It’s like… what won’t I put between two slices of grilled bread?
Well. I won’t put cake between grilled bread. I promise to never put cookie dough between grilled bread (though… wait, is that sounding good to anyone else?). I won’t ever smash pie and grilled bread together. Ice cream. Nope.
I will, however, try to smash every comforting savory food I can think of into a sandwich. Yesterday: Spinach and Artichoke Dip. Today: Lasagna. Tomorrow: I think I just heard someone whisper ‘Taco’ in my ear. Whoa.
I can’t deal… I’ll just eat it all.
Let’s talk about ingredients. This is the part where we always talk about ingredients.
Bright tomato and creamy ricotta are the essence of lasagna. These are critical ingredients. For added flavor we’re adding fresh basil, salt, pepper and butter. Mozzarella cheese work as cheesy glue and as an extra layer of delicious! Let’s sandwich!
If we’re eating big fat slices of bread, it might as well be really good big fat slices of bread. This seeded loaf had my name all over it.
Ricotta!
I could easily scoop ricotta straight from the container and into my face, but kicking this sandwich up with some extra lasagna-ish ingredients is always a good idea.
Here we’re seasoning our ricotta with fresh basil, salt and pepper. Easy! Add oregano and/or crushed red pepper flakes if you’re feeling like teacher’s pet.
Let the layering begin!
Bread is topped with mozzarella cheese. Smashed (I used canned) cherry tomatoes are placed on top of the cheese. Sprinkle salt. Sprinkle pepper. You know!
Between the tomato seeds and the bread seeds, I can’t see straight. I love it.
Our other half of bread is dolloped generously with seasoned ricotta.
This sandwich looks so good before grilling that you might want to stop here.
Warming the sandwich can only make it better. You know what to do…
One side browns, and then the other.
It’s the order of things.
It’s natural for the mozzarella to soften and melt. It’s natural for the ricotta to spread. It’s natural for the tomatoes is squeeze out of the sides. It’s natural to eat this sandwich whole while standing over the grill pan.
Ps. I’m on a grilled cheese bender. Search results prove it!
Pps. Add Pickle Fries! Think about it…
Lasagna Grilled Cheese
makes 2 sandwiches
4 slices of bread that you love
2 tablespoons unsalted butter with a dash of olive oil
1/2 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
salt and pepper to taste
one 14-ounce can cherry tomatoes (you’ll have extra tomatoes left over)
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
extra salt and pepper for seasoning
Lay out bread slices.
In a medium skillet or nonstick pan, melt butter over medium-low heat.
In a small bowl stir together ricotta, basil, salt and pepper.
Top each slice of bread with a bit of mozzarella cheese. Top two of the bread slices with a few smashed cherry tomatoes. Sprinkle with a bit of salt and pepper. On the remaining two slices of bread, dollop and spread the ricotta cheese.
Combine the sandwich halves and place in the warmed skillet. Grill on each side until golden. Remove from the pan and allow to rest for 3 minutes before slicing in half and serving. Dang that’s good!
Connie Cross
You said “This seeded loaf had my name all over it.” Did you make this bread yourself! I want the recipe!!! Looks wonderful!!! I believe that is the absolute start of this wonderful sandwich idea!
Kay Johnston
Wow! Had these tonight and they were amazing. Thanks so much for your creativity and willingness to share. These are definitely going to become a staple in our lives.
Emily
I LOVE the way you write :D
Julie
My ultra picky 9 year old (who hates bread – how unnatural!) is away at camp, so I made this for myself for dinner – using focaccia bread, and also using fresh vs. canned tomatoes. Really, really delicious. She doesn’t know what she’s missing!
joythebaker
more bread for you!
rita
super frozen ice cream grilled between two slices of delicious poundcake and covered with raspberry sauce is pretty awesome.
Karina
I have an idea! you said no to ice cream and grilled bread, but what if you tried somehow turning this http://www.haagendazs.us/Products/Product/3671 haagen dazs + pumpkin bread (or zucchini bread) into THE BEST ice cream sandwich? Please tell me you think that sounds legit as well. It’s not crazy, right?
sheer
I just made these last night! They are soooo delicious! I made them with some girlfriends and well all loved them so much. They are so easy to make but really make the grilled cheese 100 times better.
Xochi
I was craving grilled cheese last night, but I wanted something special and I thought, “Joy will have a recipe I can use.” So I totally ran with this recipe (using what I had) and made a grilled Margarita sandwich with a crispy parmesan crust. It was soooo good! Thanks for the inspiration love.
Rebecca
uuuuuughhh. What. I-must-eat.
You’re amazing!
http://www.dancingthroughsunday.typepad.com
Ashly
Sounds awesome but where do I get canned cherry tomatoes? They aren’t in any grocery store I’ve been in (in Concord, NH). Thanks!
Chaya
This is perfect for dinner today. What a treat.
Ali
I’m hitting the grocery store tonight to make this…looks and sounds soo damn yummy!
Thank you!!
Susan
When I first clicked on this link, I thought it would be one of those time-consuming recipes – but, this is not! So excited to try to make this myself!
– Susan Loves…
Val
ummm – I hate to be the one to break it to you, but ice cream on rye toast is really, really good… just saying.
Chris
OMG this looks amazing!! I do have to say though I wonder what it would taste like if you add in a meat element? Maybe some italian sausage? hmm. I think I will try this out tonight!
Danielle Q.
O. M. G. I love you and want to marry you, even if I already have a husband. . This thing is the bomb dot com! Ask your mom!
mjb
I ate a havarti & broccoli grilled cheese on Saturday and was proud of myself for how much I was channeling you in that moment.
Jess
I am kinda disappointed this doesn’t have a big old lasagna noodle in it. Never too many carbs!
Elsa
That voice whispering “taco”? Listen to it. If we’re out of tortillas, I sandwich refried beans, cheese, salsa, and any other taco fixings on hand and grill them. Quesawich? Sandadilla? Delicious.
Also resoundingly succcessful: pizzawich. Mozzarella, parmesan, pizza sauce, and your favorite pizza toppings, all smashed between bread and grilled. Fantastic, especially when the weather is too warm to crank the oven for properly fired pizza.
Jenna
This is GENIUS! Can’t wait to try it.
dorothy
yummmmmmmmmmmm!!! looks like i’m going to be making these this weekend too, along with the lemon waffles :)
my lifestyle blog – shegoeswear.com
xx
Tammy
This is hands down, one of the most genius, amazing things I have ever seen.
Tammy
Angelique
I can’t even with this. This is tooooo good!!!
Renee @ Tortillas and Honey
Wow…. this looks amazing. Now I can have the taste of lasagna any day without having to make a WHOLE pan! ;-) Love this.
Alison
I made this as an open-faced sandwich and it was delicious. We were groaning with happiness while we ate them. I now have a new love for ricotta cheese.
Kevin @ Closet Cooking
Now that is a grilled cheese that eats like a meal!
Chelsea Preedy
Joy! I just love grilled cheese. When I was growing up, my brother and I would pretend to be “real chefs”. We would get anything out of our fridge that looked tasty and load it up on a grilled cheese. Man, that was so fun. This post reminded me that even with a simple meal like grilled cheese, you really can get creative. Thanks for sharing!
Rochelle Ramos
Oh my! I need this in my life. I now know what is going on my grocery list and what’s getting harvested from my garden for lunch sometime this week :)
Mariska - Salt & Sugar
O MY GOD. This looks so delicious, it’s incredible. Defenitely going to try this!
Lauren
This is happening. Tonight!
Caroline
Drooling. I think I ought to give up on planning ahead more than 2 meals – every time I see something you, Joy, SK, or Cozy Kitchen post I want to scrap all my plans and million billion dollars worth of market finds and make whatever’s on the screen immediately.
axelle the french cook
Sorry, post full of mistakes : PERFECT, FEEL, MY Joy … :)…
joythebaker
i don’t mind mistakes.
axelle the french cook
rrrrrhhhhhhhaaaa, just PERFERCT, JOy, perfect ! I almost fell the taste in mu mouth !… And I don’t, yet. Such an unfair thing !
Elizabeth @ Confessions of a Baking Queen
The juicy tomatoes oozing out covered in all that cheesey goodness, how could you not want to make this a million different ways!! Grilled sandwiches are so delicious. Must try this
Whitney
This looks absolutely amazing. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe. I might even try it out tomorrow. I’ll let you know how it goes! :)
Wendy
YUM!! Made this for dinner tonight, stirring leftover pesto into the ricotta. Move over BLT – a new favorite summer sandwich is in town!
Rebecca
Totally just made this lush sandwich – http://theambitioustraveller.wordpress.com/2013/07/14/lasagna-grilled-cheese/
Maxime
Looks AMAZING! And sounds so yum!
XO
Suheiry
Oh, my. This looks so delicious and easy to make. I’m adding this to my list of recipes to try this summer. AND my list of Monday Links on my blog!
suheiry.blogspot.com
Fay
Sitting at work and reading this makes me immensely hungry. When I finish my night shifts I know what I am having for a wake me up (or maybe send me straight to bed with itis!) breakfast!!! YUMMM!
Miss Kim @ behgopa
Woo..looks so yummy. I love the cheesiness of lasagna.
And btw…certain ice cream (fruit flavored, like strawberry) in between certain types of bread (sikbbang, usually found at a Korean bakery) is actually tasty! Maybe it’s a Korean thing. But ice cream in between bread rocks! But of course, NOT ALL flavors of ice cream nor types of bread apply.
Gina
I’m another supporter of the cookie dough bread thing, but consider cookie butter too. What brand of tomatoes did you use? I have never seen canned that look this good.
Arthur in the Garden!
Me, too! Stuffing, left over veggies, anything can go between to slices of bread and be toasted or grilled.
Calla Nyboer
this looks delicious! my husband && i love to go to the farmer’s market a buy a french loaf. we make french toast, panini’s && now will have to try this beautiful creation. thanks, joy
!http://breakfast4two.blogspot.com/
gayle
made these tonight, substituting one pint roasted grape tomatoes for the canned cherry tomatoes. Tripled recipe to make 6 sandwiches, should have used 2 pts tomatoes. But flavors were intense and wonderful. Bonus was reading the new issue of Bon Appetit while eating and seeing Joy in an ad for Canon cameras!
Heidi - Apples Under My Bed
Let’s sandwich! I love that. To that I say, yes, let’s. So much love for ricotta right here. Keep on this track, it’s goooooood.
Heidi xo
Nessa
This looks like perfection!
Heidi @ Food Doodles
Mmmm, this is a beautiful, beautiful idea! Love the ricotta!
Hannah @ CleanEatingVeggieGirl
Oh em geeee! Yes, please! This is genius!
Tracy | Peanut Butter and Onion
I don’t even know what to say. you have combined my 2 favorite foods
Rocky Mountain Woman
Well that’s certainly going to have to be lunch today because I won’t be able to think of anything else until I make it!
yowsa…
Jamie
omg stop. just stop. this is awesome.
Alaina @ Fabtastic Eats
This is so genius..I looooove lasagna. Doing this.
Aimee
This is genius. Love lasagne , love grilled cheese so I know I’m gonna have to try this :)
Kaycee @ FitFace
cookie dough smooshed between 2 pieces of fried bread sounds like a pretty rad dessert to me! I’d give it a go ;)
Alison Borgas
You have a real talent, making a grilled cheese sandwich sound so exciting… and look so inviting! ;-)
Mallory
Why did I have to look at this link this late at night?! Oh my gosh, I totally want to eat this now. It looks so amazing and delicious. I’m definitely saving this recipe!
Jess
I have a serious dairy allergy and haven’t been able to have cheese for over a year. It’s rough, really rough. Thank you for always providing me with what can only be described as “cheese porn.” I mean that in the least creepy way possible. :)
Sarah
You are a grilled cheese wizard! Also, the mention of ricotta reminds me of a spread that my mom used to make. Pretty sure it was just equal parts ricotta and peanutbutter, with a little honey added for kicks, but man it was good :)
Karen McNutt
How could anyone go wrong with the ingredients listed for the lasagna sandwich? I can’t wait to try this, because I know it’s going to be delicious! What a brilliant idea! You are basically a clever woman with many moments of pure exceptional ideas! I love you!
Stephie @ Eat Your Heart Out
Your comment about cake….made me think…dessert grilled cheese with pound cake instead of bread, some sort of mascarpone situation, maybe some strawberries? If anyone could do this, it’s you.
Laura
This sounds insane. But, like, in the best way possible.
India
Curious where you find canned cherry tomatoes in LA…?
Also, I went to Scoops today (all because of your “things to do in LA”) and I want to go back every day! I have a summer bucklist and one of my things was to do something off that blog post – check, check!
Abby {munchin' mel}
okay. so i might just be obsessed with this sandwich. that’s alright, right?? because, seriously… LASAGNA grilled cheese.
i am making this. as soon as possible.
thanks for the awesome recipe, Joy!!
Kawthar
You posted this on my birthday. Best present that I got.
Anna M
I cannot read your posts after 10…I just get super duper hungry all over again!
Cy
Okay Joy, as usual yummy! But, there are gorgeous tomatoes at the market now! Canned is great for winter when they are sadly, gone. Other than that you are are a genius!
Kiran @ KiranTarun.com
Oh my lordy. This is amazing. Genius, to be precise :D
Brandon
mmmmmmmmm, sounds sooo freakin good. I’m gonna have to try this for sure!
Lin
Oh my this looks and sounds so so good! I would sub Mascarpone for the Ricotta, just because I like it a little better and roasted tomatoes for the cherry tomatoes because I don’t like raw tomatoes. I can’t wait to fix this for my hubs and I! Thank you Joy!
Chess
In that case, you would LOVE this blog. :-)
http://www.grilledcheesesocial.com
Amy Watson Smith
Yum! Thank you for that blog! I will be sending you the bill for my monthly gym membership. Oh wait…I guess I’d actually have to go to the gym. Thanks anyway.
Sue from Pleasanton
Hey, joy, the bread-ice cream thing, untoasted, is done by the Italians who use a rustic peasant bread slathered with lemon curd and topped with vanilla ice cream. When I read the recipe some years ago I just had to try it. It’s totally amazing. Of course, ice cream, and lemon curd are two of my favorite ingredients.
Your lasagna sandwich looks wonderful! Gotta try that. It’s been too d–n hot here, so I haven’t used the oven at all this summer. Your. Solution. Is. Genius.
Amy Watson Smith
OMG! My mouth literally started watering…and I thought–for just a second–that I could actually smell this! I am going to try this as soon as possible–and am pinning it now!
joelle (on a pink typewriter)
Holy moly. I’d love to show this recipe to my very Italian grandma and see what she has to say. ;-) I think she’d be on board.
Kelly
Just when I think that I can’t love your blog more, you do something like this! Much like your podcast says, I think we’d be great friends. If you find yourself in the Seattle area, please let me know and I would be delighted to show you my restaurant and some of my favorite places!
Faith@The Stirring Place
I see it’s been said a few times already…but you ARE indeed, a genius. Now gimme. ;)
Kimby | a little lunch
“Cheesy glue” and big fat slices of bread definitely got my attention. The fact that you accomplished “lasagna” in a grilled cheese is, well… I’ll let your photos speak for themselves. WANT!!!
Laura@ FoodSnobSTL
Now you’ve done it.
Nancy P.@thebittersideofsweet
This is pure genius!
April
oh heaven! I just had a food orgasm! haha! Thanks for sharing and I will definitely be doing this one! Sharing!
Laura (Tutti Dolci)
Um, yes yes yes!
Rachel (De Ma Cuisine)
I heart grilled cheese. I can’t wait to try this!
Monica
OH! MY! How delicious does that sandwich look?! This shoots to the top of my MUST make list.
Ashley @ Wishes and Dishes
Great idea!! I would not be opposed to a dessert grilled sandwich…I’ll eat anything pretty much! haha
dixya| food, pleasure, and health
now i have my name over this – im droooling!!!
sara
OMG. This looks…totally wow! AMAZING! :)
Hannah
Oh yum, this looks so delicious! Lasagna and grilled cheese are two of my husband’s favourite foods ever – he happens to be home with the flu right now and I think I need to make this to cheer him up! :)
Melissa @ Treats With a Twist
Comfort food to the fullest! My fiance would knock me over and run straight into your arms if you made him this ;)
Looks so lovely. You just take the most beautiful photos. I’m always in awe. Can’t wait for the next cookbook!!
Amanda
I just realized I have everything in my fridge to make this sandwich. Can’t wait for lunch now!
Stefanie @ Sarcastic Cooking
Oh man, I sooooo want this right now. I might roast my cherry tomatoes under the broiler for a bit until they burst then put those in this sandwich. Amazing, keep the grilled cheese sandwiches coming!!!
Kathleen
Holy wow, this looks AWESOME!!
Can I order up some kind of Brie sandwich for the near future? :)
Jennifer
Good God woman. I could probably eat 5 of these!
xo Jennifer
http://seekingstyleblog.wordpress.com
Susana
Oh this is a good one! I’m going to my kitchen, I’m taking out the cast iron. It’s on!
Thank you.
Faith @ Pixie Dust Kitchen
Joy I just can’t even with this sandwich. Cheesy goodness upon cheesy goodness. (Ps that ice cream and grilled bread sounds fantastic. Grilled Ice cream sandwiches anyone?)
Carolyn
I think its been said already, but I’m pretty sure you could pull off ice cream squashed between two slices of perfectly slated, buttered, and toasted bread. Stack ’em up! I would eat it.
Charisse
I can only say one thing: YUM!
allie@sweetpotatobites
grilled cheese lasagna? i need to make this stat.
Mallory @forkvsspoon
I LOVE it when you are on a grilled cheese bender…makes my day. There is a restaurant in Cleveland, Ohio called Melt…the whole menu (which are on the back of old record album covers – love) is grilled cheese sandwiches….it’s pretty much the best place on earth…
Aimee @ Simple Bites
Love. You. Off to the garden for harvest the tomatoes and basil for this!!
Annie @ Annie's City Kitchen
That slathered ricotta is just killing me right now. I need it in my face asap.
Pooja
Grilled cheese = great. Lasagna = great. Grilled cheese lasagna = AMAZING!!! Genius idea!
Abby @ The Frosted Vegan
Sandwich mind BLOWN. Just stop that business!
Tracey
You are a goddess!
Adam Mankoski
I have tried smashing almost everything between two slices of bread in my Panini grill, but this is like sandwich porn!! Thanks. Having it tonight.
Robyn Stone | Add a Pinch
Looks divine!!! Want one!!!
Mary @ The Kitchen Paper
This looks damn good! Now I want a grilled cheese (for breakfast? Is that allowed?). I’d be pretty curious to see what a taco sandwich looks like :)
Ash-foodfashionparty
I might be making this too often, you’ve made the favorite easy. Genius idea.
Kasey
I want this in and around my face. Seriously.
Question: Does the ricotta get at all runny, or did you strain it first? I’ve always heard/read to strain it to remove excess liquid, or is this just something fancy people do? Are you fancy too?
Happy Thursday, Joy!
erin @hooleywithaz
i hate lasagna (please don’t ban me from your blog!), but this looks amazing. you are my one stop shop when i need grilled sandwich inspiration btw. i may even call you a guru.
Andj
Oooohhh definitely making this melty sandwich over the weekend. Also, I plan to use sandwich as a verb going forward. As in, I can’t wait to taco sandwich.
Becca From Cookie Jar Treats
Oh my. This looks really awesome and messy and delicious! What else are you going to come up with?
Erin @ The Spiffy Cookie
Oh yes! All I need is bread and I’m ready to make this sucker. Why do I never own bread?
Lynda
canned cherry tomatoes? I have never run across those! The only change I would make is to roast fresh cherry tomatoes with olive oil, salt, pepper and fresh thyme and use those instead. This looks amazing! Yum!!
Tieghan
LOVE this so much!!
Jeanna
Don’t knock the ice cream & bread idea! Someone in Thailand must have caught wind about a dessert called – the ice cream sandwich & ran with it. A few scoops of coconut ice cream between two slices of white bread & a drizzle of sweetened condensed milk. The sweetest women in the world sell it walking down the street, Thais love it & I can’t say I hate it either.
Vickie
mmm, that gilled cheese is making me hungry – not a good idea at bed time!
Audrey Brown
Whoa!
I’ve been racking my brain for a week trying to think of something yummy to stuff a calzone with. This is the answer!!!
Thanks! :)
Cristina
Joy, you’re a genius. And I totally think you SHOULD try out a cookie dough sandwich for us!
Katrina @ Warm Vanilla Sugar
this looks sooooo good, joy!! Love the ricotta in there!
Quinn Cooper
YUM!
This looks amazing!
Such a great idea, so much cheese. Love anything with mounds of cheese, I mean who doesn’t, right?
Awesome recipe.
xo Quinn
Quinn Cooper Style
Kerry @ Kerry Cooks
Yum! You should definitely put cookie dough between toasted bread – Lindsay does it with french toast in her cookie dough cookbook. I haven’t been brave enough to try it yet!
brooke
oh my dear.. my husband loves a good grilled cheese sandwich.. he is a vegetarian, and if it involve any sort of cheese, he is on it like white on rice! i think to punch it up a bit, i would probably add eggplant cutlets so i can turn this grilled cheese sandwich of yours into his favorite dish..
EGGPLANT PARM <3
joythebaker
eggplant!?!? mindblown!
Candice @ The Savory and The Beautiful
Omg i have all these ingredients at home and it’s 7:34 am….I’ll say Joy The Baker made me do it!
bakerkat
My kind of comfort food
Charlotte
I went to a restaurant recently where they were offering cheesecake grilled sandwiches on the dessert menu
Patri
Mmmmm… yummyness galore!!!! I think that’s what I’ll have for dinner tonight :)
Lucia
This is absolutely gorgeous. Comfort food in a sandwich. Without the oven. Summerish.
Lucy
Best recipe ever. I can’t wait to try it.
Pauline
I’m so hungry now!! This is so simple yet, it seems to be so delicious!!
ash
HEY don’t knock ice cream and bread (: Over here, we’ve got local push carts that sell mini scoops of multi-flavoured ice cream (usually chocolate, strawberry, vanilla and sweet corn for each scoop) encased in large slices of pastel coloured, soft white bread. Sooooooo satisfying.
Rebecca @ http://theambitioustraveller.wordpress.com/
This looks amazing!!!!
Nori
shut. up.
i want to eat my screen!
Ellen
It should be a crime to put something that tantalizing in my face when it is too late to go to the store.
Or maybe it should just be a crime that my home has no bread and cheese right now. Yeah, that’s the real crime.
Julia
Yummo, one of my favourite things on a toastie (thats what we call a grilled cheese in New Zealand) is Avocado, cheese and black pepper :)
Rachel
Oh this is so happening. a) because it looks delicious. and b) because mozzarella and ricotta are two cheeses I can actually eat; usually I can’t er grilled cheese.
In other news, cookie dough between bread? Stuffed French Toast. Just saying.
Jenna
I too think you should reconsider your stance on the dessert toasted sandwich – some toasted brioche with roasted strawberries & ricotta (or creme fraiche, mmm) perhaps? Or banana & chocolate chips in a toasted bagel sandwich with some vanilla icecream added in at the end? So many delicious options! You can have a lasagna grilled cheese followed by a dessert toasted sandwich for the perfect meal. Man, I’m so hungry now!
meg
omg. omg. omg. keep making the grilled cheese! awesomeness
Averie @ Averie Cooks
Wow – now THAT’S a sandwich! I love the little tomatoes and the gorgeous seedy loaf to begin with – and the cheese can only make it even better!
Sarah
It’s like a grilled cheese, but also a lasagna, so I guess you win the Internet?
Nicole
I’m here to second the cookie dough idea. This one looks so good, I make a similar sandwich (ok, maybe not similar at all) with fromage blanc, strawberries, basil, and balsamic.
Renee @ Awesome on $20
I’ve been trying to talk my husband into doing a series called “Things English People Put Between Two Slices of Bread.” It’s astonishing. Accompanied by a glossary of all the different words they use for sandwich in Northern England. I hope I can make this happen. It won’t be as beautiful as this sandwich, though.
Michael
Lasagna is one of my favorite dishes, but this dish is next level. I’m very excited to try and make it the same way. Cheers
Jennifer
Y.E.S. to all of that, right there. YUM!
violeta
cookie dough in between grilled bread sounds good to me too!
and you won’t put ice cream in between grilled bread?! come on!!! ice cream sandwiches are like one of the best things ever!