Butternut Squash and Sage Pesto Grilled Cheese is a unique twist on a grilled cheese sandwich! Stuffed with homemade butternut squash and sage pesto, fontina cheese, and caramelized onions, this sandwich is just as delicious as it is decadent.
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I'm sharing a no-recipe recipe because life is hard and we don't need to make it harder! Everyone knows how to make a sandwich, so this recipe simply here for delicious inspiration.
This is the sandwich all my dreams are made of. I can never just do a plain old grilled cheese sandwich, I always like to jazz it up a little bit.
This butternut squash and sage pesto grilled cheese sandwich is about as jazzy as it comes. It has such a rich, caramelized flavor and is full of healthy, comforting ingredients.
This recipe makes one sandwich, but it's easy to double, triple, or quadruple, it to feed as many people as necessary. Serve it alongside a simple salad for an easy dinner, or pair it with soup for a cozy meal.
Ingredients
- Good quality bread
- Butternut Squash and Sage Pesto
- Fontina cheese
- Caramelized onions, optional
- Roasted butternut squash or other winter vegetables, optional
How to make pesto grilled cheese
- Preheat a panini press to medium-high heat.
- Lightly oil one side of a piece of bread and spread the other side with a thin layer of pesto.
- Place the bread on the hot grill oil side down. Top with half the cheese, a small layer of caramelized onions, and a scoop of roasted squash, if using. Top with the remaining cheese.
- Spread the remaining slice of bread with another thin layer of pesto and place pesto side down on the sandwich.
- Lightly oil the top of the sandwich and close the top of the panini press. Allow to cook until the cheese is melted and the bread is toasty, about five minutes.
Top tips
Best bread for grilled cheese
I love making this sandwich with sourdough bread.
It's important to choose the best quality bread you can find. I usually choose something from a local bakery or I also enjoy some of the Market Pantry bread at Target.
Best cheese for grilled cheese sandwiches
This recipe calls for fontina cheese. It's nutty, creamy, tangy, and melts beautifully. If you can't find fontina cheese at your local grocery store, I recommend mozzarella, provolone, Havarti, cheddar, or American cheese.
How to store pesto grilled cheese
When storing leftovers, cool to room temperature then cover and refrigerate for 3-5 days. When ready to eat, reheat it the same way as it was cooked.
Tips for customizing pesto grilled cheese
- Swap the fontina for whatever you have on hand like mozzarella or provolone
- Toss in some leafy greens like baby spinach or kale
- Drizzle the inside with a balsamic reduction
- Add any of your favorite roasted veggies to the filling such as carrots, zucchini, or eggplant
- Swap out the butternut squash and sage pesto for your other favorite pesto (like basil, pistachio, arugula, or spinach)
- Add crushed red pepper flakes or sriracha to spice it up
FAQ
I recommend shredding the cheese yourself rather than buying pre-shredded cheese! Store bought shredded cheese is coated in a powder coating and it won't melt as well. That being said, you do you, and you can totally use pre-shredded cheese if you want.
A panini press like the Cuisinart Griddler gets the middle hot and the outside crispy, which is difficult to do in a frying pan. If you only have a pan to work with, I recommend keeping the heat on low and covering the pan with a lid to give the cheese time to melt while the bread gets golden and crispy.
More grilled cheese recipes
- Oven Roasted Tomato and Pesto Panini
- Cheesy Hummus and Veggie Panini
- Harissa Grilled Cheese
- Sun Dried Tomato Pesto Sandwich
- Eggplant Panini
More butternut squash recipes
- Butternut Squash Pizza with Kale
- Butternut Squash and Kale Risotto
- Black Bean and Butternut Squash Quesadillas
- Winter Salad with Butternut Squash
- Pan Fried Butternut Squash Pasta
If you make this recipe, be sure to rate it, leave a comment, or tag #theliveinkitchen on Instagram!
Recipe
Butternut Squash and Sage Grilled Cheese
Ingredients
- 2 slices good quality bread, I like the sourdough from a local bakery, or the Market Pantry bread from Target
- Butternut Squash and Sage Pesto
- ½ cup shredded Fontina cheese
- Caramelized onions, optional
- Roasted butternut squash or other winter vegetables, optional
Instructions
- Preheat a panini press to medium-high heat.
- Lightly oil one side of a piece of bread and spread the other side with a thin layer of pesto. Place the bread on the hot grill oil side down.
- Top with half the cheese, a small layer of caramelized onions, and a scoop or roasted squash, if using. Top with the remaining cheese.
- Spread the remaining slice of bread with another thin layer of pesto and place pesto side down on the sandwich. Lightly oil the top of the sandwich and close the top of the panini press. Allow to cook until the cheese is melted and the bread is toasty, about five minutes.
Patricia @ Grab a Plate says
NICE! Definitely a delicious jazzed up grilled cheese! That pesto!!
Lindsay Moe says
Thanks Patricia!
Maria says
This grilled cheese looks insanely good.
Lindsay Moe says
Thanks Maria!
David @ Cooking Chat says
Yum! I love grilled cheese and the creative flavors you've added to it.
Lindsay Moe says
Thanks David, grilled cheese is the best, right?!
nicole says
sometimes there is nothing better in the world than a grilled cheese sandwich. perfect!
ani says
Such a useless recipe. How do you roast the butternut squash? how do you make the pesto??
Lindsay Moe says
I'm sorry you didn't find this recipe helpful. The onions and squash are optional ingredients, if you need to find instructions for how to make them they're a quick google away. The pesto recipe was linked within the post, but I have updated the recipe card to include a link as well.