Pesto Pine Nut Grilled Cheese
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
Grilled sourdough sandwiches layered with Jarlsberg cheese, pesto, roasted red peppers, and toasted pine nuts. Buttered for a crispy golden crust. Cooked skillet style, paying close attention to browning and cheese melt. Serves four.
Prep:
7 min
Cook:
6 min
Total:
13 min
Servings:
4 servings
#grilled cheese
#pesto
#pine nuts
#skillet cooking
#American-Italian
#sourdough bread
#sandwich
Grilled cheese that hustles beyond boring. Jarlsberg’s nutty melt, pesto’s herb punch, roasted peppers’ sweet acid, and toasted pine nuts crunch banging together under sizzling buttered bread. Listening to that faint hiss, watching crust flick golden spots, smelling butter coil aroma pulling the senses in. I’ve burned more than I care to admit before realizing heat’s gotta be steady — too high and toast scorches before cheese softens. Took some trial on breads too; thick sourdough holds all that inside without sogging. Roasted red peppers add moisture and surprise — ditch for sun-dried if you want chewier leather bite. Swap pine nuts for chopped walnuts or pecans, more rustic, less pricey, still crunching. This sandwich? You gotta know when the crust snaps just right and cheese flows like lava. No timers; just senses. Learned that cooking is trust in the process, not clock worship.
Ingredients
- 8 slices slightly thicker sourdough or Italian bread
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter softened
- 16 slices Jarlsberg cheese or substitute with Gruyère for nuttier flavor
- ¼ cup jarred roasted red peppers drained and chopped
- 5 tablespoons fresh basil pesto homemade or store-bought works but homemade has sharper punch
- 3 tablespoons pine nuts toasted or swap for chopped walnuts if pine nuts unavailable or too pricey
About the ingredients
Butter coats the bread, fat’s role crucial for that caramelized crisp crust — unsalted, softened easiest to spread without tearing bread. Bread’s thickness matters; thin slices scorch, thick slices might not heat through; go about ¾ inch thick. Jarlsberg’s sweeter and milder than cheddar; Gruyère will amplify nuttiness and melt like a charm. Pesto, homemade stands out with fresh basil, sharp garlic; store-bought saves time but blends vary — adjust quantity to taste, sometimes store-bought less bold. Roasted red peppers bring subtle acidity and juiciness — drain well or sandwich sogs. Pine nuts pricey? Substitute chopped walnuts or pecans — toasting nuts boosts their aroma and crunchy pop. Toast nuts in dry pan over medium heat until golden and nutty smell rises, maybe 3-4 minutes, shaking frequently. Nuts improve texture and flavor layering, don’t skip or swap cautiously.
Method
- Butter one side of each bread slice using just under half the butter making sure edges are covered. Buttered sides face out for crisp golden crust.
- Evenly spread cheddar-garlic pesto or traditional basil pesto over unbuttered bread sides then layer 4 slices Jarlsberg cheese per sandwich. Scatter roasted red peppers and pine nuts over cheese for crunch and flavor contrast.
- Top each sandwich with remaining bread slices butter side out. Press gently to seal.
- Heat large skillet over medium to medium-low heat. Not high or burnt toast will form before cheese melts inside.
- Place one or two sandwiches flat in skillet, depending on pan size. Don’t crowd; cook in batches if needed.
- Use a spatula to press sandwiches firmly, listen for gentle crackle of butter heating and crust forming. Peek underneath after 3-4 minutes when edges turn golden-brown. Flip carefully, press again. Cook second side until equally golden and cheese bubbles visible at edges.
- Remove sandwiches from pan and let rest a minute to avoid cheese spilling out when cutting.
- Slice in half diagonally. Serve immediately while cheese silky and hot.
Cooking tips
Butter outside bread evenly; this is your crust foundation. Use enough butter to cover edge to edge but not so much bread wilts and sogs. Spreading inside layers means cheese won’t stick to bread, helps flavor marry. Layer cheese first so it melts directly against bread, peppers and nuts are last — keeps textural contrast without sogginess. Skillet heat should be medium or slightly lower. Patience over rush — blast heat scorches edges while center stays cold. Press sandwiches with spatula to encourage even browning and melting inside, hear faint sizzle, crust should feel firm and sound crisp. Flip gently with wide spatula, avoid pressing sandwich to squish stuffing out. Multiple batches? Keep finished sandwiches loosely tented with foil to retain warmth without steamy soggy crusts. Cut only after cooling a minute to help cheese settle. Hot cheese running everywhere? Next time lower heat more, cook longer. Keep sensory radar on; listen, watch, press — that’s the cooking language here.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Butter spread evenly edge to edge on bread side facing skillet. Not too thin or bread scorches. Not too thick or soggy edges eat crispness. Check edges as you cook; golden-brown signals readiness to flip. Butter soft, unsalted best for even melt under heat. Butter traps heat, creates crunchy crust layers if patient.
- 💡 Low to medium heat only here. High heat burns crust too fast; cheese stays cold and clumpy inside. Skip rush. Use thick sourdough slices going about ¾ inch so center heats through but bread won’t flop. Press spatula down softly on sandwiches. Sizzle and crackle sounds give clues. Listen close. If butter sound stops, heat too low or butter absorbed.
- 💡 Toast pine nuts separately in dry pan before adding. Move often to avoid burn spots. Nuts turn golden, smell toasty in 3-4 minutes. Adds aroma and crunch contrast. Swap walnuts or pecans if pine nuts pricey or missing. Rough chop nuts before toasting. Toasting nuts brings out oil, flavor punch not raw scent.
- 💡 Layer cheese directly on inside bread sides. Cheese touching bread melts faster, bonds bread and filling. Peppers and nuts last on top cheese layer to keep crunchy texture. Drain red peppers very well; extra moisture ruins grilled crisp crust. Swap peppers for sun-dried if needing chewier bite; drier, more leathery texture.
- 💡 Rest sandwiches after cooking at least a minute before slicing. Cheese needs time to settle; cut too soon and gooey melt leaks messily. Hold cut heat; cheese flow slows down. Use diagonal cut for easier bite size, shows cross-section melt and layers. Tent sandwiches loose with foil if cooking batches to keep warm without steam sogginess.
Common questions
Can I use other cheeses?
Sure. Gruyère works great for nuttier flavor; melts smooth. Cheddar less sweet, sharper bite. Mix if you want layered taste. Avoid very hard cheddars or crumbly types. Texture affects melt time.
What if my bread burns before cheese melts?
Lower heat. Slice thick enough ¾ inch-ish. Butter all outside well helps crust form slower. Patience wins here not speed. Try medium-low instead of medium; slow melt cheese then flip.
Any good substitutes for pine nuts?
Chopped walnuts or pecans toasted dry work well. Different crunch, less pricey. Almonds chopped thin also okay but more brittle. Toast nuts before use to unlock flavor and prevent raw taste in sandwich.
How to store leftovers?
Wrap cool sandwiches loosely in foil, fridge okay up to next day. Reheat in skillet low heat to keep crust crisp; microwave = soggy bread. Alternatively, toast fresh but expect slightly less gooey cheese melt but good for quick fix.
