Description
This gourmet grilled cheese is packed with delicious flavor from Mediterranean ingredients, including baby spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, kalamata olives, mozzarella and cheddar cheese, and a homemade za’atar spice blend. It’s buttery, gooey and has an extra crisp exterior that’s guaranteed to become your new favorite.
Ingredients
- 2 slices sourdough bread
- 1 heaping tablespoon softened butter or mayonnaise (I use salted butter)
- Za’atar spice blend (recipe below)
- 1 cup baby spinach, roughly chopped
- 1 tablespoon oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained and chopped small
- 2-3 kalamata olives, pitted and chopped small
- 1/4 cup - 1/3 cup freshly grated mozzarella cheese, depending on the size of your bread
- 1/4 cup - 1/3 cup freshly grated cheddar cheese, depending on the size of your bread
Za'atar spice blend
- 2 teaspoons dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1.5 teaspoons sesame seeds, toasted if desired
- 1.5 teaspoons ground sumac
- 1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt
Instructions
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Make the za’atar spice blend. Add the thyme, oregano, sesame seeds, ground sumac, and fine sea salt to a small bowl or jar with a fitted lid. Mix until well combined. You’ll need ½ teaspoon of the za’atar spice blend to make the grilled cheese.
-
Wilt the spinach. Spray a skillet with cooking oil (or add a few drops of water) and set it to medium heat. Once hot, add the spinach and sauté until wilted. Transfer the spinach to a cutting board and let cool. Squeeze out any excess water using a paper towel or tea towel.
- Make the sandwich filling. In a medium bowl, add the wilted spinach, mozzarella cheese, cheddar cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, and kalamata olives. Stir to combine.
- Butter the bread. Use a spoon or fork to gently combine the softened butter (or mayo if using) and the za’atar spice blend. Spread an even layer of the butter mixture on the outside of the bread, about ½ tablespoon per slice depending on the size of your bread.
- Assemble the sandwich. Place the cheese mixture on the unbuttered side, then close sandwich with the buttered sides on the outside.
- Cook the grilled cheese. Cover and cook the sandwich over medium-low heat until the bottom is nice and golden brown, about 3 minutes. Flip and press down lightly on the sandwich with a spatula. Cover and cook until the cheese has melted and the bread is golden and crisp, about 3 minutes. TIP: If the bread is browning too fast before the cheese gets a chance to melt, lower the heat so the filling can get nice and gooey inside.
- Let rest and enjoy! Transfer the cooked sandwich to a cutting board and let it rest for a minute. Cut it in half and serve warm.
Notes
- Use a standard box grater to grate the cheese. The amount of cheese you’ll need will depend on the size of your bread. Grate enough cheese to create a small mound of cheese over one slice of bread. This is around 1/4 cup to 1/3 cup of each type of cheese.
- Za’atar spice blend: You only need 1/2 teaspoon of the za’atar spice blend for this recipe. Store leftover za’atar at room temperature on your spice rack for up to 1 year.
- Cheese options: I like using a mix of both mozzarella and cheddar cheese for this grilled cheese sandwich. Other options you can use include Gruyere, Monterey Jack, gouda, or havarti cheese.
- Can you use cheese slices? Cheese slices work fine, but I find that freshly grated cheese melts more quickly and evenly.
- Bread options: My favorite bread to use is sourdough. Other types of bread that work well for grilled cheese include brioche, challah, rye, or thick-cut white bread (such as Texas toast).
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Category: Sandwich
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Mediterranean