Pizza Grilled Cheese (Printable)

A fusion of melted mozzarella, pepperoni, and marinara on crisp toasted bread offers ultimate comfort.

# What You'll Need:

→ Bread

01 - 4 slices Italian bread or sourdough

→ Cheese & Meats

02 - 4 oz mozzarella cheese, sliced or shredded
03 - 12 to 16 slices pepperoni

→ Sauce

04 - 1/4 cup marinara sauce, plus extra for dipping

→ For Cooking

05 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

# Method:

01 - Lay out the bread slices and spread a thin layer of softened butter on one side of each slice.
02 - Place two bread slices butter side down on a clean surface. Spread 1 to 2 tablespoons of marinara sauce evenly over the unbuttered side of each slice.
03 - Layer mozzarella cheese evenly on top of the marinara sauce, then arrange pepperoni slices over the cheese.
04 - Top each with the remaining bread slices, butter side up, forming two sandwiches.
05 - Heat a skillet or griddle over medium heat until warm.
06 - Place sandwiches in the skillet and cook for 3 to 4 minutes per side, pressing gently with a spatula, until bread is golden brown and cheese is melted.
07 - Remove sandwiches from the skillet and let rest for 1 minute, then slice diagonally.
08 - Serve hot with extra marinara sauce for dipping.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes like you spent an hour making pizza, but you'll have it on the table in 20 minutes flat.
  • The crispy-outside, gooey-inside factor is completely addictive and impossible to stop at just one sandwich.
  • You already have these ingredients in your kitchen, which means no excuses not to make it tonight.
02 -
  • Medium heat is non-negotiable; high heat will burn your bread while leaving the cheese cold in the middle, which is a tragedy you want to avoid.
  • The butter on the outside is what creates that crispy crust—it's not about being fancy, it's about physics, and it absolutely matters.
  • If your cheese isn't melting, the sandwiches need more time in the pan, but if your bread is getting too dark, lower the heat and keep going; cheese will catch up.
03 -
  • A cast iron skillet holds heat more evenly than a regular pan, which means more consistent browning and less monitoring.
  • If you press the sandwich gently as it cooks, it encourages the cheese to melt faster and binds everything together into one cohesive bite.
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