Sandwich season ALSO means grilled cheese season.
Happy Tuesday, kids! Been waiting for the right time to share these gorgeous, gooey grilled cheeses, and today felt like the right time. Couldn’t tell you why.
In all reality, it’s likely because the further I’m removed from having developed the recipe, the more likely I am to completely neglect posting it. Not out of spite, but out of sheer “I’m old and I forget shit.”
These beautiful and melty, simple and spicy Heirloom Tomato, Cheddar, and Chimichurri Grilled Cheeses boast a more complicated name than cooking process. An herby homemade sauce lends some culinary jazz hands to an ensemble of sliced heirloom tomatoes and cheddar and parmesan cheeses; a chorus to which I’m happy to listen multiple times over the season.
The process is seemless, ya’ll, so let’s heat up our skillets and get our asses moving.
ChimiCHURRI, Not Chimichanga
In case you felt confused.
Chimichurri is essentially a parsley-based cousin to pesto, minus the nut and cheese component. To amplify the freshness of our batch (and to rid myself of the plethora of plants vibing on my ottoman), I added lots of fresh basil.
In the bowl of your food processor, combine the basil and parsley (curly or flat are fine! I used curly because that’s what I had an assload of) with garlic cloves, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, red pepper flakes, and a dab of salt and pepper. While your machine running, slowly stream in lots of olive oil. The chimichurri will emulsify nicely. As always, try a bit and adjust your seasonings to your tastebuds’ preference.
The chimichurri is the longest-winded part of the recipe. Now, to make and crisp up your sandwiches!
I used the sourdough sliced bread from Trader Joes as my sandwich vessel, and recommend a similar, crusty, thick-cut style for this sandwich. Holds up better to the juicy tomatoes.
Grab two slices of bread and butter one side of each. On one of the unbuttered sides, spread a good helping of chimichurri, then pile on lots of cheese, a few heirloom tomato slices, and more cheese. Place the second slice, butter-side down, overtop.
Note: if you can’t find heirloom tomatoes, a large varietal like beefsteak work fine as a replacement.
Melt a couple tablespoons of butter into a large skillet until browned. Place your grilled cheese into the pan, cover with a lid, and cook 4-5 minutes, then flip and cook 3-4 minutes longer. Creating a heat trap ensures the cheese melts evenly inside.
If you own a large skillet and a nimble pair of hands, you can cook all 3 grilled cheeses at the same time. I managed two, and could’ve done all three, but didn’t want to.
To serve, I made a batch of hot honey for a little sweet kick that actually kicks ass with the combination presented in our dish.
Leftovers? Grilled cheeses will keep well for up to 3 days in the fridge. I recommend reheating in a 350 degree oven, atop a baking sheet, for about 10 minutes to preserve the crispness. You can also warm on medium-low heat on the stovetop for about 5 minutes per side, covered with a lid.
Cheese alternatives? I’m willing to bet gouda, fontina, and mozzarella are fabulous substitutes. The mozzarella will offer a milder flavor that might help highlight the chimichurri even more.
Cheers, ya cheeseballs!
Tried this recipe out? Leave a rating and comment below with your thoughts, and don’t forget to come say hi on Instagram and show me what you made!
Summer sandwiches to savor:
Arugula Pesto Caprese Sandwich
Avocado “Bacon” Club Sandwich with Herby Sub Sauce
Marinated Balsamic Veggie Cheese Sandwich
heirloom tomato, cheddar, and chimichurri grilled cheese
Ingredients
- 6 slices sourdough or another crusty bread
- 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- 1 cup fresh parmesan cheese, grated
- 2 large heirloom tomatoes, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup basil chimichurri (recipe below)
- 3 + 2 tablespoons butter
- hot honey, for serving (see note)
basil chimichurri
- 1 cup fresh basil, packed
- 1 cup fresh parsley, packed
- 4 cloves garlic, peeled
- 3 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- In the bowl of a food processor, combine the basil, parsley, garlic, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, red pepper flakes, and a big pinch each of salt and pepper. Run the blade while slowly streaming in the olive oil. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed with a spatula until all of the ingredients are well combined. It should resemble pesto sauce in texture.
- Butter one side of two bread slices. Spread 2 tablespoons chimichurri on inside of one slice, then add about 1/4 of each cheese, then 2-3 slices of tomato, then another 2 tablespoons of each cheese. Place the second slice atop, butter-side facing away from the fillings. Repeat with the other 2 sandwiches.
- Heat the 2 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet over medium heat until browned and hissing. Place your sandwich in the center of the skillet (or all 3 if you can fit them!). Cook 4-5 minutes on one side, then flip and cook an additional 3-4 minutes until golden and.
- Move to a plate, slice in half, and serve immediately with a heavy drizzle of hot honey!
