Spring Pea Pesto Grilled Cheese (Printable)

A vibrant spring-inspired sandwich featuring bright pea and basil pesto with melty mozzarella on crispy sourdough.

# What You'll Need:

→ Spring Pea Pesto

01 - 1 cup fresh or thawed frozen peas
02 - 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves
03 - 1 small garlic clove
04 - 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
05 - 2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts
06 - 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
07 - 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
08 - 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
09 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
10 - Freshly ground black pepper to taste

→ Sandwiches

11 - 4 slices sourdough bread
12 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
13 - 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
14 - 1/4 cup spring pea pesto
15 - Baby arugula or spinach leaves, optional

# Directions:

01 - Combine peas, basil, garlic, Parmesan, pine nuts, olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt, and pepper in a food processor. Pulse until mostly smooth while maintaining slight texture. Adjust seasoning as needed.
02 - Spread softened butter on one side of each bread slice. Place two slices buttered side down on work surface. Spread 2 tablespoons pesto on each slice, then layer with mozzarella and optional greens. Top with remaining bread slices, buttered side up.
03 - Heat skillet or griddle over medium heat. Place sandwiches in pan and cook 3-4 minutes per side, pressing gently until bread is golden brown and cheese is fully melted.
04 - Transfer sandwiches to cutting board, slice diagonally in half, and serve immediately while warm.

# Helpful Hints:

01 -
  • The pea pesto adds this incredible sweetness and vibrancy that regular pesto just does not have
  • It comes together in about 20 minutes but feels like something from a fancy cafe
  • The combination of hot melty mozzarella and cool fresh pesto is basically perfect
02 -
  • Do not overprocess the pesto or it will become too smooth and lose that nice texture we want
  • Medium heat is your friend here because high heat will burn the bread before the cheese melts
  • Letting the assembled sandwiches sit for a minute before grilling helps the pesto soak into the bread slightly
03 -
  • Butter the bread all the way to the edges for that perfect golden crust on every bite
  • Use a splatter screen if your pesto is especially loose to keep your stove clean
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