Pepperoni Pizza Grilled Cheese Recipe
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There's no wrong time for pizza, and if you're craving the rich, cheesy flavor of pepperoni pizza but don't feel like ordering takeout, this grilled cheese is for you. Whether it's a late-night bite or quick weekday lunch, this pepperoni pizza grilled cheese hits all the right notes — crispy, melty, meaty, and saucy. It combines the best parts of a classic grilled cheese and your favorite slice in one easy-to-grab sandwich.
Recipe developer Katie Rosenhouse calls this recipe "over-the-top delicious," and it's easy to see why. Cooking the pepperoni before building the sandwich leaves the pan with a layer of pepperoni grease, soaked up by the bread while toasting the sandwich. The result is a golden, crispy exterior on the grilled cheese and a gooey, pizza-inspired center that's incredibly satisfying and a fun mashup of two comfort food classics. Enjoy this sandwich for lunch, or pair with a side salad for a light dinner. No matter how or when you enjoy a pepperoni pizza grilled cheese, it's a guaranteed crowd-pleaser.
Gather the ingredients for pepperoni pizza grilled cheese
To make pepperoni pizza grilled cheese, you'll need to prepare a few key components. First up is garlic butter, which coats the bread and adds a rich, garlic bread-like finish to the grilled cheese. It's made with salted butter, garlic powder, and black pepper, but you can swap in unsalted melted butter if needed (add a sprinkle of extra salt), or substitute the entire mixture with mayonnaise if that's your favorite way to prepare grilled cheese. For deeper flavor, you can use roasted garlic in the place of garlic powder.
For the pizza sauce, Rosenhouse whips up a quick, no-cook sauce with canned crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, kosher salt, and Italian seasoning. Feel free to add a pinch of sugar to round out the flavors, if desired.
Use block mozzarella for the best melt and coverage, slicing it yourself for an even, gooey texture. Thick-cut bread is ideal here — sturdy enough to hold up to all the hearty fillings. Crispy pepperoni, a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese, and fresh basil finishes off the sandwich with a classic pizzeria touch.
Step 1: Prepare garlic butter
In a small bowl, whisk to combine melted butter, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, and ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper. Set aside.
Step 2: Mix tomato sauce
In a medium bowl, whisk to combine crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, kosher salt, Italian seasoning, remaining ½ teaspoon garlic powder and ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper, and sugar, if using. Portion ¾ cup tomato sauce into a storage container for another purpose.
Step 3: Slice mozzarella
Use a serrated knife to thinly slice mozzarella.
Step 4: Heat the pan
Heat a nonstick pan over low heat.
Step 5: Cook the pepperoni
Add pepperoni to pan in a single layer and cook until heated through and beginning to crisp along the edges.
Step 6: Transfer pepperoni to a bowl
Transfer pepperoni to a bowl or ramekin, reserving grease in pan.
Step 7: Coat bread in garlic butter
Brush two slices of bread with half of the butter mixture.
Step 8: Add bread to pan
Add bread slices to pan over low heat, butter side down.
Step 9: Coat bread in tomato sauce
Top each slice with sauce, using half of the remaining tomato sauce.
Step 10: Sprinkle on the Parmesan cheese
Sprinkle slices with half of the Parmesan cheese.
Step 11: Add pepperoni
Top each slice with pepperoni.
Step 12: Add mozzarella
Top each slice with mozzarella cheese.
Step 13: Top with sauce and Parmesan
Top evenly with remaining tomato sauce and Parmesan.
Step 14: Top with remaining bread
Place remaining bread slices on top and brush with remaining garlic-butter.
Step 15: Flip the sandwiches
Check to see that the bottom slice has become golden brown, and flip.
Step 16: Cover and cook the sandwiches
Cover the pan and cook until the new bottom slice has become crisp and golden, and the mozzarella cheese is melted.
Step 17: Tuck basil under the bread
Lift up top slices of bread and tuck fresh basil leaves into each sandwich.
Step 18: Slice the grilled cheese sandwiches in half
Transfer to a cutting board and cut each grilled cheese sandwich in half.
Step 19: Serve the pepperoni pizza grilled cheese sandwiches
Serve the pepperoni pizza grilled cheese immediately, garnished with additional basil if desired.
Pairs well with pepperoni pizza grilled cheese
Pepperoni Pizza Grilled Cheese Recipe
Combine two comfort classics - grilled cheese and pepperoni pizza - in this gooey, melty, and ultra-savory sandwich recipe.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons salted butter, melted
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder, divided
- ¼ + ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper, divided
- 1 (15-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¾ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 8 ounces low-moisture whole milk mozzarella
- 16 slices pepperoni
- 4 slices thick-cut bread (Italian, sourdough, or preferred type)
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 8 fresh basil leaves, plus more as garnish
Optional Ingredients
- ½ teaspoon granulated sugar
Directions
- In a small bowl, whisk to combine melted butter, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, and ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk to combine crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, kosher salt, Italian seasoning, remaining ½ teaspoon garlic powder and ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper, and sugar, if using. Portion ¾ cup tomato sauce into a storage container for another purpose.
- Use a serrated knife to thinly slice mozzarella.
- Heat a nonstick pan over low heat.
- Add pepperoni to pan in a single layer and cook until heated through and beginning to crisp along the edges.
- Transfer pepperoni to a bowl or ramekin, reserving grease in pan.
- Brush two slices of bread with half of the butter mixture.
- Add bread slices to pan over low heat, butter side down.
- Top each slice with sauce, using half of the remaining tomato sauce.
- Sprinkle slices with half of the Parmesan cheese.
- Top each slice with pepperoni.
- Top each slice with mozzarella cheese.
- Top evenly with remaining tomato sauce and Parmesan.
- Place remaining bread slices on top and brush with remaining garlic-butter.
- Check to see that the bottom slice has become golden brown, and flip.
- Cover the pan and cook until the new bottom slice has become crisp and golden, and the mozzarella cheese is melted.
- Lift up top slices of bread and tuck fresh basil leaves into each sandwich.
- Transfer to a cutting board and cut each grilled cheese sandwich in half.
- Serve the pepperoni pizza grilled cheese immediately, garnished with additional basil if desired.
Nutrition
| Calories per Serving | 910 |
| Total Fat | 57.9 g |
| Saturated Fat | 32.9 g |
| Trans Fat | 1.0 g |
| Cholesterol | 163.5 mg |
| Total Carbohydrates | 55.6 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 8.9 g |
| Total Sugars | 15.7 g |
| Sodium | 2,021.8 mg |
| Protein | 46.7 g |
How can I change up this pizza grilled cheese recipe?
Everyone has a favorite slice, and to make this sandwich truly your own, consider some simple ingredient swaps and additions. To start with, if you're short on time, you can use plain melted butter or mayonnaise to coat the bread in the place of the garlic butter. Store-bought pizza sauce also works well in a pinch. While pre-shredded mozzarella cheese is convenient and we wouldn't fault you for grabbing some, slicing your own from a block offers more even coverage and a better melt, so we do recommend sticking with the whole block.
If you don't eat pepperoni, skip it entirely or mix and match toppings to suit everyone's taste. Roasted red peppers, sauteed mushrooms, spinach, cooked sausage, bell peppers, onions, black olives, mini meatballs, roasted eggplant, and more can all make delicious toppings.
You can also change up the bread depending on what you have on hand or the types you prefer. Thick-cut Italian, sourdough, ciabatta, or focaccia all work beautifully. Just avoid thin sandwich breads, which won't hold up under all those hearty pizza-inspired fillings.
What are tips for making perfect grilled cheese every time?
There's nothing more satisfying than a perfectly-made grilled cheese with a crisp, golden exterior and molten, gooey center. For the most irresistible melt every time, there are some key tips to keep in mind. One of the most important is to choose the right bread. We've all grabbed whatever bread we have on hand to whip up a quick grilled cheese for lunch, but opting for a sturdy, thick-cut bread like sourdough, country white, or brioche will result in a better quality grilled cheese than soft, thin sandwich bread, which can flatten, get soggy, or otherwise fall apart.
Opt for melty cheeses like cheddar, fontina, Gruyère, Havarti, mozzarella, or American cheese. For deeper flavor and an even creamier texture, try mixing two of your favorites together.
Whether you're team mayonnaise or butter, make sure to coat your bread with one or the other to help promote even browning and crispiness. Keep your heat steady; cook the sandwich low and slow to control the browning of the bread by the time the cheese is properly melted, adjusting the heat as needed to slow or quicken the pace. Cover briefly to help melt the cheese faster without causing the bread to become soggy.