These savory pesto grilled cheese sandwiches with tomatoes and pepperoni are simple to make and incredibly satisfying!
I’m so excited to share this recipe with you because it’s probably my favorite sandwich EVER!! Toasted bread is full of pesto, mozzarella, tomatoes, and pepperoni to make a cheese, flavorful sandwich in no time at all.
I mentioned on Facebook the other day that I had to eat dessert for lunch so I could take photos in the daylight. Today, I had to make one of these pesto pizza grilled cheese sandwiches for myself for lunch for the same reason. Then, I made them again for dinner. Even when I was on my second sandwich for the day, I was sad when the last bite was over.
These savory sandwiches are so, so simple to put together, but they are flavorful, cheesy, and wonderful. Seriously. I chose to bake them in the oven instead of cooking them in a pan like a traditional grilled cheese sandwich. Since they are already full of pesto, cheese, and pepperoni, I didn’t want to cook them in oil or butter. They toast up beautifully, and baking them makes them an even easier dinner idea since there’s not much cleanup!
Click here to see a step-by-step video!
This may be my new favorite recipe, so I hope you get a chance to try it soon!
2. For each sandwich, spread pesto on both slices of bread, and place a slice of cheese on each slice. Evenly arrange pepperoni over the cheese on one slice of bread and tomato slices over the other.
3. Place 1/2 slice of cheese over the pepperoni, and place open sandwiches directly on the oven rack in the preheated oven. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until cheese is melted and bread is toasted.
4. Carefully remove sandwiches from the oven, put the sides together, slice in half, and serve.
Want more cheesy pesto goodness? I’ve got just the thing!
Irresistible Cheesy Pesto Bread
Andi Gleeson
Andi Gleeson is a passionate blogger and mom based in San Francisco who focuses on easy and delicious dinner recipes.
20 comments
Lynne
8 years ago
Hi Andi! Thanks so much for this recipe; it’s fabulous! In the past three days – I’ve made the sandwiches for dinner twice. They are just that good. I couldn’t find any sourdough that looked like what you had, so I bought ciabatta rolls, and I had baby Swiss cheese so I used that. Everything else was as per your recipe. I did cook it for only about 5 minutes and that worked perfectly. Thank you soooo much for this simple, delicious recipe. It’s really restaurant quality!
Andi Gleeson
8 years ago
WOW, Lynne! Thank you! This makes me so happy to know that you like it so much, and I appreciate that you took the time to come back to leave me a comment. Have a great weekend ahead!
Lynda
10 years ago
I love these!! I make mine on a panini press and they turn out great. I agree, the last bite is depressing when it’s all gone!
Andi Gleeson
10 years ago
Thank you so much, Lynda!
MM
10 years ago
This looks so good! I am making some homemade sourdough right now, and this would make an awesome sandwich with it!
Andi
10 years ago
Homemade sourdough sounds SO good. Cheese and pesto will only make it better :) Thanks for stopping by!
Sarah
10 years ago
why did you choose to use pesto? I have nothing against pesto but me personally i think it doesnt have much flavor to it
Andi
10 years ago
Hi, Sarah! I actually think pesto has a pretty strong flavor, but I don’t use it that often since it contains a lot of oil. If you’d prefer to use pizza sauce in this recipe you definitely could! I just might be a bit messier, but that’s what napkins are for :)
Melanie
11 years ago
This…so good!! Thanks for the easy, quick, delicious dinner! And lunch! :) I have become a quick fan of your site — love your love for ease!
Andi
11 years ago
Thank you, Melanie! I’m glad you liked the sandwich as much as I did. Sounds like we are going to get along great since you love easy recipes as much as I do! Thanks so much for your comment :)
Maggie @ Mama Maggie's Kitchen
11 years ago
Drooooool! Doesn’t look hard to make either. Thinking of using my panini grill for this.
Andi
11 years ago
Ooh, that will turn out great, Maggie! Thanks for your visit :)
Claire @ A Little Claireification
11 years ago
Well, of course you had me at CHEESE. This looks amazing, Andi!! Pinned and pinning again! YUM. xo
Andi
11 years ago
Thanks so much, Claire! You would love these sandwiches!
Krystle
11 years ago
Hello! You can’t put these sandwiches on a cookie sheet or baking sheet to cook? I’m nervous about putting them
Directly on the rack.
Andi
11 years ago
Hi, Krystle. Yes, you can! The bread will be a bit softer, but still just as tasty. I made them right on the rack so the bread would toast up a bit, but I understand being worried about cheese dripping everywhere!
Gloria Phillips
12 years ago
I love making treats for myself that need to be photographed during the day…love our excuse! But, I do have to say I love how we can stay home and be able to photograph DURING the day…bcz of the time change and all. I love a good (and out of the ordinary) kind of grilled cheese…very decadent looking. (Wish we were neighbors…we’d have a food tasting party every afternoon!)
Andi
12 years ago
I would love it if we were neighbors, but I would definitely have the better end of that deal! I can’t even believe the gorgeous, delicious things you have been coming up with lately, Gloria! Thanks for stopping by :)
Maria
12 years ago
This looks sooooo good!! I am definitely going to try these out soon!
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20 comments
Hi Andi! Thanks so much for this recipe; it’s fabulous! In the past three days – I’ve made the sandwiches for dinner twice. They are just that good. I couldn’t find any sourdough that looked like what you had, so I bought ciabatta rolls, and I had baby Swiss cheese so I used that. Everything else was as per your recipe. I did cook it for only about 5 minutes and that worked perfectly. Thank you soooo much for this simple, delicious recipe. It’s really restaurant quality!
WOW, Lynne! Thank you! This makes me so happy to know that you like it so much, and I appreciate that you took the time to come back to leave me a comment. Have a great weekend ahead!
I love these!! I make mine on a panini press and they turn out great. I agree, the last bite is depressing when it’s all gone!
Thank you so much, Lynda!
This looks so good! I am making some homemade sourdough right now, and this would make an awesome sandwich with it!
Homemade sourdough sounds SO good. Cheese and pesto will only make it better :) Thanks for stopping by!
why did you choose to use pesto? I have nothing against pesto but me personally i think it doesnt have much flavor to it
Hi, Sarah! I actually think pesto has a pretty strong flavor, but I don’t use it that often since it contains a lot of oil. If you’d prefer to use pizza sauce in this recipe you definitely could! I just might be a bit messier, but that’s what napkins are for :)
This…so good!! Thanks for the easy, quick, delicious dinner! And lunch! :) I have become a quick fan of your site — love your love for ease!
Thank you, Melanie! I’m glad you liked the sandwich as much as I did. Sounds like we are going to get along great since you love easy recipes as much as I do! Thanks so much for your comment :)
Drooooool! Doesn’t look hard to make either. Thinking of using my panini grill for this.
Ooh, that will turn out great, Maggie! Thanks for your visit :)
Well, of course you had me at CHEESE. This looks amazing, Andi!! Pinned and pinning again! YUM. xo
Thanks so much, Claire! You would love these sandwiches!
Hello! You can’t put these sandwiches on a cookie sheet or baking sheet to cook? I’m nervous about putting them
Directly on the rack.
Hi, Krystle. Yes, you can! The bread will be a bit softer, but still just as tasty. I made them right on the rack so the bread would toast up a bit, but I understand being worried about cheese dripping everywhere!
I love making treats for myself that need to be photographed during the day…love our excuse! But, I do have to say I love how we can stay home and be able to photograph DURING the day…bcz of the time change and all. I love a good (and out of the ordinary) kind of grilled cheese…very decadent looking. (Wish we were neighbors…we’d have a food tasting party every afternoon!)
I would love it if we were neighbors, but I would definitely have the better end of that deal! I can’t even believe the gorgeous, delicious things you have been coming up with lately, Gloria! Thanks for stopping by :)
This looks sooooo good!! I am definitely going to try these out soon!
Thanks, Maria! I’m sure you will like them :)