwiches
- 8 slices sturdy Italian bread
- 8 ounces Fontina or Gruyere cheese, sliced or grated
- 4 tablespoons butter, softened
- 1/2 cup Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto (from above)
Instructions
Make the Pesto
In a food processor fitted with a steel blade, combine the entire contents of the sun-dried tomato jar (tomatoes and oil), garlic, salt, red pepper flakes, sugar, basil, pine nuts, Parmigiano-Reggiano, and water. Pulse until the mixture is finely puréed and smooth. Scrape down the sides as needed.
Prep the Bread
Spread one side of each bread slice with softened butter.
Spread Pesto
Flip the slices over. Spread a generous layer of the prepared pesto on the un-buttered side of each slice.
Assemble
Heat a large skillet or griddle over medium heat. Place 4 slices of bread in the pan, butter-side down.
Add Cheese
Distribute the Fontina (or Gruyere) evenly over the bread in the pan. Top with the remaining bread slices, ensuring the pesto side touches the cheese and the butter side faces up.
Grill
Cook for 3–5 minutes until the bottom bread is golden brown. Carefully flip the sandwiches. Cook for another 3–5 minutes until the second side is golden and the cheese is fully melted.
Serve
Let cool slightly for a minute (to prevent molten cheese burns), slice in half, and serve immediately.
Notes
Leftover Pesto: This recipe makes about 1 1/2 cups of pesto, but you only need 1/2 cup for 4 sandwiches. The leftovers are liquid gold—freeze them or toss with hot pasta for a quick dinner later in the week.
Don’t Drain: Use the oil from the sun-dried tomato jar! It is packed with flavor and helps emulsify the pesto into a creamy spread.
Heat Control: Cook over medium (not high) heat. This allows the heat to penetrate the bread and melt the cheese completely before the bread burns.
Cheese Choice: Fontina and Gruyere are preferred for their nutty flavor and superior melting qualities, but mild Provolone or low-moisture Mozzarella work well too.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Lunch / Dinner
- Method: Grilling / Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 Sandwich
- Calories: 610
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 980mg
- Fat: 42g
- Saturated Fat: 18g
- Unsaturated Fat: 20g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 38g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 22g
- Cholesterol: 85mg
Keywords: sun dried tomato grilled cheese, pesto grilled cheese, fontina cheese recipes, gourmet sandwiches, homemade pesto, vegetarian lunch ideas, comfort food recipes
