Love and Olive Oil

Roasted Broccolini Grilled Cheese

Roasted Broccolini Grilled Cheese

I love nothing more than a good grilled cheese (it’s one of our lunchtime staples), but I oftentimes wish it was more substantial than just a pile of toasted bread and cheese. That’s why adding greens is such a brilliant idea. I mean, it’s really the same general principle as our Brussels Sprout Mac ‘n Cheese: using buttery, melty cheese to enhance an otherwise bitter-tasting green vegetable. Great minds…

This recipe comes from Bountiful: Recipes Inspired by Our Garden by our friends Todd and Diane of WhiteOnRiceCouple.com. From the second I held the book in my hands I was in love, because it truly reflects the way we eat: focus on the fresh fruits and vegetables, with meat (IF there is any) as just an accent.

The book does such a great job at presenting vegetables in new and unique ways that it just might convert even the most ardent veggie-haters. Our neighbor, who is always quick to gobble up our desserts but typically gives our dinner choices the side-eye, flipped through this book, exclaiming, “I’d eat that!” on just about every recipe. Granted, it still might take a bit of convincing to get him to eat this sandwich (broccoli is, perhaps, his arch-nemesis), but recipes like Creamed Haricots Verts with Toasted Almonds and Seared Ginger Carrots with Thyme and Shallots would be a good start.

Baby steps, right?

Broccolini Stalsks

Rather than broccoli as called for in the original recipe, we used broccolini (often called baby broccoli, it’s a hybrid between regular and Chinese broccoli). The stalks and florets are more tender and, while we only used the florets here, don’t waste the stalks: slice them up and roast them too.

Sweet Valley Farm Buttermilk Cheddar

I’d been looking for the perfect excuse to use this special cheese: Buttermilk cheddar from local Sweet Valley Farm. It’s the secret ingredient in the Buttermilk Cheddar Mac and Cheese at Silo that I so totally failed to recreate. Turns out adding buttermilk to mac and cheese is a quick way to make a horribly chunky mess.

But the buttermilk cheddar, on the other hand, is delightful in every sense of the word. It’s a mild white cheddar with a perfect melting consistency for the ultimate grilled cheese.

"Bountiful" Cookbook by Todd Porter and Diane Cu

Pictures do not do this book justice. It’s a cookbook and coffee table book in one, as large and substantial in size as it is in content. If I had had a stack of post-its handy when I flipped through it the first time, it’d look like a forest of pale yellow sticking out of the pages. We’ve already made two recipes from the book, including a baked potato topped with goat cheese creamed swiss chard (WHAT?) and have plans to, more or less, cook our way through the entire thing.

But seriously, you want to own a copy of this book. Be sure to click through for the recipe and a chance to win just that!

Roasted Broccolini Grilled Cheese

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Ingredients:

  • Florets from 1 bunch broccolini or broccoli (about 1/2 pound), chopped into bite-sized pieces
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
  • Unsalted butter, softened
  • 6 to 8 slices bread
  • 1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded or thinly sliced

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
  2. On a sheet pan, toss broccolini with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Roast for 6 to 8 minutes (slightly longer if using regular broccoli), or until tender and vibrant green. Remove from oven and let cool slightly.
  3. Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium heat.
  4. Assemble sandwiches by layering cheese, roasted broccolini, and more cheese on slices of bread. Using two layers of cheese with the broccolini in the middle will keep the small pieces in place as the cheese melts. Top each sandwich with another slice of bread, then generously butter top of sandwich.
  5. Arrange sandwiches in skillet, buttered side down. Generously spread remaining butter on other side of sandwiches now on top. Toast sandwiches, flipping once, until the cheese is melted and the bread is golden brown and crispy, about 3 to 4 minutes per side.

Recipe from Bountiful: Recipes Inspired by Our Garden by WhiteOnRiceCouple.com.

All images and text © / Love & Olive Oil

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314 Comments

  1. I subscribe too!

  2. I think my favorite is mozzarella and sun dried tomato pesto.  Not very exciting, but delicious.  

  3. I love cream cheese, jalapeños, and cheddar!

  4. My absolutely favorite is a double decker grilled cheese made with chorizo, jalapeno jack cheese, caramelized onions, and roasted tomatoes. YUM!!

  5. Grilled cheese with a balsamic reduction and butternut squash!

  6. I’m following both on Pinterest (kendall608)

  7. I am also an email subscriber! 

  8. I’m already subscribing!
    kendall608(at)aol(dot)com

  9. My Favorite things on a grilled cheese include some sort of sweet element (basalmic onions or figs) and  then a salty cheese. I love sweet and salty combos! Also I ten to be a purist and don’t like my toppings to out weigh the cheese because then you start getting into the panini zone. 

  10. Recently made a delicious umami concoction of charred brussel sprouts, gorgonzola and cheddar between rudi’s double fiber wheat. :D

  11. I just recently found a recipe for grilled cheese with pulled pork, mac and cheese, and cheddar and it’s SO good. As far as a more “normal” grilled cheese goes I like it gruyere with pesto and spinach on a multigrain bread. 

    Pinterest- tricia329

  12. i’m a pinterest follower.  mei55

  13. i’m an email subscriber!

  14. i love grilled cheese with some smoked onion jam.  delicious!

  15. I follow you by e mail

  16. MY favorite grilled cheese, is pepperjack, pulled pork, roasted tomatoes, and colbyjack cheese. What makes the difference is yes, the pulled pork, but really getting the best crisp sear and melt from creating this melted masterpiece in a cast iron skillet!

  17. I follow you both on Pinterest as lemonslush!

  18. I love caprese-style grilled cheese, with fresh basil, a mix of fresh and sundried tomatoes, mozzarella and a little pesto.

  19. I have subscribed to Love and Olive Oil!

  20. My favorite grilled cheese so far is using muenster as the cheese. Gooey and delicious!

  21. I’m following both and my Pinterest name is Stephonie6!

  22. Grilled cheese with dulse seaweed inside! Salty and delicious!

  23. I follow you thru Bloglovin.

  24. I love making grilled cheese with great bread, goat cheese, arugula, and beets!

  25. I love grilled cheese sandwiches made with green apple slices, apple butter, and brie!

  26. Grilled cheese with ham and tomatoes — I know not very inventive!

  27. I can’t get enough of cherry tomatoes and basil in my grilled cheese sandwiches!

  28. I love toasted cheese with aged white cheddar and sauteed onions and mushrooms on pumpernickel or old school like my mom made was I was a kid with just two slices of american cheese on white bread with no crust please :)

  29. It isn’t “unique,” but my favorite grilled cheese mix-up is adding some fresh tomato. Mmmm. Nothing better than that!

  30. Following both on TWITTER and tweeted about the contest.  Username: soycube.

  31. Sometimes I like apricot jam on my grilled cheese! Or pesto!

  32. And Pinterest! : )

  33. And follow you and White on Rice on Twitter!

  34. I love to make a hybrid BLT/grilled cheese with mashed avocado. Melted cheese goes with everything!

  35. Also: I subscribe to Love & Olive Oil!

  36. I can’t think of a grilled cheese I haven’t liked, but the one that sounds especially good to me most often is sourdough bread + raw cheddar + sliced stone fruit (peaches, pluots, etc.), probably with some honey and fresh basil thrown in. And salt on top!

  37. I subscribe to your newsletter

  38. I follow you on pinterest.

    MareeSperle

  39. I’m following both on Pinterest. Username: soycube.

  40. My favorite grilled cheese sandwich is fig jam spread on the bread, turkey slices, thin pear slices and provolone cheese.

  41. Is it still a grilled cheese if it involves fried egg? If so, that. If not… spinach and muenster and sharp mustard and apples!

  42. I’m following Love & Olive Oil and White On Rice Couple on Pinterest! My username is luckybakes

  43. I’m also a follower on Pinterest :) And another fave combo happens to be rye bread with cheddar and apples! 

    [email protected]

  44. I also followed on Twitter and tweeted about the giveaway!

    [email protected]

  45. The last grilled cheese I made was with provolone, mozzarella, mushrooms, and spinach, and I used olive oil instead of butter for grilling the bread. I’m sure some purists might totally denounce using olive oil instead of butter, but it’s a great change to try from time to time! 

  46. I’ve actually been planning a grilled cheese party so a bunch of combos have been swirling around in my head — a go-to fave though is sourdough with brie and sliced pears — perfect for fall!

    [email protected]

  47. My fave is Kimchi grilled cheese!

  48. Subscribed to the newsletter!

  49. My perrenial favorite grilled cheese includes a healthy smear of good pesto. Mmmmm…

  50. Whole Foods used to have a muesli bread, which was dark and covered in nuts and seeds and was so delicious. It was *perfect* for grilled cheese with fresh mozzarella and soup. Thank you for the giveaway!

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