Café Zupas ultimate grilled cheese is my new go-to easy lunch or
dinner.
The secret? Pesto from the refrigerated section, not the pasta aisle.
inspiration
Café Zupas is one of my favorite chains. It’s only in a handful of (seemingly random) states, and serves soups, salads, sandwiches, and “crème brulee” that’s really just mousse. I have a lot of good memories here: lunches with my mom; stopping there with my best friend on the way back from a show or a shopping trip; meeting my biological aunt there to reconnect with that side of the family.
I have a few staple orders I switch between, and the Ultimate Grilled Cheese is often one of them. It’s loaded with cheddar and muenster cheeses, tomatoes, and pesto mayonnaise. That’s it!
Why I love this recipe
Listen, there is some kind of magic in this sandwich. It’s not that many ingredients, it’s not especially interesting or complicated or groundbreaking. But that’s kind of the beauty of it. It’s just a slightly elevated version of a classic grilled cheese, which is always an easy and reliable dinner. I like the addition of fresh tomatoes and herby pesto here; it makes you feel like you put a little bit of effort in even though, really, you didn’t. You can also make the whole thing in the oven, which I love for ease.
details
I’m going to assume you’ve made a grilled cheese before, but bear with me anyway. First, you’ll butter two slices of sandwich bread. Lay one on a baking sheet, butter side down, and slather it with pesto and mayonnaise. I’m not going to give you specific measurements here—follow your heart. Be generous, but don’t overdo it. Then layer one or two slices each of medium cheddar and muenster cheeses and the fresh tomatoes. Slather more pesto mayo on the unbuttered side of the other piece of bread, and lay it on top of the sandwich, butter side up.
Bake it in the oven at 450 F for 5-6 minutes on each side.
Here are a few tips:
- Use a light baking sheet if you have one. You can use a dark one, too, but check on the sandwich after 3-4 minutes to make sure it doesn’t burn.
- You MUST use the good pesto from the refrigerated section. The little jar in the pasta aisle is fine, but it’s not as garlicky or strong, and it won’t be as good.
- This sandwich will keep for a few days, and even heats up okay. Just heat it up in the oven for 10 minutes at 350.
I hope you like this one as much as I do!
Is this grilled cheese recipe not quite what you’re looking for? Try the easiest sheet pan grilled cheese.
ultimate grilled cheese (café zupas copycat)
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat oven to 450 F. Butter two slices ofsandwich bread. Lay one on a baking sheet, butter side down, and slather itwith pesto and mayonnaise. Follow your heart here.
- Layer one or two slices each of medium cheddar and muenster cheeses andthe fresh tomatoes. Salt tomatoes, if you want. Slather more pesto mayo on theunbuttered side of the other piece of bread, and lay it on top of the sandwich,butter side up.
- Bake sandwich for 5-6 minutes on both sides.
Notes
- Use a light baking sheet if you have one. You can use a dark one, too, but check on the sandwich after 3-4 minutes to make sure it doesn’t burn.
- You MUST use the good pesto from the refrigerated section. The little jar in the pasta aisle is fine, but it’s not as garlicky or strong, and it won’t be as good.
- This sandwich will keep for a few days, and even heats up okay. Just heat it up in the oven for 10 minutes at 350.
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