Mozzarella Grilled Cheese
Mozzarella grilled cheese sandwiches can be served (cut up) as an appetizer, light lunch or even dinner with a salad. Add other ingredients to give it your own signature flavor!
Originally published September 26th, 2012.
Today, I want to introduce you to a mozzarella grilled cheese sandwich.
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These are not your run of the mill, faux American cheese and store-bought bread slapped together and thrown in a pan with a little butter. These have so much flavor, and crunch, you won’t believe what you’ve been missing all these years! This is the Italian version of grilled cheese and it does not disappoint.
The first method is just the simplest: buttering the bread before putting in a nonstick pan. The second sandwich is filled with the same ingredients, but is dipped in beaten egg and breadcrumbs to give it a crispy and crunchy coating! In Italy, a mozzarella cheese sandwich made this way is called “mozzarella in carozza”, or translated “mozzarella in a carriage”!
Best Cheese for Grilled Cheese
The honest answer is: it depends on your taste buds! I may be threatened for this, but mozzarella (both fresh and traditional mozzarella) for grilled cheese is the best cheese, unless you can find scamorza, and that is the tip-top choice, in my humble opinion.
However, tempt me with some really good Cheddar, Gruyere, Munster or other top quality melty cheeses, like raclette, and I’ll cave!
Love mushrooms? Try this mozzarella and mushroom sandwich!
You could also use roasted red peppers in this sandwich.
Best Bread for Grilled Cheese
Again, there are so many types of bread that work well for grilled cheese sandwiches, but I highly recommend going with a rustic, homemade loaf. Store-bought white bread is lackluster, and will never have the texture and crunch of a rustic loaf.
Without further ado, let’s get to the main attraction~
Mozzarella Grilled Cheese
Recipe by Christina Conte makes one sandwich
FULL PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW
Ingredients
- slices of bread, preferably crusty, homemade
- slices of mozzarella cheese (regular or fresh, but whole milk tastes best)
- butter, good quality (salted or unsalted, to your liking)
- (if making with crispy coating, you’ll need one beaten egg and dry breadcrumbs)
- (optional: fried or roasted red pepper, sautèed mushrooms, caramelized onion or whatever you desire!)
Directions
Spread butter on top of the first slice, then place butter side down in nonstick or cast iron pan.
Next, place slices of mozzarella cheese.
Butter the top of the slice of bread which will go on top.
Heat a nonstick pan or griddle over medium heat then carefully add the sandwich, butter side down. While it’s cooking, butter the top slice of bread and replace it. When golden brown underneath, carefully turn the grilled mozzarella cheese and red pepper sandwich over and continue cooking until brown on both sides.
Serve hot!
Extra Special (crunchy) Version
To make this grilled mozzarella cheese sandwich even more spectacular, do the following. After assembling the sandwich DO NOT BUTTER THE BREAD, but dip the sandwich in beaten egg, first the bottom.
Next, dip the bottom in breadcrumbs, remove the top piece of bread and dip, upside down in the egg.
Remove the sandwich from the breadcrumbs, dip the eggy top in the breadcrumbs and place back on top of the sandwich. This is just easier than trying to flip the entire sandwich upside down.
Melt some butter in a non stick frying pan, when hot, add the sandwich. Cook until golden brown on both sides and serve hot. It’s deliciously crunchy!
Note: you can also add caramelized onions to either sandwich if you love them as much as I do!
Mozzarella Grilled Cheese
Ingredients
- 2 slices bread (preferably crusty, homemade)
- 2 slices mozzarella cheese (regular or fresh, as desired) scamorza is even better
- 1 Tbsp butter (as needed for outside of bread)
If making the extra crispy version:
- 1 egg (beaten)
- 1 Tbsp dry breadcrumbs
Instructions
- Place one slice of bread on a plate or board, and butter the outside.
- Next, add some slices of mozzarella cheese. Place the other slice of buttered bread on top.
- Put the buttered side down on a nonstick pan or griddle, and butter the other side as it cooks. When golden brown underneath, carefully turn the sandwich over and continue cooking until brown on both sides. Serve hot!
Extra Crispy Version:
- After assembling the sandwich DO NOT BUTTER the bread, but dip the bottom of the bread/sandwich in a beaten egg.
- Next, dip the bottom in breadcrumbs, remove the top piece of bread and dip, upside down in the egg. Remove the sandwich from the breadcrumbs, dip the eggy top in the breadcrumbs and place back on top of the sandwich. This is just easier than trying to flip the entire sandwich upside down.
- Melt some butter in a non stick frying pan, when hot, add the sandwich. Cook until golden brown on both sides and serve hot!
Notes
- Use fresh, quality ingredients for the best results
- Optional additions may include one or more of the following: fried red peppers, roasted red peppers, caramelized onions, sautèed mushrooms, and whatever your heart desires!
Nutrition
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These are delicious, but I used peppadews last time b/c I was too lazy to do red peppers. And thin mayo instead of butter since it was too hard to spread – it’s cold here in VT
Wonderful! Sounds like you need a Butter Bell, Gale! Have you heard of them? I absolutely couldn’t live without mine! Keeps butter at room temp, so no more fighting with hard butter! :)
They both look wonderful but if I had to choose I’d go for the fried one. But then, you probably knew that…
I definitely could have guessed, Frank! :)
Hi Christina,
You are so “wicked” with all your photos of delicious sandwiches with melted cheese :p You are making me feeling so hungry…
Zoe
Ha ha, Zoe! I feel the same way, so don’t feel too bad! ;) CC
Christina, you continuously out do yourself. This sandwich looks delicious! Other than homemade bread, do you have other bread suggestions from local bakeries?
Thank you, Stella! You are so sweet! If you like this kind of bread (this is my No Knead loaf) TJ’s has a similar loaf, but it is rather pricey. Otherwise, I really like La Brea Bakery or Il Forniao breads which are found locally. But truly, you can use any bread you like (just don’t use WonderBread!!) haha! CC xx
I love such things for breakfast..especially on weekends :D
Wow, this is a tremendously good looking and sounding sandwich!
Thanks, Paula!