Pizza Grilled Cheese (Printable Page)

A delicious blend of gooey mozzarella, pepperoni, and marinara on toasted bread.

# What You Need:

→ Bread

01 - 4 slices Italian bread or sourdough

→ Cheese & Meats

02 - 4 oz mozzarella cheese, sliced or shredded
03 - 12 to 16 slices pepperoni

→ Sauce

04 - 1/4 cup marinara sauce, plus extra for dipping

→ For Cooking

05 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter, softened

# Steps:

01 - Lay out the bread slices and spread a thin layer of softened butter on one side of each slice.
02 - Place two bread slices butter side down on a clean surface. Spread 1 to 2 tablespoons of marinara sauce on the unbuttered side of each slice.
03 - Evenly layer mozzarella cheese over the marinara sauce, then add the pepperoni slices on top.
04 - Cover with the remaining bread slices, butter side up, forming two sandwiches.
05 - Preheat a skillet or griddle over medium heat.
06 - Place sandwiches in the skillet and cook for 3 to 4 minutes on each side, pressing gently, until the bread is golden brown and the cheese melts.
07 - Remove sandwiches from heat, let rest for one minute, then slice diagonally.
08 - Serve immediately with extra marinara sauce for dipping.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes indulgent but comes together in under 20 minutes on a weeknight when you need something real.
  • The contrast of crispy bread, gooey cheese, and tangy sauce scratches every comfort food itch at once.
  • It's forgiving enough for beginners but impressive enough to make for someone you want to cook for.
02 -
  • If your pan is too hot, the bread will char while the cheese is still cold inside—medium heat is your friend, and patience is what separates good from great.
  • Pressing the sandwich in the pan helps the bread brown evenly, but too much pressure squishes everything and forces the filling out the sides, so be gentle.
  • Cold cheese won't melt in time, so softened butter and room-temperature mozzarella make a real difference in how the whole thing comes together.
03 -
  • Spread your butter on the bread while it's still soft—it coats more evenly and creates a better, more golden crust than cold butter ever will.
  • Keep the heat at medium so the cheese actually melts before the bread burns, which sounds obvious but makes all the difference between mediocre and memorable.
Go Back