Caprese Salad Grilled Cheese (Printable Version)

Italian melt featuring mozzarella, tomato, basil, and balsamic glaze on golden toasted bread.

# What You Need:

→ Bread & Dairy

01 - 4 slices sourdough or Italian bread
02 - 4 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced
03 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

→ Vegetables & Herbs

04 - 1 large ripe tomato, thinly sliced
05 - 8 to 10 fresh basil leaves

→ Condiments & Garnish

06 - 1 tablespoon balsamic glaze
07 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

# How-to Steps:

01 - Lay out the bread slices and spread butter evenly on one side of each slice.
02 - Place two slices of bread, butter-side down, on a clean surface. Layer with mozzarella slices, tomato slices, and fresh basil leaves. Season lightly with salt and pepper.
03 - Drizzle a small amount of balsamic glaze over the tomato and basil layers.
04 - Top with the remaining bread slices, butter-side up.
05 - Heat a large nonstick skillet or grill pan over medium heat.
06 - Place the sandwiches in the pan and cook for 3 to 4 minutes per side, pressing gently, until the bread is golden and the cheese has melted.
07 - Remove sandwiches from the skillet, let rest for 1 minute, then slice in half. Drizzle with extra balsamic glaze if desired and serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The cheese gets all melty and gooey while the tomato stays juicy and fresh, creating this perfect hot-and-cool contrast.
  • It tastes like something from a fancy Italian restaurant but takes barely twenty minutes and uses ingredients you probably already have.
  • Basil and balsamic together feel like a little flavor upgrade that somehow makes your entire afternoon feel more intentional.
02 -
  • Fresh mozzarella is everything here—low-moisture mozzarella works in a pinch, but fresh gives you that creamy, yielding texture that makes this sandwich worth making.
  • The tomato is the wildcard; a watery tomato will make your sandwich soggy no matter how carefully you build it, so pick one that feels substantial and tastes actually like something.
03 -
  • Softened butter is non-negotiable because cold butter tears the bread and never spreads evenly, which means uneven toasting and a sad sandwich.
  • Medium heat is your friend here—high heat will burn the outside before the inside melts, while too-low heat just makes everything greasy and takes forever.
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