Pesto Grilled Cheese Dippers with Marinara

As the weather’s turning cooler, we’re gearing up for cozy foods and couch snuggling over here at A Couple Cooks. Alex and I have been burning through Gilmore Girls in preparation for the new season release in November, and Sunday afternoons are ripe for football. This year, we even joined a fantasy football league with our neighbors — which incidentally has made the football season much more enjoyable, even for a disinterested “fan” like me.

Here’s a recipe that would work for a game day, or just any day you’re looking for an amped up grilled cheese sandwich. Slicing the grilled cheese into thin “dippers” makes the eating experience entirely more fun — and, it also slows down the racecar pace at which we typically plow through grilled cheese! For the dipping, we created this marinara tomato sauce with fire roasted tomatoes. It’s simple, simmered with onion and garlic, and a magic splash of balsamic vinegar stirred in at the end. (As you may know, we’re a fan of fire roasted tomatoes for their mellow taste and quick cooking time. Muir Glen Organic is our favorite brand; they’re available at your local Whole Foods Market.) And for the finishing touch on the dippers, a bit of spinach for nutrients and basil pesto for a sparkle of flavor.

This just may be our new favorite way to consume grilled cheese! Move over, tomato soup.

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This Pesto Grilled Cheese Dippers with Fire Roasted Marinara recipe is sponsored by Muir Glen Organic. Product opinions are our own. Thank you for supporting the sponsors of A Couple Cooks!

Pesto Grilled Cheese Dippers with Fire Roasted Marinara

 

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by: a Couple Cooks

Serves: 4 as a main, 8 as a side

What You Need

• ¼ cup olive oil
• 1 yellow onion
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 28-ounce can Muir Glen Organic fire-roasted crushed tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• ½ tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• ¼ cup basil pesto
• 4 cups baby spinach leaves, loosely packed
• 2 cups shredded Monterrey jack cheese
• 8 slices high quality artisan or sandwich bread (gluten-free, if desired)
• 1 tablespoon butter

What To Do

1. Mince the onion and the garlic.
2. In a medium saucepan, heat ¼ cup olive oil over medium high heat. Add the onion and saute until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and stir for 30 seconds, then stir in the dried oregano. Turn down the heat slightly and immediately add the tomatoes (taking care as they will sizzle when poured into the hot oil), then stir to combine. Stir in the kosher salt and pepper. Cover and bring to a gentle simmer, then simmer for 15 minutes. Stir in balsamic vinegar, then remove from the heat. Cover until the dippers are ready.
3. Meanwhile, add basil pesto, baby spinach leaves and 2 pinches kosher salt to a large skillet and heat over medium heat. Saute until the spinach is wilted, about 3 to 4 minutes (take care as the pesto may spit if the pan becomes too hot). Remove the spinach to a bowl, then wipe out the skillet.
4. For each sandwich, layer one slice of bread, ¼ cup cheese, a thin layer of spinach-pesto filling, then another ¼ cup cheese and another slice of bread.
5. In the same skillet, heat ½ tablespoon butter over medium heat. Place two sandwiches in the skillet and toast for a few minutes until the bread is golden, then flip and toast until the other bread is golden and the cheese is melted. Repeat with the remaining two sandwiches.
6. Allow the sandwiches to cool for 2 to 3 minutes, then cut into “dipper” slices. Serve with individual bowls of marinara sauce.

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