Pizza Grilled Cheese Sandwich with Pepperoni

Pizza and grilled cheese unite in a flavorful and gooey comfort food sandwich. This pizza grilled cheese sandwich with pepperoni is easy to make and will satisfy your cravings. A grilled cheese sandwich that tastes like pizza? Yes, please! 

One of my earliest cooking memories is making grilled cheese sandwiches.  I stayed at my grandparents’ house for a good part of the summer when I was a kid. My grandmother and I would make “toasted cheese sandwiches” on a regular basis as well as other goodies.

Nana, as I called her, had a grilled cheese maker that she used all the time. This appliance was a 1970s version of the panini maker. I distinctly remember pressing the metal cover down so the sandwiches would get nice and toasty. In the summer, we would slice juicy ripe Jersey tomatoes and put them in the middle of the sandwiches. Cheese is great paired with tomatoes and I make a summer tomato pie with these flavors too. 

Pizza Plus Grilled Cheese!

Now that I have children of my own, grilled cheese sandwiches are still a favorite in my household. My teenagers will not refuse a grilled cheese sandwich. They are easy and quick to make and perfect for nights where there are meetings, soccer practices and part-time jobs to attend to. I don’t even mind eating one for dinner myself.

This sandwich takes classic grilled cheese to a whole new level. It's filled with gooey stretchy cheese and savory pepperoni to give the sandwich extra pizzazz.  A light cornmeal Parmesan dusting on the bread gives some extra crunch. Homemade marinara sauce is served on the side because I didn’t want the pizza sandwich to get soggy if it was spread on the bread. It is the perfect accompaniment to dip in.

Ingredients

• Texas Toast – This extra thick white bread is my favorite for hearty grilled cheese sandwiched.
• Butter – Soften to room temperature so it easily spreads without tearing the bread.
• Cheese – Use slices of mozzarella and cheddar or American cheese.
• Pepperoni – I purchased sandwich-sized pepperoni slices from the deli but you can select your favorite brand of pepperoni.
• Corn Meal - For a bit of crunch.
• Parmesan Cheese – Adds flavor and texture to the bread.
• Oil – Use your favorite light, neutral flavored oil to grease the skillet before cooking the grilled cheese.
• Italian seasoning – Sprinkle the sandwiches with Italian seasoning for an extra burst of flavor.
• Marinara – Serve with marinara or pizza sauce for dipping.

How to Make a Pizza Grilled Cheese Sandwich

1. Cover one side of each piece of bread with some butter, then lay half of them butter side down.
2. On each of these, layer 2 pieces of Italian blend cheese, 2 slices of American cheese, 3 slices of pepperoni, and then top with the remaining slices of bread, butter side up.
3. Combine corn meal and Parmesan cheese, then sprinkle over the sandwiches and press the mixture to make sure it sticks.
4. In a large greased skillet, cook the sandwiches over medium heat for about 3 minutes on each side, until golden brown.
5. Sprinkle the pizza sandwich with some Italian seasoning and serve with marinara sauce on the side for dipping.

Tips

• Soften the butter to room temperature so you can easily spread it on the bread without tearing it.
• Spread the butter all the way to the edges.
• Spray the pan with a bit of cooking oil before adding the sandwiches.
• Don't rush. Too high heat will cause the bread to brown before the cheese melts.
• If your cheese wont melt, you can cover the skillet with a lid for a minute or two to help it along.

Storage

• Store: Grilled cheese with pepperoni sandwiches are best eaten right away but leftovers will keep in the refrigerator for about 24 hours. Reheat the sandwiches and crisp the bread by placing them in a pan over low to medium heat for several minutes per side.
• Freeze: Freezing these sandwiches is not recommended.

FAQs

Serving Suggestions

This sandwich is hearty and filling and perfect for lunch or dinner. Fries and chips is the perfect choice for a quick lunch. For dinner, you can easily round out your meal by serving pizza grilled cheese with a salad or a bowl of soup.

• Spicy Tomato Soup
• Air Fryer Frozen French Fries
• Sweet and Spicy Refridgerator Pickles
• Lentil Vegetable Soup from Food Fanatic
• Avocado, Tomato and Arugula Salad

More Cheesy Recipes

• Tomato Pie with Three Cheeses and Basil
• Stovetop Mac and Cheese
• Cheese Tortellini with Sausage and Mushrooms
• Pappardelle Pasta with Bacon, Egg, and Cheese
• Cheese Wontons with Honey Mustard from Show Me the Yummy
• Garlic Cheese Bombs from Spend with Pennies

If you like this Pizza Grilled Cheese recipe, please give it a 5-star rating below.

RECIPE

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5 from 1 vote

Pepperoni Pizza Grilled Cheese

This grilled cheese sandwich has the flavors of a hot pepperoni pizza!

Prep Time10 minutes mins

Cook Time6 minutes mins

Total Time16 minutes mins

Course: sandwich

Cuisine: grilled cheese

Servings: 4

Calories: 587kcal

Author: Jersey Girl Cooks (Lisa Grant)

Cost: $6

Ingredients

• 8 slices Texas toast extra thick white bread
• 3 tablespoons butter softened
• 8 ½-ounce slices mozzarella cheese
• 8 ½-ounce slices cheddar or American cheese
• 12 slices thin pepperoni
• 1 ½ TBS corn meal
• 1 ½ TBS Parmesan cheese
• Oil for greasing
• 1 TBS dried Italian seasoning
• 1 cup marinara or pizza sauce

Instructions

• Spread butter on 1 side of each slice of bread with butter. Layer 4 slices bread, buttered-side down, with 2 slices of Italian Blend cheese and 2 slices of Deli American Cheese. Top with 3 slices of pepperoni and remaining bread, buttered-side up.
• In a small bowl, mix together corn meal and Parmesan cheese. Sprinkle the mixture on the buttered bread and press down so the corn meal mixture sticks to the bread.
• Grease a large skillet or griddle and bring to medium heat. Place sandwiches (as many that can fit) onto skillet. Cook for about 3 minutes on each side or until sandwiches are golden brown and cheese is melted. Repeat with remaining sandwiches.
• Sprinkle sandwiches with Italian seasoning. Serve with sauce.

Nutrition

Calories: 587kcal | Carbohydrates: 42g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 39g | Saturated Fat: 18g | Cholesterol: 73mg | Sodium: 1665mg | Potassium: 302mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 975IU | Vitamin C: 4.3mg | Calcium: 502mg | Iron: 13.6mg

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