Pesto Egg Grilled Cheese (Print Version)

Herby pesto-fried eggs layered with melty cheese between golden toasted bread for a savory, satisfying bite.

# Components:

→ Eggs & Pesto

01 - 2 large eggs
02 - 2 tablespoons basil pesto (store-bought or homemade)
03 - 1 tablespoon olive oil

→ Bread & Cheese

04 - 4 slices sourdough or country bread
05 - 4 slices mozzarella cheese
06 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

→ Seasonings

07 - Salt, to taste
08 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

# Directions:

01 - Heat olive oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat and swirl in the basil pesto. Crack in the eggs and cook until the whites are set but yolks remain slightly runny, about 2 to 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, then remove from heat and set aside.
02 - Butter one side of each bread slice. On a clean surface, place two slices butter-side down. Layer each with a slice of mozzarella, a pesto egg, another slice of cheese, and top with the remaining bread slices, butter-side up.
03 - Wipe out the skillet and heat over medium-low. Place the sandwiches in the pan and cook 2 to 3 minutes per side, pressing gently with a spatula, until bread is golden brown and cheese has melted.
04 - Remove sandwiches from heat, let rest for one minute, then slice and serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • That barely-set yolk breaks when you bite through the golden bread and becomes this silky sauce over the melted cheese.
  • It comes together in twenty minutes flat, which means you can actually eat before your coffee gets cold.
  • The basil pesto sneaks in a flavor that makes people ask what your secret ingredient is.
02 -
  • If you cook the eggs solid, the whole magic of this sandwich disappears—that barely-runny yolk is the entire point, so watch it carefully and pull the pan off heat when it still jiggles.
  • Cooking the sandwiches on medium-low instead of blazing heat keeps the bread from burning while the cheese actually has time to melt all the way through.
03 -
  • Have all your ingredients prepped and your bread sliced before you heat any oil—everything moves quickly once you start cooking the eggs.
  • If you're making this for more than two people, cook the eggs in batches rather than crowding the pan, so each one gets that perfect sizzle in the pesto oil.
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