Caprese Salad Grilled Cheese (Printable)

A flavorful blend of basil, tomato, mozzarella, and balsamic on buttery toasted sourdough slices.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Bread & Dairy

01 - 4 slices sourdough or Italian bread
02 - 4 oz fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced
03 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

→ Vegetables & Herbs

04 - 1 large ripe tomato, thinly sliced
05 - 8 to 10 fresh basil leaves

→ Condiments & Garnish

06 - 1 tablespoon balsamic glaze
07 - Salt, to taste
08 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

# Directions:

01 - Spread softened butter evenly on one side of each bread slice.
02 - Place two slices butter-side down on a flat surface. Layer mozzarella, tomato slices, and fresh basil leaves. Season with salt and pepper. Drizzle balsamic glaze over the tomato and basil.
03 - Top with remaining bread slices, butter-side up.
04 - Preheat a large nonstick skillet or grill pan over medium heat.
05 - Place sandwiches in the skillet and cook for 3 to 4 minutes per side, pressing gently, until bread is golden and cheese has melted.
06 - Remove from heat, let rest for 1 minute, then slice in half. Optionally drizzle with additional balsamic glaze before serving.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It feels fancy but takes less time than scrolling through your phone while waiting for lunch.
  • The contrast of warm melted cheese against cool, juicy tomato is addictive and nothing like a regular grilled cheese.
  • You'll have leftovers on your hands, which is a rare and wonderful problem.
02 -
  • Dry your tomato slices on a paper towel before building the sandwich—even a little extra moisture will make the bread soggy and the sandwich fall apart.
  • Don't skip the resting step; it takes one minute but prevents the filling from sliding out onto your plate and looking like it fell apart.
03 -
  • Prep all your ingredients before the pan heats up; there's no time to slice tomatoes once you've started cooking, and the sandwich waits for no one.
  • If your mozzarella is cold from the fridge, it won't melt properly even if you cook longer, so let it sit out for five minutes first.
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