Spinach Basil Pesto & Tomato Grilled Cheese

Fresh spinach and basil pesto, juicy sliced tomato and melted mozzarella make for one delicious and comforting grilled cheese! 

Spinach Basil Pesto & Tomato Grilled Cheese- pair with whole grain bread for a healthy and comforting meal!

Okay, so I know I just posted a pumpkin recipe but that doesn’t mean I’m letting go of summer just yet!

With all of the big juicy tomatoes and fragrant fresh basil exploding with deliciousness right now,  it would be just plain SILLY to let that pass us by.

Spinach Basil Pesto & Tomato Grilled Cheese- pair with whole grain bread for a healthy and comforting meal!

I’ve waxed poetic about my love for grilled cheese on here before and the flame in my heart is still burning bright.

Especially once soup weather arrives, it’s all down hill. All I want are two big slices of crusty bread with melted cheese and a bowl of warm tomato soup to dip it in!

Spinach Basil Pesto #cleaneating

Considering the fact that it was over 100 degrees today, I might be a little early jumping on the grilled cheese and soup wagon but I couldn’t help myself after eating an incredible pesto tomato version during our trip to Lake Tahoe.

We had them for dinner one night at a restaurant called Bite along with the most delicious little chocolate chip cookie ice cream sandwiches. Mmm, my mouth is watering just thinking about it. Pobably not the healthiest of meals but hey, it was totally worth it.

Anyway, the version I recreated is made slightly healthier with a nice helping of vitamin packed spinach inside of the pesto, whole grain bread and about a third of the cheese.

Spinach Basil Pesto & Tomato Grilled Cheese- pair with whole grain bread for a healthy and comforting meal!

I recently found this brand that sources from local pasture-based farms which I love. It’s definitely not the cheapest but it makes me feel better knowing that it’s coming from a good source. And it tastes amazing too! :)

Spinach Basil Pesto & Tomato Grilled Cheese- pair with whole grain bread for a healthy and comforting meal!

For those of you that can’t have dairy,  you can always substitute vegan cheese or sliced avocado. I would just toast the bread in the skillet on it’s own and then layer the fillings after if I were using avocado.

Oh and one last thing I should clarify, I wrote the recipe for 4 sandwiches because it makes enough pesto for that many, but you can make only one or two sandwiches and then save the pesto for later if you want.

Alright, so now all we need is some cool fall weather and a warm bowl of soup! Of course I’ve got the second one coming very soon. ;)

Spinach Basil Pesto & Tomato Grilled Cheese- pair with whole grain bread for a healthy and comforting meal!

Spinach Basil Pesto & Tomato Grilled Cheese

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes

Yield: 4 sandwiches

Serving Size: 1 sandwich

Ingredients

Spinach Basil Pesto

2 cups fresh baby spinach

1 cup fresh basil

3 garlic cloves

1/4 cup walnuts

1/4 cup shredded parmesan

squeeze of lemon juice

Grilled Cheese

2 large tomatoes, thinly sliced

4 slices mozzarella cheese

8 slices whole grain or gluten-free bread

4 tablespoons grass-fed butter or extra virgin olive oil

Instructions

  1. Place all of the ingredients for the spinach pesto into a food processor and blend until smooth.
  2. Next spread the butter or olive oil on one side of each piece of bread. Place the bread buttered side down in a skillet over low to medium heat. Layer the mozzarella on top along with a slice of tomato. Then grab another slice of bread, spread the pesto on the side that’s not buttered and place it on top of the other piece in the skillet.
  3. After it’s cooked for about 3 minutes and the cheese starts to melt, flip the sandwich so that the uncooked side is facing down. Cook for another 2-3 minutes, until light golden brown on the outside. Serve immediately and enjoy!
https://www.makingthymeforhealth.com/spinach-basil-pesto-tomato-grilled-cheese/

Spinach Basil Pesto Tomato Grilled Cheese Nutrition