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Pizza Grilled Cheese

Pizza sandwich meets comfort-food crunch: crispy grilled cheese stuffed with pepperoni, melty mozzarella, and a spoonful of pizza sauce. Pan-griddled until golden, then served with warm marinara for dipping.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 8 minutes
Total Time 18 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 760
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Sandwiches
  • 8 bread
  • 0.25 cup Butter Use enough to butter the outside faces for browning.
  • 2 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
  • 1 cup pepperoni slices
  • 0.5 cup pizza sauce For stuffing inside the sandwich.
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning
  • 0.5 cup Marinara sauce for dipping Warm for serving.

Equipment

  • 1 panini press

Method
 

Assemble the pizza grilled cheese
  1. Butter one side of each bread slice for a crisp, golden crust.
  2. On the unbuttered side, layer mozzarella, pepperoni, a spoonful of pizza sauce, and Italian seasoning to fully stuff the sandwich.
  3. Top each sandwich with a second bread slice, buttered-side out, so the outside browns while the cheese melts.
Grill
  1. Heat a grill pan or panini press to medium heat, then place the sandwich on it to start crisping.
  2. Grill for 3-4 minutes per side, flipping once, until both sides are golden and the cheese melts and looks glossy.
Serve
  1. Serve immediately with warm marinara sauce for dipping alongside cut triangles showing melted cheese and pepperoni inside.

Notes

Pro tip: keep the heat at medium so the bread browns without burning before the cheese melts; if using a panini press, press gently but firmly for even contact. Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 3 days; reheat in a skillet over medium-low until warmed through and crisp again. Freezing isn’t recommended because the bread texture softens after thawing. For a lighter option, use reduced-fat mozzarella and turkey pepperoni.