Take your grilled cheese game up a notch by adding crispy, roasted broccoli, sweet red peppers, and a drizzle of balsamic and I swear you will never want to eat any other sandwich! This simple, flavourful vegetarian sandwich is going to save your game day party or weeknight dinner -- promise.
Broccoli and cheddar cheese are already such a wonderful pairing that it makes sense to throw them together in a sandwich. But what you might not expect is how something tangy and acidic — aka. roasted red peppers — brightens their flavours! If you don’t have roasted peppers in the house, you could add sliced tomatoes instead.
There’s a lot of distinct flavours happening here, so luckily this roasted broccoli grilled cheese sandwich comes together quickly. Quick recipes on game day is what I am all about! And seriously, who doesn't love a grilled cheese sandwich on game day? No surprise that this one made it to our Countdown to the Super Bowl recipe series.
How to get the perfect crispy grilled cheese
I use a skillet or griddle to get that perfect grilled cheese every time. The secret is to make sure to weigh down the sandwich with something heavy (like a cast iron) when you are grilling. This will help the sandwich get that browned, crispy crust that makes for the perfect grilled cheese.
Roasted Broccoli Grilled Cheese Sandwich
- Prep Time: <10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20-25 minutes
- Total Time: 11 minute
- Yield: 2 sandwiches
Description
Take your grilled cheese game up a notch with this simple and flavourful vegetarian roasted broccoli grilled cheese sandwich featuring red peppers and a drizzle of balsamic.
Ingredients
- 1 large head of broccoli, cut into florets
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature, divided
- 4 slices of ciabatta bread (or other crusty sliced bread)
- 4 slices white cheddar cheese
- 2 roasted red peppers, thinly sliced
- ½ cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
- drizzle of balsamic vinegar reduction
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 F. Place broccoli florets on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, salt, and pepper, and toss to combine. Roast for 12-15 minutes, or until lightly browned and tender. Set aside.
- Spread ½ tablespoon of butter on each of 4 slices of bread and place them on a place, butter side facing down.
- Divide cheddar equally onto 2 of the slices. Top those same 2 slices with an even layer of roasted broccoli, a few slices of roasted red peppers, and shredded mozzarella. Top each with the remaining slice of bread (butter side on top).
- Heat a large skillet or griddle pan over medium heat. Add sandwiches and cook for 3-5 minutes, until golden brown. Note that it helps to place something heavy on top to disperse weight evenly (I use a large cast iron). Flip sandwiches and cook without any weight on top for another 2-3 minutes, until just browned.
- Slice in half, drizzle with balsamic vinegar or reduced balsamic, and serve immediately.
