Meatball Smash Grilled Cheese

By
MacKenzie Smith
MacKenzie Smith
Recipe developer, food stylist, author, and teacher with a passion for sandwiches. She's behind the popular blog Grilled Cheese Social.
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Updated on 07/28/21
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Meatball Smash Grilled Cheese with Pesto, Spaghetti and Marinara Grilled Cheese Social
Prep: 5 mins
Cook: 10 mins
Total: 15 mins
Serving: 1 serving
Yield: 1 sandwich
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
970 Calories
63g Fat
56g Carbs
45g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 1
Amount per serving
Calories 970
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 63g 81%
Saturated Fat 27g 135%
Cholesterol 169mg 56%
Sodium 1853mg 81%
Total Carbohydrate 56g 20%
Dietary Fiber 5g 19%
Total Sugars 10g
Protein 45g
Vitamin C 2mg 9%
Calcium 689mg 53%
Iron 6mg 31%
Potassium 615mg 13%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Spaghetti and meatballs is a classic dish, no doubt. Pretty much everyone loves it, but have you ever thought about making it into a grilled cheese sandwich? Probably not. We know, it's unusual. But after some experimentation, we discovered that turning this dish into a sandwich is totally awesome. It's crispy, garlicky, cheesy, and rich—basically, everything that is good in the world. This recipe calls for pre-made ingredients (or leftovers, if you will), but you could totally make this from scratch, and we're sure it would be even better.

Ingredients

  • 3 ounces mozzarella

  • 2 slices wheat or sourdough bread

  • 1/4 cup cooked spaghetti, al dente

  • 1 tablespoon marinara sauce

  • 3 to 4 small cooked meatballs

  • 1 tablespoon pesto

  • 1/2 tablespoon Parmesan cheese

  • 1 clove garlic

  • 2 teaspoons salted butter

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. Begin by adding half of the mozzarella onto one slice of bread. Then add the cooked spaghetti, marinara sauce, meatballs, pesto, Parmesan, and the rest of the mozzarella. Carefully top with the other slice of bread and set aside. 

  3. In a small pan or on a panini press, turn the heat to medium and add the butter, which will bubble up. Once the bubbles begin to fade away, add the sandwich and cook for a few minutes on each side until both are equally golden and brown.

  4. Once the cheese has melted and the crust has become completely crusty, rub the sandwich's exterior with the garlic clove like you would with bruschetta. Let the sandwich sit for a minute until the cheese has thickened up so it doesn't ooze out when you cut into it.

  5. Enjoy!

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