This delicious Greek-inspired grilled cheese has all the melty goodness of the classic combined with delicious Mediterranean ingredients including mozzarella, feta, ricotta, spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, and olives. It’s a quick and easy meal that will be a hit with your whole family.
Level up lunch with the most delicious Mediterranean grilled cheese! Yes, we love traditional grilled cheese, but this is one of the best hot sandwiches you’ll ever taste. And it’s so quick and easy to make too!
You only need a handful of ingredients to make it and it’s something that can be thrown together for a quick lunch or dinner! The mixture of spinach, 3 types of cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, and olives make a mouthwatering combination. Sandwiched between toasty, golden brown buttered bread, this is one grilled cheese sandwich that you won’t want to miss.
Ingredients needed
The simple ingredients needed to make this Mediterranean grilled cheese recipe combine to create such a masterpiece! Here is a note on everything needed:
- Spinach: Fresh baby spinach leaves add color and heartiness.
- Mozzarella: We really like using mozzarella cheese for its stretchy, melty texture. If you don’t have any on hand, other types of melty cheese like provolone cheese and Monterey jack work great.
- Feta cheese: Crumbled feta for a delicious touch of tangy flavor.
- Ricotta cheese: The thick, creamy texture makes it perfect for holding the ingredients together when mixed.
- Sun-dried tomatoes: They really add something special to this sandwich with their slightly sweet, tart and tangy taste and pleasant chewiness. Be sure to get the jarred variety packed in oil.
- Olives: Use either sliced black olives or Kalamata olives.
- Bread: Any favorite bread works, from whole grain bread and white bread to sourdough bread.
- Butter: For buttering the bread.
How to make this recipe
It only takes about 10 minutes to cook up this tasty treat. Try this once, and you’ll be hooked! Here’s how to make it:
Wilt the spinach and combine the ingredients: In a medium microwave-safe bowl, microwave spinach for about 45 seconds or until wilted. Add the shredded mozzarella, feta, ricotta, sun-dried tomatoes, and olives to the same bowl and combine.
Assemble the sandwich: Spread the mixture onto two slices of bread. Top each with another slice of bread. Spread the tops of the sandwich with butter.
Cook: Heat a heavy-based skillet or frying pan over medium-low heat (no oil or butter). Add the sandwiches buttered sides down, to the pan and spread the remaining butter on the other side. Cook until bread is golden brown and cheese is hot, flipping carefully for about 2 minutes per side. Slice and serve immediately.
Expert Tips
- Wilting the spinach: For convenience, this recipe calls for sautéing the spinach in the microwave. You can do it in a skillet on the stovetop, if preferred.
- Melty cheese: While you can certainly use shredded cheese from a bag, for the best melting and flavor, shred your own cheese from a block.
- Low and slow: Cooking over lower heat is the trick to a good grilled cheese. It melts the cheese slowly but doesn’t burn the bread too fast.
- Make more: As written, this recipe makes 2 grilled cheese sandwiches. If you’d like to make enough for your whole family, feel free to simply double the recipe.
Frequently asked questions
What is the secret to the best grilled cheese?
Some of our top tips for the best grilled cheese sandwich are to butter the outside of the bread slices (or instead, spread a layer of mayonnaise on the surface of bread before cooking), cook on medium-low heat and serve them hot and fresh off the skillet.
Can I use sliced cheese for this sandwich?
Yes, simply mix all of the other ingredients and then after you have spread the mixture on the slice of bread, top with your slice of cheese and cook as written in the instructions.
What to serve with grilled cheese?
The most classic pairing with grilled cheese is a piping hot bowl of tomato soup! This Mediterranean sandwich would also be wonderful with creamy roasted butternut squash soup. For a light meal, serve a fresh green salad on the side. Hot sandwiches like this one are also great with French fries or potato chips too!
Variations
This Mediterranean grilled cheese is amazing as-is, but here are some ways to customize the recipe to your taste preference!
- Switch up the cheese: Mozzarella pairs well with the other ingredients but other cheese varieties that would be great are Colby jack cheese, cheddar cheese, Monterey jack, American, and provolone.
- Use any bread: We typically use whole wheat bread, but other options are sourdough bread, white bread, Italian bread or artisan bread.
- Use Greek yogurt: You can use plain Greek yogurt instead of ricotta cheese if you’d like. Your sandwich may have a bit more tang, but will still be delicious.
- Add meat: For a bump in protein and extra flavor, consider adding some type of sliced meat or bacon once you have spread the mixture on the bread. Turkey, ham, or even thinly sliced grilled chicken would be incredible.
- Change the flavor: If you love experimenting with different grilled cheese add-ins, try our caramelized onion grilled cheese, chipotle chicken grilled cheese or pesto grilled cheese next!
Storage recommendations
I recommend eating your Mediterranean grilled cheese sandwiches as soon as you’ve made them for the best flavor, but they can be stored in the fridge for 24 hours.
- Storing: Place the sandwich in an airtight container for up to 24 hours.
- To reheat: To keep it nice and crispy, you can reheat your sandwich in a skillet over medium heat until warmed through, or in the air fryer for 2-3 minutes at 350 degrees F.
More Mediterranean recipes
Mediterranean Grilled Cheese
Ingredients
- 1 cup chopped spinach leaves
- 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella or cheese of choice
- 2 Tablespoons crumbled feta cheese
- 2 Tablespoons ricotta cheese or Greek yogurt
- 2 Tablespoons sun-dried tomatoes, drained and chopped
- 1 Tablespoon sliced black or Kalamata olives
- 4 slices whole grain bread, or crusty bread of choice
- 2 Tablespoon butter
Instructions
- In a medium microwave-safe bowl, microwave spinach for about 45 seconds or until wilted. Add the shredded mozzarella, feta, ricotta, sun-dried tomatoes, and olives to the same bowl and combine.
- Spread the mixture onto two slices of bread. Top each with another slice of bread. Spread the tops of the sandwich with butter.
- Heat a heavy-based skillet or frying pan over medium-low heat (no oil or butter). Add the sandwich’s buttered sides down to the pan and spread the remaining butter on the other side. Cook until bread is golden brown and cheese is hot, flipping carefully for about 2 minutes per side. Slice and serve immediately.
Equipment
Notes
- Storing: Place the sandwich in an airtight container for up to 24 hours.
- To reheat: To keep it nice and crispy, you can reheat your sandwich in a skillet over medium heat until warmed through, or in the air fryer for 2-3 minutes at 350 degrees F.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
