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A Note From feedfeed
Is there anything better than a good old fashioned grilled cheese hot off the griddle?
The answer is…maybe. Just wait! Hear me out and just picture this for a second: melty grilled cheese…caprese style with gooey mozzarella, earthy basil, sweet ripe tomato, and comforting homemade marinade sauce…on a sourdough…slathered in butter and then toasted to golden, crisp, gooey perfection.
Yup, that sounds pretty epic to me, too. If you love mozzarella cheese, fresh herbs, sweet plump tomatoes, a simmering pot of aromatic homemade sauce, and digging into freshly baked bread, then this Caprese Grilled Cheese served with a bowl of marinara sauce for dipping is an absolute dream come true.
This drool worthy sandwich is made using Tuttorosso San Marzano Hand Crushed Tomatoes with Basil & Sea Salt, and when you taste it, you’ll feel transported, as though you’re sitting in the warm shade at a small table outside an Italian sandwich shop in Rome or Florence, sipping on a afternoon spritz, watching as the people and the hours go by without a care in the world. Nothing will matter except the gooey, warm, gorgeous Caprese Grilled Cheese you’re enjoying more with every single taste.
Recipe Card
ingredients
- Homemade Marinara Sauce (see recipe below)
- 4 thick slices sourdough bread (about 1 ½-inches thick)
- 8 ounces shredded mozzarella
- Handful fresh basil leaves (about ½ cup)
- 1 medium sized heirloom tomato, thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons softened salted butter
Homemade Marinara Sauce
ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
- 1/2 sweet onion, finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, very thinly sliced
- 1 (6 ounce) can Tuttorosso Tomato Paste
- 1 (28 ounce) can Tuttorosso San Marzano Style Hand Crushed Tomatoes in Puree with Basil & Sea Salt
- 1/4 cup roughly chopped fresh parsley
- 1/4 cup roughly chopped fresh basil
- 1 tablespoon cane sugar
- 3 tablespoons whole milk or oat milk
- 3 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- Parmesan cheese rind (optional/if available)
- Kosher salt, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Make the Marinara
Method
Step 1
Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large pot over low heat. Add onion. Season with salt and pepper. Sauté until translucent, 7-8 minutes. Add garlic. Stir until fragrant, about one more minute.
Step 2
Add Tuttorosso Tomato Paste and Tuttorosso San Marzano Hand Crushed Tomatoes with Basil & Sea Salt, parsley, basil, sugar. Season again with salt and pepper to taste. Stir to combine. Simmer over low heat with lid tilted for one hour, stirring frequently throughout.
Step 3
Incorporate milk, Parmesan cheese, and rind. Season with salt and pepper again to taste if desired. Continue to simmer over low heat, lid tilted, 1.5 hours, stirring frequently.
Step 4
Remove sauce from heat. Remove and discard rind. Place aside.
Make the Grilled Cheese
Step 1
Coat top and bottom slice of sourdough half with about 1 tablespoon Homemade Marinara Sauce (more if desired) each. Top bottom slice with 4 ounces shredded mozzarella, ¼ cup basil leaves, and 2-3 tomato slices. Top with other sourdough half. Slather the top and bottom of the sourdough with ½ tablespoon of salted butter each.
Step 2
Transfer grilled cheese to a skillet or griddle over medium-high heat. Cook until cheese is melted, flipping once or twice throughout for even cooking, until each side reaches a golden brown hue and a slightly crunchy toasted texture.
Step 3
Transfer finished grilled cheese to a cutting board. Use a bread knife or other serrated knife to slice in half. Serve Caprese Grilled Cheese with a bowl of warm Homemade Marinara Sauce for dipping. Store any leftover sauce in a sealed, airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week, or in the freezer for up to six months.