Pizza grilled cheese with mozzarella cheese and pepperoni, plus marinara sauce for dipping, is a fun twist on this classic sandwich and a kid favorite!
We are fresh off another weekend of getting some snow. That's two weekends in a row, which just never happens where we live in N.C. ❄️
No complaints though. Snow days are so rare that they feel extra special and fun. Plus, it's a good excuse to be all kinds of cozy and lazy, right?!
Alas, it is a new week, so away we go. Let's talk food.
Today's recipe for pizza grilled cheese is inspired by and dedicated to my daughter.
She's 10 and my more "selective" eater.
Both my kids went through a huge phase of eating grilled cheese and tomato soup at lunch, and I was happy for them to enjoy it.
But then she stopped liking grilled cheese.
Ugh.
You know those times when your child suddenly decides a favorite food is no longer acceptable?
I had kinda thought that was just a toddler thing but oh no, my kids (ages 8 and 10) will happily change their views on foods all the time still to this day. Sigh.
So then lunchtime on weekends and over school breaks has been trickier, trying to find something she would eat while also still making grilled cheese for my son.
Eventually, we came to try out pizza grilled cheese.
And oh my goodness, it's her new favorite. She will happily chomp down an entire sandwich (she even ate 1 ½ the first time I made it) and be all smiles.
Whew, lunchtime has been saved!
Pizza grilled cheese is full of melty mozzarella cheese and pepperoni slices. It's buttered and cooked until golden brown, then served with marinara sauce for dipping the sandwich into.
It's warm and cozy and seriously delicious.
Plus, while it's perfect kid food, it's yummy enough for adults, too! You could even get creative with different cheeses, like using an Italian blend cheese, for extra flavor.
OK, let's get cooking so you can enjoy this too!
Now, I've got those notes and tips coming up below on how to make pizza grilled cheese. Just tryin' to be helpful.
If you want to jump on down to the recipe, simply scroll right on through the rest of the text. The recipe card is near the bottom of the page, above the comments section.
Notes on making pizza grilled cheese:
- Bread: We love whole wheat bread, but any kind that is your favorite will do.
- Butter: I prefer to butter the outside of the sandwich and cook it that way. You could also just add butter to the pan and place the sandwiches in to cook. Or you could use mayonnaise to coat the outside of the bread, as some people prefer to do.
- Cheese: I use shredded mozzarella, but you could also try this with an Italian blend cheese if you'd like.
- Parmesan cheese: The Parmesan cheese listed in the recipe card is optional. It can be fun to sprinkle it on the outside of the buttered bread and let it get browned as the sandwich cooks in the pan, but it's not a must.
- Pepperoni: Feel free to use regular or reduced fat or a turkey pepperoni. Whichever you like best!
- Marinara: This sandwich is best served with a small bowl of warm marinara sauce for dipping. I just heat it up in a small bowl in the microwave for 15 seconds and it's good to go.
The recipe below is written to make 2 sandwiches. You can of course adjust this to make just 1 sandwich or to make more, as needed.
And as for serving, I honestly make her this for lunch and offer whatever fruit we have and call it a day. It's a pretty complete meal on its own for her.
But you could certainly pair this with some soup or a salad for more of a main meal.
Last thing - we keep it simple with just the cheese and pepperoni. However, I think you could certainly add other favorite pizza toppings if you'd like.
Just make sure they are small and just need to be heated through.
For instance, if you love mushrooms or green peppers on your pizza, those would need to be sautéed separately and then tucked into the sandwich before it cooks. Same for chicken, sausage or any other meats.
I hope you give this a try, whether for your kids or just yourself.
Enjoy!
XO,
Kathryn
Pizza Grilled Cheese
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons spreadable butter, divided
- 4 slices bread
- ⅔ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 12 slices pepperoni
- ¼ cup Parmesan cheese (optional)
- ⅓ cup marinara sauce
Instructions
- Place two slices of bread on your work surface. Divide the cheese and pepperonis between the two slices. Cover with the remaining two slices of bread. Spread the top piece of each sandwich with 1 tablespoon butter each. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of Parmesan cheese on each buttered slice of bread, if using.
- Heat a large skillet over medium high heat.
- Place the sandwiches, buttered bread side down, in the skillet. Cook over medium high heat for 3-4 minutes, until the bottom is well browned.
- Butter the top pieces of bread and sprinkle with remaining Parmesan cheese, if using. Carefully flip the sandwiches over in the pan and cook on the other side for another 2-3 minutes, until browned.
- Meanwhile, warm the marinara sauce in a small microwave-safe bowl in the microwave on high for 20 seconds.
- Serve the grilled cheese with the warmed marinara and enjoy!
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