The Scoop
A grilled cheese that is like having fajitas but without the mess.
If you feel that making actual fajitas requires way too many small bowls, infinite cleanup, and a level of coordination most of us don't have on a Tuesday night, this Mexican Grilled Cheese will hit the spot.
You get all the vibrant, cumin-spiced, pan-seared veggie goodness of a Mexican dinner, but it’s completely locked down inside a structural fortress of melted mozzarella and buttered toast. Plus, the addition of chimichurri makes it feel like an artisanal $18 café creation, even if you are just eating it over the sink to avoid washing a plate.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 large red onion, sliced
- 1 teaspoon garlic, minced
- 3 bell peppers, sliced, colors of your choice
- 1 medium zucchini, thinly sliced or ribboned with a peeler
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 8 slices hearty wheat or white bread
- unsalted butter, to taste
- 1/4 cup chimichurri, store-bought or homemade
- 8 slices mozzarella cheese
Directions
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the olive oil.
- Add the onions and the garlic to the hot oil and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Add the bell peppers, the zucchini, the cumin, the salt, and the black pepper and cook until the veggies are softened, about 10 minutes.
- Transfer the skillet from the heat.
- Smear 1 side of each of the bread slices with the butter.
- On a flat griddle pan or skillet, add 1 of the bread slices, buttered-side down.
- On the bread slice on the griddle, layer 1 tablespoon of the chimichurri, 2 slices of the mozzarella cheese, and 3/4 cup of the vegetable mixture.
- Top the layers with 1 slice of the bread, buttered-side up.
- Heat the griddle over medium heat and cook the sandwich until browned on both sides and the cheese is melted, about 2-4 minutes per side.
- Transfer the grilled cheese to a plate.
- Repeat the sandwich making and toasting process with the remaining bread, the remaining chimichurri, the remaining mozzarella, and the remaining vegetable mixture until all of the sandwiches are made.
- Serve hot.
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