Tomato Basil Grilled Cheese (Printable version)

A flavorful melt with juicy tomato and fresh basil layered in toasted sourdough bread.

# What you need:

→ Bread & Dairy

01 - 4 slices sourdough or country-style bread
02 - 4 oz mozzarella cheese, sliced or shredded
03 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter, softened

→ Vegetables & Herbs

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

→ Seasonings

06 - Salt, to taste
07 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

# How to Make It:

01 - Spread the softened butter evenly over one side of each bread slice.
02 - Place two bread slices, buttered side down, on a cutting board. Layer each with half the mozzarella, tomato slices, basil leaves, and season with salt and pepper.
03 - Top with the remaining bread slices, buttered side up.
04 - Heat a large skillet or griddle over medium heat.
05 - Place sandwiches in the skillet and cook for 3 to 4 minutes per side, pressing gently, until the bread is golden brown and the cheese is melted.
06 - Remove sandwiches from skillet, let rest for one minute, then slice and serve warm.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in twenty minutes flat, which means you can satisfy a serious craving without any fussing around.
  • The combination of warm melted cheese, juicy tomato, and aromatic basil feels indulgent but stays light enough that you don't feel weighed down afterward.
  • It's the kind of sandwich that tastes better than it has any right to, given how few ingredients actually go into it.
02 -
  • Don't use a heat setting higher than medium or the bread will char before the cheese melts through, which I discovered the hard way and created what can only be described as a charcoal sandwich.
  • Slice your tomato thin but not paper-thin; thick slices make the sandwich hard to bite through, and slices that fall apart turn the whole thing into tomato soup between bread.
  • Room temperature basil wilts into nothing, so tear or slice it just before assembling or it'll disappear into the cheese and you'll lose all that bright flavor you paid for.
03 -
  • Keep your butter at room temperature before you start so it spreads without tearing the bread or leaving cold patches that won't toast evenly.
  • Slice your bread slightly thicker than you normally would for regular sandwiches because it needs to support the weight of the filling without bending or falling apart in the pan.
  • Medium heat is your friend here; it gives the cheese time to melt while the bread slowly turns golden rather than racing to brown before the inside is done.
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