Behold, the ultimate comfort food mashup: pizza grilled cheese! Two classic favorites join forces to create a sandwich that’s crispy, meaty, and oozing with flavor.
You’ll slather thick slices of bread with homemade garlic-parmesan butter, so the outer crust is rich and cheesy.
But the magic is on the inside! Between the bread, there’s a ton of mozzarella cheese, pepperoni, and pizza sauce, making every mouthful gooey, salty, and to die for.
Why You’ll Love This Pizza Grilled Cheese
Kid-Friendly: I don’t know any kid (or adult) who would turn away pizza or grilled cheese. So why not combine them into one sensational dish?
Crispy Crust Perfection: The garlic-parmesan butter brings a ton of pizza flavors. But the cheese also gives it a wonderful crunch.
Customizable Fillings: Feel free to skip the pepperoni and add chicken, onions, or even ham and pineapple. Just remember to omit anything watery, as it’ll make the bread soggy.
Social Media Worthy: This grilled cheese is visually appealing, and the cheese pull is out of this world! So get your phone ready – and try it on slow-mo!
Ingredients
- Unsalted Butter – Forms the base of the garlic butter, adding a creamy, rich flavor.
- Grated Parmesan Cheese – Gives the garlic butter a salty, slightly crunchy finish when grilled.
- Spices – A mix of Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and salt gives the garlic butter a robust Italian flavor.
- Sturdy Bread (Sourdough or Italian) – There’s a lot of filling in this grilled cheese, so you need thick bread that won’t tear or go soggy.
- Shredded Mozzarella Cheese – Melts beautifully, offering that quintessential stretchy cheese pull that pairs perfectly with the marinara sauce.
- Pizza or Marinara Sauce – Introduces a classic pizza flavor, adding a slight tanginess and moisture to the sandwich.
- Thin Slices of Pepperoni – Provide a spicy and slightly smoky flavor, complementing the cheese and sauce with a meaty texture.
How to Make Pizza Grilled Cheese
Need a quick lunch, satisfying snack, or easy dinner? This pizza grilled cheese delivers.
It’s a fun twist on a childhood staple that will make your taste buds sing. And it’s a breeze to make!
1. PREHEAT: Warm a large skillet or griddle over medium-low heat.
2. MIX: Combine the softened butter with the garlic butter ingredients until smooth.
3. SPREAD: Apply half of the garlic-parmesan butter to one side of 4 slices of the bread. Place them in the skillet, butter side down
4. ASSEMBLE: Spread pizza sauce on the bread and top with the mozzarella cheese and pepperoni.
5. COVER: Spread the rest of the pizza sauce on one side of the remaining bread slices. Place them sauce side down on the sandwiches. Spread the remaining garlic butter on the top sides.
6. COOK: Grill each side for 3-4 minutes until golden brown and the cheese has melted. Let cool for a few minutes before diving in!
Tips For the Best Pizza Grilled Cheese
Once you try this pizza grilled cheese, you’ll wonder where it’s been all your life.
It really is love at first bite!
So, if you’re looking for a creative way to level up a classic sandwich, check out these tips and make a yummy grilled cheese today!
- Bread choice. I almost always use sourdough because I love the flavor, but Italian or French bread work really well with the pizza theme. Just skip pre-sliced bread, as it won’t be enough to hold all the fillings.
- Low heat. If you use higher heat, the crust will burn before the cheese turns gooey. Cover the pan with a lid to help melt the cheese.
- Cheese layering: Layer some cheese on the bottom bread and then again over the pepperoni. This lets the cheese melt into the bread, holding it all together.
- Dipping sauce. If you’re worried about the bread going soggy with the pizza sauce, leave it off. Instead, serve it warm as a dip!
- Crispy pepperoni. For added texture, fry or air fry the pepperoni for a few minutes. Pat the excess oil off with a paper towel before placing in the sandwich.
- Sauce options. If you don’t have pizza sauce, you can substitute marinara sauce, tomato sauce, buffalo sauce, or even ketchup or BBQ sauce in a pinch. Pesto also makes an excellent alternative for a unique flavor twist.
- Variations. Customize with your favorite pizza toppings like cooked sausage, bacon, ham, peppers, mushrooms, olives, onions, etc. For a supreme pizza grilled cheese, add diced peppers, onions, and sautéed mushrooms.
How to Store
Grilled cheese is best enjoyed right away. The longer it sits, the softer the bread becomes.
That said, you can save any leftovers for later.
To Store: Wrap cold leftovers tightly in plastic and store them in the fridge for up to 24 hours.
To Reheat: For best results, reheat pizza grilled cheese in a skillet over medium heat-low until crispy and the cheese is melted, about 2-3 minutes per side. Alternatively, warm in the oven or air fryer at 325-350°F for 5-10 minutes.
To Freeze: Assemble the sandwiches, then wrap them in plastic and foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before cooking in a skillet as instructed below.
More Grilled Sandwiches You’ll Adore
Grilled Peanut Butter and Banana Sandwich
Air Fryer Grilled Cheese
Monte Cristo Sandwich
Croissant Breakfast Sandwich
Pizza Grilled Cheese
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kcalBehold, the ultimate comfort food mashup: pizza grilled cheese! Two classics join forces to create a sandwich that’s crispy, meaty, and oozing with flavor.
Ingredients
- Garlic Butter
1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
4 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
- Grilled Cheese
8 thick slices sturdy bread, such as sourdough or Italian
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup pizza or marinara sauce
24 thin slices pepperoni
Instructions
- Warm a large skillet or griddle over medium-low heat.
- In a small bowl, mix the softened butter with the parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and salt until well combined. Spread half of the butter evenly over one side of 4 slices of bread. Place them in the skillet, butter side down.
- Spread 1 tablespoon of pizza sauce over each slice of bread and top with about 1/4 cup each mozzarella cheese. Layer 6 slices of pepperoni on top of each, followed by the rest of the cheese.
- Spread 1 tablespoon of pizza over one side of the remaining 4 slices of bread. Gently press the bread, sauce side down, over the cheese and pepperoni. Finally, spread the tops with the rest of the garlic-parmesan butter.
- Cook for 3-4 minutes per side or until the bread is golden brown and the cheese is melted. Keep the heat on medium-low so the bread doesn’t burn before the cheese melts.
- Remove the sandwiches from the skillet and let cool for 1-2 minutes. Cut in half and serve warm with extra pizza sauce for dipping. Enjoy!
Notes
- Use thick, sturdy bread that can hold up to the fillings without getting soggy.
- Feel free to customize with your favorite pizza toppings like sausage, olives, or mushrooms.
