Simple Comfort Food

Greek Salad Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Dax Phillips
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This summer we planted tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, beans, squash, and lettuces, along with herbs and strawberries. It was actually a very good year and we had an abundance of vegetables. As I looked at my counter top this past week, it was loaded with cucumbers and tomatoes, and I knew I had to do something with those. The combination of the two immediately made me think of a classic Greek salad. I have no idea why, but they did, and I am glad they did because I truly love a Greek salad. I love everything about the Greek salad. It’s chunky vegetables, the saltiness from the feta cheese, the olives, oh, those olives, and a bite from red onion, among the sweetness from the cucumbers and tomatoes. To me, it is a perfect salad.

So as I threw the salad together, I let it setup in the refrigerator, and then oops, I forgot about it until the following afternoon.  That was OK as well, because that sparked another idea of mine. How about if I were to transform the salad into a Greek salad grilled cheese sandwich? Yes, I went there to explore, and let me tell you people, that exploration was intense and yielded a phenomenal grilled cheese sandwich, possibly one of my now top five favorites.

Greek Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Let’s get started.

Ingredients for the Greek Salad:

Ingredients for the Sandwich:

Start by making the salad. To a mixing bowl add the cucumber, tomatoes, red bell peppers, onion, olives, and feta cheese. Mix.

To a mason jar, or other covered container add the garlic, lemon juice, salt, pepper, oregano, and olive oil. Cover, and give a good shake until the olive oil emulsifies. Pour over the salad, and give another good mix.

Add a non-stick skillet to the stove on medium heat.  Butter one side of each slice of bread. Add one slice of bread, butter side down onto the skillet.

Add half of the mozzarella cheese onto the bread, then carefully top with the Greek salad. Add the remaining mozzarella cheese to the top, then top with the remaining slice of bread, butter side up.

Now let’s face it, you will get some salad runoff on the skillet, as well as some mozzarella cheese. Don’t sweat the small stuff, just pay attention to not burn the bread!

With that said, gently lift the bottom slice to take a peak and once it is golden brown, carefully flip the sandwich over to cook on the other side. Once it is flipped, I reduce the heat a bit so I do not burn the bread.  I also add a sandwich/bacon weight to the top, just to bring the height. Once the other side is golden brown, you are ready to slice and serve.

Slice in half, and top with a pepperoncini pepper if you are feeling a little naughty. Obviously I was feeling a little naughty, and well, I love those darn peppers.

The light bit of mozzarella held everything together, as you would expect in a great grilled cheese, while retaining a tender, yet crisp vegetables. The saltiness from the ever so slightly melted feta cheese played nicely with the bit of the red onion, plumpness of the tomato, and brininess from the olives.

This was a real winner, and that is no lie. I hope you enjoy.

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Greek Salad Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Course Sandwiches
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 8 minutes
Total Time 28 minutes
Servings 1 -2
Author Dax Phillips

Ingredients

  • Ingredients for the Greek Salad:
  • 1 whole young cucumber peeled, seeds removed, diced
  • 1 whole red bell pepper seeds removed, diced
  • 8 cherry tomatoes quartered
  • 1/4 cup red onion diced
  • 1/4 cup of kalamata olives pits removed, sliced
  • 1/2 cup feta cheese crumbled
  • 1 clove of garlic minced
  • 1/2 tbsp fresh oregano minced
  • 1/4 cup of olive oil
  • 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • pinch of salt
  • pinch of cracked black pepper
  • Ingredients for the Sandwich:
  • 2 slices of quality bread
  • 1 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 1/2 cup of mozzarella cheese shredded
  • 1 cup Greek Salad
  • pepperoncini for garnish

Instructions

  • Start by making the salad. To a mixing bowl add the cucumber, tomatoes, red bell peppers, onion, olives, and feta cheese. Mix.
  • To a mason jar, or other covered container add the garlic, lemon juice, salt, pepper, oregano, and olive oil. Cover, and give a good shake until the olive oil emulsifies. Pour over the salad, and give another good mix.
  • Add a non-stick skillet to the stove on medium heat. Butter one side of each slice of bread. Add one slice of bread, butter side down onto the skillet.
  • Add half of the mozzarella cheese onto the bread, then carefully top with the Greek salad. Add the remaining mozzarella cheese to the top, then top with the remaining slice of bread, butter side up.
  • Now let’s face it, you will get some salad runoff on the skillet, as well as some mozzarella cheese. Don’t sweat the small stuff, just pay attention to not burn the bread!
  • With that said, gently lift the bottom slice to take a peak and once it is golden brown, carefully flip the sandwich over to cook on the other side. Once it is flipped, I reduce the heat a bit so I do not burn the bread. I also add a sandwich/bacon weight to the top, just to bring the height. Once the other side is golden brown, you are ready to slice and serve.
  • Slice in half, and top with a pepperoncini pepper if you are feeling a little naughty. Obviously I was feeling a little naughty, and well, I love those darn peppers.
  • The light bit of mozzarella held everything together, as you would expect in a great grilled cheese, while retaining a tender, yet crisp vegetables. The saltiness from the ever so slightly melted feta cheese played nicely with the bit of the red onion, plumpness of the tomato, and brininess from the olives.
  • This was a real winner, and that is no lie. I hope you enjoy.

 

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