Pizza Grilled Cheese

By Maria Lichty

Published on May 24, 2023

View RecipePin Recipe4.64

Our classic grilled cheese sandwich is PERFECTION. Have you tried it? It really is the best.

But what do you do when you are craving pizza and grilled cheese? You make a Pizza Grilled Cheese, the best of both worlds.

This grilled cheese is made with hearty Italian bread that gets slathered with garlic butter, pepperoni, and lots of mozzarella cheese. The sandwich also has a Parmesan cheese crust that is phenomenal. Serve pizza sauce on the side for dunking and you are in pizza AND grilled cheese heaven!

This sandwich is a hit with kids and adults and it’s super easy to make! I guarantee it will be a favorite. If you don’t have time to make pizza or order in pizza, make this pizza grilled cheese!

Ingredients

• Butter
• Garlic powder
• Italian seasoning
• Bread– we prefer Italian bread, but French or sourdough are also good options.
• Parmesan cheese– to create a salty Parmesan crust on the outside of the sandwich.
• Mozzarella cheese– use freshly grated mozzarella cheese for best results.
• Pepperoni
• Pizza sauce or Marinara sauce– for dunking!

How to Make Pizza Grilled Cheese

• In a small bowl, combine the butter, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning.
• Spread one tablespoon of the butter mixture on one side of the bottom slice of bread.

• Sprinkle half of the Parmesan cheese in a hot skillet, spreading it out to about the same size as the bread.
• Place the buttered piece of bread, buttered side down, into the pan, directly on the Parmesan cheese.

• Arrange the mozzarella cheese and pepperoni slices on the top side of the bread in the pan.
• Spread the remaining tablespoon of butter mixture on the second slice of bread, then place it face up on top of the bread and cheese in the pan.
• Let the sandwich cook until the bottom slice is golden brown, and you have a nice Parmesan crust, and the cheese has begun to melt on the inside. Don’t turn up the heat. Low and slow is the way to go. If your cheese isn’t melting, you can cover the pan with a lid to help, but don’t turn up the heat.

• Remove the sandwich from the pan.
• Sprinkle the remaining Parmesan cheese directly in the hot pan, spreading it out about the same size as the bread. Place the sandwich back in the pan, uncooked side down, directly in the Parmesan.

• Cook until the cheese is melted on the inside of the sandwich, and you have a nice golden brown, cheesy crust on the outside.
• Remove from pan and use a serrated knife to cut the sandwich in half.

Variatons

You can easily customize this grilled cheese by using your favorite pizza toppings as sandwich fillings. Here are a few ideas.

• Use cooked sausage instead of pepperoni.
• Make a meat lovers grilled cheese by using pepperoni, sausage, bacon, and ham.
• If you want a vegetarian pizza grilled cheese, use sautéd mushrooms, peppers, artichokes, or spinach.
• Try pineapple slices and Canadian bacon.
• Make a classic margherita pizza grilled cheese with a little pizza sauce, mozzarella cheese, and fresh basil.
• Kick up the heat and add crushed red pepper flakes, jalapeño slices, or a drizzle of hot honey.

More Grilled Cheese Recipes

• Best Grilled Cheese
• Pesto, Artichoke, and Havarti Grilled Cheese
• Roasted Broccoli Grilled Cheese
• Brie, Fig, and Apple Grilled Cheese
• Parmesan Crusted Pesto Grilled Cheese Sandwich

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Sandwiches

Pizza Grilled Cheese

This Pizza Grilled Cheese is made with pepperoni, mozzarella cheese, and garlic bread that has a salty, cheesy Parmesan crust! Dunk in pizza sauce for the ultimate pizza experience.

4.60 from 5 votes

PrintSave RecipeReview

Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 15 minutes mins

Cuisine Italian

Servings 1 sandwich

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 2 tablespoons salted butter, softened
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 2 slices Italian bread
• 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, divided
• 2/3 to 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, depends on the size of your bread
• 8 to 10 slices pepperoni
• Pizza sauce, for serving (can use marinara sauce)

Instructions

 

• In a small bowl, combine the butter, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning.
• Place a cast iron skillet on the stove top and turn on the heat to medium-low heat. Let the pan warm up before you start cooking. The pan should be hot to the touch, but not smoking.
• Spread one tablespoon of the butter mixture on one side of the bottom slice of bread. Sprinkle half of the Parmesan cheese in the hot skillet, spreading it out to about the same size as the bread. Place the buttered piece of bread, buttered side down, into the pan, directly on the Parmesan cheese.
• Arrange the mozzarella cheese and pepperoni slices on the top side of the bread in the pan.
• Spread the remaining tablespoon of butter mixture on the second slice of bread, then place it face up on top of the bread and cheese in the pan.
• Let the sandwich cook until the bottom slice is golden brown, and you have a nice Parmesan crust, and the cheese has begun to melt on the inside. Don’t turn up the heat. Low and slow is the way to go. If your cheese isn’t melting, you can cover the pan with a lid to help, but don’t turn up the heat.
• Remove the sandwich from the pan.
• Sprinkle the remaining Parmesan cheese directly in the hot pan, spreading it out about the same size as the bread. Place the sandwich back in the pan, uncooked side down, directly in the Parmesan.
• Cook until the cheese is melted on the inside of the sandwich, and you have a nice golden brown, cheesy crust on the outside.
• Remove from pan and use a serrated knife to cut the sandwich in half. Serve immediately.

Notes

Feel free to use your favorite pizza toppings as fillings for this sandwich. 

Nutrition

Calories: 536kcal, Carbohydrates: 27g, Protein: 31g, Fat: 32g, Saturated Fat: 16g, Cholesterol: 87mg, Sodium: 723mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 4g, Calcium: 314mg, Iron: 2mg

Keywords grilled cheese

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