Grilled Cheese with Roasted Broccoli

This is the BEST grilled cheese sandwich EVER, at least that’s what Zoe and I said as we devoured this sandwich. Adding roasted broccoli to a grilled cheese sandwich is genius, as it adds an extra punch of flavor and texture, and honestly makes you feel less guilty about eating a grilled cheese.  As one of my readers Samantha says, “can’t go wrong with grilled cheese, but when you add a green- it takes it to a whole new level.”  Samantha, I totally agree with you girl!  Tossing some brocoli into a grilled cheese is also a great way to sneak some veggies into your little ones, so for those of you that have some picky veggie eaters, you may want to give this sandwich a try.  It’s kid approved in my house!

Grilled cheese sandwiches are a staple in this house. We eat them for lunch all the time, as well as dinner.  Gilled cheese is just the perfect accompanyment to a creamy soup, and in the fall and winter we eat a LOT soup.  I’m lucky because I have one of the best grilled cheese makers, Zoe!  Zoe is a pro when it comes to making a killer grilled cheese, and I will show you her simple trick later in this post.  All you will need is a Lodge L10SK3 Pre-Seasoned Skillet, 12-Inchcast iron skillet and the lid of a pan.  Come on, let’s make up a grilled cheese sandwich!

grilled cheese with roasted broccoli:

• roasted broccoli – see my post on how to roast broccoli
• unsalted butter, softened – just enough to butter both slices of bread
• sliced bread of your choice
• thinly sliced cheddar cheese, Gruyere cheese, or your favorite melting cheese

First let’s begin by roasting your broccoli.  Roasting broccoli is super easy and only takes 8 minutes!  Click here to see my post on how to roast broccoli.

Once your broccoli is roasted, you’re ready to assemble the sandwiches.

To make one grilled cheese sandwich you need is 2 slices of your favorite bread, (we used sliced sourdough) about 3-4 slices of cheddar cheese (we also love using Gruyere cheese in lieu of cheddar), roasted broccoli and some softened unsalted butter.

Heat up your cast iron skillet, panini press or your favorite grilling pan over medium-low heat.

Spread the softened butter evenly on one side of each slice of bread.

Layer the cheese on the unbuttered side of the sliced bread.

Top the cheese with some roasted broccoli.  Add a big bunch if you’re a fan, and a bit less if you’re not the biggest fan.

Then top the last layer of cheese over the broccoli.

Cover the cheese with the other slice of bread making sure to have the butter side out.

Put the sandwich into the pre-heated skillet.

Now here’s Zoe’s simple trick to making a grilled cheese panini in a cast iron skillet! Just take the lid of a pan and press it down on the sandwich. This helps create a panini press. Pretty cool, right?

Check the sandwich after a few minutes, and when the bottom is browned, turn it over gently and cook the other side until the bread is browned and the cheese is melted.

There you have it.  See how simple that was?  I swear my cast iron skillet is the best pan for making a grilled cheese.

Pair one of these with a salad or one of your favorite soups.

This time of year we love pairing this sandwich with my heirloom tomato soup. As you can see, we used Gruyere cheese for this sandwich.