If you love Grilled Cheese with Tomato, you've got to try this elevated version with pesto and olive tapenade. Swap out your standard sandwich bread for a hearty sourdough, trade the American cheese for Italian fontina and fresh mozzarella, and you've got yourself an exceptional sandwich!
(This recipe was originally published in May 2017, but was updated with new photos and content in 2022).
Crispy golden bread stuffed with molten cheese. This description applies to any grilled cheese sandwich, and yet not all grilled cheeses are created equal. As much as I enjoy a traditional American cheese on white, my taste in grilled cheese has grown up over the years. I prefer a more elevated grilled cheese with high quality cheese, bread, and accouterments.
This vegetarian grilled cheese with tomatoes is a much more sophisticated version than the old school grilled cheese with tomatoes which may be familiar to you. Garlic butter replaces plain butter for slathering on the exterior of the sandwich, while the insides are stuffed with two Italian cheeses (Fontina Val d'Aosta and fresh mozzarella), sliced tomatoes, Kalamata olive tapenade, and basil pesto.
This delicious grilled cheese will easily become your go-to basic-but-not-too-basic meatless grilled cheese. You really can't go wrong with tomatoes, tapenade, and pesto to take this classic sandwich from ordinary to extraordinary.
Ingredient notes
- Bread: Do not use standard sandwich bread (you know, the soft squishy stuff) for this grilled cheese with tomato and pesto. You need a heartier rustic artisan style loaf with a firm crumb, such as Levain or sourdough.
- Tomato: I use plum (or Roma) tomatoes for this recipe because they aren't too juicy and hold their shape well. If you use a very juicy tomato it may make your sandwich considerably soggy. This sandwich would be lovely with colorful heirloom tomato slices, but keep in mind the juiciness of your tomato selection.
- Kalamata Olive Tapenade: Use either store-bought or homemade olive tapenade or olive paste/spread (the terms are sometimes interchangeable on package labeling). Usually, the ingredient list will include Kalamata olives, capers, and some herbs (usually thyme), though the tapenade will have more ingredients than a simple olive paste or spread will. Both are delicious in this sandwich.
- Basil Pesto: Use either store-bought or homemade basil pesto. Pesto can range significantly in color, flavor, and texture, but use whatever is your favorite brand (or make it yourself). You can easily make a nutless pesto too if you have any nut allergies.
- Fontina Cheese: Fontina cheese was first produced in Italy, but has spread to worldwide production including in the United States, Denmark, Sweden, etc. The original Fontina cheese from the Aosta Valley in Italy is a pale cream color, has some "eyes" (aka holes) and has an earthy, buttery flavor. Fontina Val d’Aosta may be harder to find, as most American grocery stores will sell other varieties, but I have found the Italian version at Whole Foods and at dedicated cheese shops. In a pinch, you can use other types of Fontina, but it's worth the extra effort to find Fontina Val d’Aosta if you can. Note that this cheese is typically made with animal rennet which means it isn't vegetarian. If you're vegetarian, use a vegetarian cheese instead such as Boar's Head brand vegetarian Fontina.
How to make it
In a small bowl, stir together soft butter and garlic powder until combined.
Spread the garlic butter on one side of each bread slice, dividing it evenly. Place both slices, buttered-side down, on a clean cutting board. Spread the tapenade on one slice and the pesto on the other.
Layer the fontina, tomato slices, and mozzarella on top of the tapenade. Finish with the pesto bread, buttered-side up.
Heat a medium nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Using a wide spatula, place the sandwich in the pan, cover, and cook until the bottom is nicely browned, about 6 to 8 minutes. Turn and cook until the second side is browned and the cheese is melted, about 4 to 6 minutes longer.
Cut the grilled cheese with tomato and pesto in half, if desired, and serve immediately.
Please scroll to the bottom of the post for the full recipe (in a printable recipe card) including ingredient amounts and detailed instructions.
Expert tips
To flip this sandwich I recommend removing it from the skillet with a large spatula and placing on a plate. Then place an inverted plate on top, flip the whole thing over, then use the spatula to move the flipped sandwich from the plate back to the hot skillet. This will yield the least messy results and none of the filling should fall out.
I would not recommend making this grilled cheese with tomato and pesto in advance. Make it right before you plan to enjoy it. If you have any leftovers, however, you can reheat in a toaster oven, or in a skillet over a low flame until crispy and heated through, flipping over halfway.
Other recipes you may like
- Don Gondola Italian Grilled Cheese
- Hawaiian Grilled Cheese
- Mushroom Gruyère Grilled Cheese
- Braaibroodjie (South African Grilled Cheese)
- Spanglish Sandwich (BLT with Egg and Cheese)
- Olive and Garlic Soft Pretzels with Feta Cheese
- Easy Creamy Pesto Pasta Salad with Peas and Sun-dried Tomatoes
Tried this recipe? Please leave a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating in the recipe card below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page. You can also follow me on social media on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest!
Grilled Cheese with Tomato and Pesto
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon butter, at room temperature
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 slices rustic artisan bread such as levain, sourdough, or white
- 1 tablespoon Kalamata olive tapenade or olive paste/spread (store-bought or homemade)
- 1 teaspoon basil pesto (store-bought or homemade)
- 1 ½ ounces (42 grams) Italian-style Fontina cheese, thinly sliced (preferably Fontina Val d’Aosta)
- 3 slices ripe plum tomato (about ¼-inch thick)
- 1 ½ ounces (42 g) fresh mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced
Instructions
- In a small bowl, stir together the butter and garlic powder until combined.
- Spread the garlic butter on one side of each bread slice, dividing it evenly. Place both slices, buttered-side down, on a clean cutting board. Spread the tapenade on one slice and the pesto on the other. Layer the fontina, tomato slices, and mozzarella on top of the tapenade. Finish with the pesto bread, buttered-side up.
- Heat a medium nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Using a wide spatula, place the sandwich in the pan, cover, and cook until the bottom is nicely browned, about 6 to 8 minutes. Turn and cook until the second side is browned and the cheese is melted, about 4 to 6 minutes longer.
- Cut the sandwich in half, if desired, and serve immediately.
Notes
- To flip this sandwich I recommend removing it from the skillet with a large spatula and placing on a plate. Then place an inverted plate on top, flip the whole thing over, then use the spatula to move the flipped sandwich from the plate back to the hot skillet. This will yield the least messy results and none of the filling should fall out.
- Italian Fontina Val d’Aosta may be harder to find, as most American grocery stores will sell another variety (domestic or often from Swedish or Denmark), but I have found the Italian cheese at Whole Foods and at dedicated cheese shops. In a pinch, you can use other types of Fontina, but it's worth the extra effort to find Fontina Val d’Aosta if you can.
- Note that this cheese is typically made with animal rennet which means it isn't vegetarian. If you're vegetarian, use a vegetarian cheese instead such as Boar's Head brand vegetarian Fontina.
- Adapted from Grilled Cheese Kitchen
Nutrition
*All nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates. Actual nutritional content will vary with brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes and more.*
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