You guys, it would be a sin, a downright sin, if I didn’t share this recipe with you. I’ve never been an easy girl to please in the grilled cheese department. If you hand me some Kraft singles in between Wonder Bread I’ll shoot you a stink eye like none other. That kind of simplicity just doesn’t do it for me. But hey, I’m an American, so of course I love throwing cheese, butter and bread together and calling it a meal. Here’s the quick, easy, and did I mention cheap recipe I threw together last night. PS whatever you do, do not be afraid of Havarti. It tastes like butter. It’s basically a butter and butter sandwich. So just make it.
Tomato-Basil & Havarti Grilled Cheese
Makes 2 sandwiches
Ingredients:
- Loaf of fresh Italian bread
- 1 tomato, sliced
- 1 bunch basil (3 leaves per sandwich)
- Butter
- 2 slices of Havarti cheese
Directions:
- Heat skillet to medium heat
- Soften the butter so it’s spreadable
- Slice four pieces of Italian bread, about ½ inch thick each
- Spread the butter on one side of all four pieces of bread
- Once the skillet is hot, place two slices of bread butter-side down in the pan
- Layer each piece with the cheese first, then topped with the tomato and three leaves of basil
- Top the sandwiches with the final two slices of bread, butter-side up
- Put lid on top to help the cheese melt
- After about three minutes, check if the bottoms of the sandwiches are crispy and light brown. If so, flip ‘em over!
- Press down on the sandwiches periodically. It’s not a Panini but the cheese and veggies will mesh perfectly together with just a few nudges
- Once the other side is light brown and crispy, you’re all set!
I ate my sandwich in two minutes. So there’s that. Enjoy!
Question:
- What’s your favorite style of grilled cheese? For me, there has to be tomato in there.
i had a big lunch 
This looks like a wonderful spring meal!! I love that bread and tomato oohhh yum.
It was almost too good. You’re right, it’s still decadent but the tomato/basil makes it feel like the perfect meal for spring!
Fancy pants grilled cheese! I like it!!
It’s definitely a PG-13 grilled cheese. Kids might not like it but I wanna faceplant into it
YES PLEASE!!! I’ve made a very similar grilled cheese to this!! It’s SO good!! You’re awesome!!
That’s the best part of grilled cheese – you can make a million variations and it’s almost always delicious!
YES!!! 🙂
i’m so not a grilled cheese girl at all and never have been, probably bc i am not a fan of American cheese (blech) or regular bread either. however, this harvati tomato on Italian w/ basil combo sounds amazing. i have to give it to you there!
I’ll never forget a quote I heard on TV when I was younger: “American cheese isn’t cheese…it’s just petroleum” GROSS
Haha yeah I’ve never ever liked it at alllll.
Omg. Yes please.
Grilled Cheese is the best. I love it with Gouda and a raspberry spread for sweetness 😀
Some people are so weird about the sweet/salty thing but I’m with ya…I love it!! That sounds so great!
helloooooo beautiful 🙂
I’m such a grilled cheese lover. I typically make my grilled cheese plain, then have some tomato soup on the side. Nothing like dipping your grilled cheese into some hot tomato soup!
Replace tomato soup with a big bowl of ketchup and I’m sold 😉 I could swim in ketchup but tomato soup isn’t my favorite. Weird how our taste buds differentiate like that haha
God, I love Havarti. And Tomatoes, and Basil. This makes me think of summer.