White Pizza Grilled Cheese
If you’ve ever wanted a sandwich that oozes comfort, this white pizza grilled cheese is it. All the flavors from a blend of Italian cheeses and herbs, sandwiches in between a crispy buttered crust that’s perfectly snackable for the whole family.
I know I’ve mentioned my families’ love affair with cheese before.
Some might say it borders on obsession, but I don’t see it that way.
By the way, is there a support group for that?
‘CA’. Cheese-aholics Anonymous, or something along those lines?
I’ve also touched on our love of grilled cheese, a holdover from childhood on my part.
Let me introduce you to this gem.
White Pizza Grilled Cheese!
It’s literally the best of both the grilled cheese & pizza worlds.
It won’t break the bank either, but it will totally impact your taste buds in the best possible way.
What Exactly Is A White Pizza?
White pizza tends to be a more ‘Italian’ style pie than what we typically think of as pizza here in America.
It’s usually on a thinner crust, and it doesn’t involve any tomato-based sauce.
It’s basically a pizza dough base with some olive oil & seasonings, and a blend of cheeses on top.
Sometimes toppings are involved, but not always.
We’ve made grilled cheese out of different things, even mac and cheese, so why not use this as the base idea for an amazing grilled cheese sandwich.
Ingredients Needed
I actually consulted my Italian Father In Law before venturing down this road, and this is the ingredient list he helped me come up with.
- ricotta cheese – part skim is what I used, but whole milk will work too
- olive oil – the extra virgin variety
- garlic – minced
- basil – chopped, fresh basil will taste the best, but if you only have the dried kind on hand it can be subbed
- oregano – chopped, fresh oregano will taste the best, but if you only have the dried kind on hand it can be subbed
- salt and pepper – added, to taste
- Parmesan cheese – shredded, and not the grated variety
- mozzarella – thinly sliced
- bread – you can use a sandwich bread you love or thinly sliced Italian bread
- butter – softened
Our goal was to make a super yummy grilled cheese, but one that really captures the authentic taste.
Mission accomplished with these ingredients!!
How To Make
To a medium sixed mixing bowl, add the ricotta cheese, olive oil, garlic, basil, oregano, salt & pepper.
Stir everything together until evenly combined into a smooth mixture.
Cover the mixing bowl using cling wrap, and refrigerate for at least an hour.
Alternatively, you can refrigerate this seasoned cheese mixture overnight.
You can’t mess it up either way, but the longer it chills the more the flavors will blend and deepen.
Butter the ‘outside’ slices of each sandwich generously.
Lay two sandwich bread slices down, and using a butter knife (or cheese spreader) spread 1/8th of the cheese mixture evenly out over each slice.
Repeat until all the slices have been covered evenly with the ricotta spread.
Lay the sliced mozzarella evenly out over every other slice of prepared bread.
This recipe makes four sandwiches, so essentially on the bottom slice of each sandwich.
Then add a little of the Parmesan cheese to each of the bottom slices.
Add the tops.
In a large skillet set over medium low heat, add two of the sandwiches.
Using two wide spatulas flip the sandwiches, as needed, until the outsides are a crisp golden brown and the cheesy filling is melted nicely.
This can take anywhere from 6-10 minutes, depending on your stove.
Watch the sandwiches carefully to prevent burning.
Serve the white pizza grilled cheese immediately.
We like to include a small dipping bowl filled with warm marinara sauce on the side, but it isn’t absolutely necessary.
If I didn’t though, I guarantee you my kids would be begging for ketchup to dip these in.
They’re weird, and live by the condiment.
What Else Is Good In This?
Just like with a white pizza, this grilled cheese sandwich is a blank canvas that begs for you to put your personal touches on it.
With pizza that comes in the form of toppings. With this sandwich, we add things to the ricotta cheese mixture.
Our favorite add-ins include:
- spinach
- sun dried tomatoes
- a teaspoon of pesto sauce
- diced roma tomatoes
- crisp, crumbled bacon
- chopped rotisserie chicken
- diced ham
- sautéed mushrooms
- sliced black olives
Cheese lovers, UNITE (behind this recipe)!
This is the recipe for you.
Don’t hesitate, don’t think, and don’t over-analyze this delicacy.
Find time. Make this.
Your cheese & pizza loving taste buds will really thank you.
TIPS & TRICKS
- If you’re opposed to ricotta cheese, I use small curd cottage cheese as a substitute. The flavor is similar, but you may need to reduce the heat since it won’t melt as quickly.
- Sliced provolone cheese will work in place of the sliced mozzarella cheese, if needed.
- Want a more authentic ‘crust’ on your pizza grilled cheese? I’d suggest thinly sliced ciabatta bread or thinly sliced crusty Italian bread.
Other Pizza Themed Recipes To Try
- One Pot Pizza Pasta
- Pizza Soup
- Loaded Pepperoni Pizza Baked Gnocchi
- Hawaiian Pizza Sliders
- Pizza Pot Pies
Your family, and especially your cheese-prone taste buds, will thank you profusely for this white pizza grilled cheese recipe.
If you’ve tried this WHITE PIZZA GRILLED CHEESE, or any other recipe on my site, let me know in the comment section how it turned out, we love hearing from our readers! You can also follow along with me on PINTEREST, FACEBOOK, and INSTAGRAM to see more amazing recipes and whatever else we’ve got going on!
White Pizza Grilled Cheese
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
- 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp garlic minced
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh basil or 1 tsp dried
- 2 tsp chopped fresh oregano or 1/2 tsp dried
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- fresh ground black pepper, to taste
- 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese shredded
- 8 oz mozzarella thinly sliced
- 8 slices white or wheat bread
- butter softened
Instructions
- In a small bowl, mix together the ricotta, olive oil, garlic, basil, oregano, salt, and black pepper. Refrigerate for at least an hour (or up to 24 hours) to allow the flavors to develop.
- Lay down the bread slices and, using a butter knife, spread the ricotta mixture evenly on each piece. The ricotta mixture should coat the insides of both pieces of bread.
- Lay the mozzarella slices evenly on every other piece of bread (one side of each sandwich). Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and close the sandwiches by place both cheesy insides together.
- Butter both sides of the ‘outside’ of the sandwich generously.
- In a large frying pan over medium-low heat, cook the sandwiches, flipping often, until they’re golden-brown on the outside and the cheese is melted inside, about 10 minutes.
- Serve.
Nutrition
recipe originally published August 8, 2013
I think I could eat this everyday. Looks so good! And OMG! Look at that cheese!! Thanks for sharing at Fiesta Friday party!