Vegetable Grilled Cheese Sandwich Recipe featuring Olives, Pesto & Tomatoes

by Jennifer on June 1, 2011

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Yesterday our son was having a fit begging for another toy. He saw a new car at the grocery store and wanted it immediately.

I bothered to make some statement along the lines of ‘blah, blah, money, blah, blah, too many toys, blah, blah’.  His reply was another classic: ‘Mom, if Daddy has no money in his wallet and you have no money in your wallet then you can use the dollars from my wallet. It is in my bedroom. Go get it’

I like kids. They are funny.

Ingredients
2 slices of Ciabatta/Bread
1 tablespoon pesto (prepared or your own recipe)
1 tablespoon olives, chopped
2 slices of organic tomato
5 slices fontina cheese
Olive oil spray

Directions:
1. Plug in/turn on your indoor grill or Panini press.

2. Slice the ciabatta (or your favorite bread) into approximately 1/2-inch slices. Spread the pesto (make your own or use your favorite prepared pesto) all over one slice of the bread.

3. Chop up the olives (or buy them already chopped) and scatter them over the pesto. Lay the tomatoes on top of the olives and finish up the sandwich by placing the cheese over the tomatoes and top with the remaining slices of bread.

4. Spritz one side of the sandwich with olive oil spray, flip carefully and repeat. Place the sandwich on the grill/press and let the magic happen. Allow to cook until the bread gets all crispy and brown and the cheese is gooey. Flip and repeat if not using a Panini press.

What is your favorite cheese to use in a grilled cheese sandwich?

{ 9 comments… read them below or add one }

Paula - bell'alimento June 1, 2011 at 5:04 pm

We’ve been making a lot of grilled cheese variations for lunch. We’ll have to add this to the rotation : )

Cookin' Canuck June 1, 2011 at 7:37 pm

Pesto and olives are meant to be together. This is the kind of sandwich that I could eat every day of the week.

brandi@BranAppetit June 1, 2011 at 8:18 pm

I love, love, LOVE Pesto on grilled cheese sandwiches! such a great addition.

One of my favorite cheeses to use is smoked cheddar. It has a great punch of flavor.

Diane {Created by Diane} June 1, 2011 at 11:36 pm

Girl, you are grillin’ my favorites, YUMMY!!! Wish I was could stop on by for a bite :)

patsyk June 2, 2011 at 8:29 am

I’ve heard that one a few times as well! My boys earn allowance, but we encourage them to save it up for something they really, really want. Sometimes they just want to spend it on “junk”.

I love sandwiches like this… they have so much more flavor and I like that it’s nearly guilt-free!

Jennifer June 2, 2011 at 9:00 am

If you were my neighbor I would be the happiest woman in the world!

Jennifer June 2, 2011 at 9:00 am

Brandi – I love the idea of using smoked cheddar and I do not need excuses to buy more cheese.

Jennifer June 2, 2011 at 9:01 am

Well said and the same lesson we are trying to teach here.

Shelby June 21, 2011 at 7:27 pm

Sounds wonderful! Who doesn’t love a toasty grilled cheese? Love what you did with it!

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