Feta Grilled Cheese Sandwich with Spinach

You can whip up this sandwich in under 20 minutes and serve it for lunch, dinner, and virtually any other special occasion that’s coming up. Serve it on its own, with a fresh salad or with a bowl of rice tomato soup.

You can't miss out on this mouthwatering feta grilled cheese sandwich! A sprinkle of oregano, a dash of chili flakes, and a touch of honey make it an irresistible experience you won't want to miss.

Can You Make Grilled Cheese With Feta?

Yes, you can!  Feta is a tangy, crumbly cheese that adds a unique twist to the traditional grilled cheese sandwich. 

However, it's important to note that feta cheese doesn't melt as smoothly as other cheeses like cheddar, mozzarella, or Swiss. 

So we recommend that you combine feta cheese with a more melting cheese (such as cheddar, as in our recipe) to ensure a gooey texture in your sandwich. The combination of feta and another cheese not only improves the meltability but also creates a delightful blend of flavors.

Why You Will Love This Recipe

This spinach grilled cheese with feta is one of our all-time favorite quick lunches, and here's why it will become your go-to choice as well:

1. Tasty mix: Spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, and feta make a yummy combo. Oregano and chili flakes add extra flavor.
2. Great textures: Gooey feta, melting cheddar, and crispy bread make it enjoyable to eat.
3. Easy to make: This sandwich is simple and quick to prepare, perfect for any lunch.
4. Make it your own: Add your favorite herbs or spices, or even some honey, to customize it.

Ingredients & Substitutions

Before learning the easy preparation, let's explore the key ingredients in this recipe, their roles, and possible alternatives to help you make the perfect feta grilled cheese.

• Olive oil: We use it to sauté the spinach. You can use other oils like avocado or grapeseed oil.
• Spinach: We use fresh spinach. Its mild flavor complements other ingredients. You can use baby spinach or frozen spinach.
• Sun-dried tomatoes: They bring a tangy, slightly sweet taste and chewy texture. Make sure you buy sun-dried tomatoes in oil. If you have sun-dried tomato sauce on hand, it would be amazing in this sandwich. You can use fresh tomatoes too but they don't have the same flavor or texture. And as they are quite juicy, it is a good idea to dry the fresh tomato slices with some paper towels before placing them in your sandwich. Alternatively, you can use roasted red peppers.
• Greek Feta cheese: Its salty and tangy flavor adds a distinctive Mediterranean touch. You can buy a block or crumbled feta cheese. Check out our guides on What Is Feta Cheese and How To Store Feta Cheese. 
• Cheddar cheese: It adds a creamy, melting texture and a rich, slightly sharp taste. You can use mozzarella cheese, Havarti, Gouda, Monterey Jack, or Muenster cheese for a milder flavor.
• Bread: We use sourdough bread because we love its tangy taste and chewy texture. Plus, it holds up well to grilling. You can use whole grain, rye, or ciabatta bread too. Even pita bread works fine, but the texture won't be the same.
• Spices: We use oregano and chili flakes (red pepper flakes) for another layer of richness. You can substitute thyme, basil or za'atar for oregano and cayenne pepper for chili flakes.
• Butter: We use it on the outer sides of the sandwich bread. It adds a rich, savory flavor and helps create a crispy, golden-brown crust when grilling. If you want, you can mix it with a little grated parmesan cheese. Spread this mixture on the outer side of bread slices to turn it into a parmesan crust sandwich. If you don't want butter, brush the bread with extra virgin olive oil instead.

Optional Add-Ins

You can enhance the flavor and texture of your feta grilled cheese sandwich, adding a personal touch and making it even more delicious. Here are our suggestions:

• Honey: A light drizzle of honey over the finished sandwich provides a touch of sweetness, contrasting beautifully with the tangy and savory flavors of the sandwich. 
• Garlic or onions: Consider adding minced garlic or diced onions to the pan before adding the spinach leaves. Cook them until soft and then add the spinach. This addition will give extra flavor and aroma the overall taste of the sandwich.
• Olives: Chopped Kalamata or green olives can be added to the sandwich filling. This adds an extra layer of flavor.
• Pesto: Spread a thin layer of pesto on the bread slices before assembling the sandwich. It adds a rich taste and a moist texture.
• Egg: Including a fried or scrambled egg in the sandwich if you want to add a protein boost. This addition makes the feta sandwich more filling.

Step-By-Step Instructions

Here's a detailed breakdown of the instructions for making the grilled cheese with feta:

Prepare the spinach:

Heat olive oil in a non-stick pan and sauté the spinach for 5-6 minutes, or until wilted. Once wilted, sprinkle it with salt (and black pepper if you want), give it a quick stir, and transfer the cooked spinach onto a plate.

Afterward, clean the pan with a paper towel to prepare it for assembling the sandwich.

Prepare the bread: 

For each slice of bread, spread butter on one side. This buttered side will be in contact with the pan while cooking, resulting in a crispy, golden-brown crust.

Assemble the sandwich: 

1. Place two slices of bread, butter side down, in a nonstick skillet. On each slice, arrange chopped sun-dried tomatoes, pressing them gently with a spoon to ensure they stick to the bread.
2. Then, add half of the crumbled feta cheese, half of the shredded cheddar, and cooked spinach on top.
3. Follow this by adding the remaining feta and cheddar cheese, and finally, sprinkle oregano and chili flakes over the filling.
4. Complete the sandwich by placing the second slice of bread on top, butter side up.

Cook the sandwich: 

Put the pan over medium heat and cook the sandwich for about 5 minutes, or until the bottom side turns golden brown.

Carefully flip the sandwiches and cook the other side for an additional 5 minutes, or until the bread is nicely toasted and the cheese inside becomes gooey. 

Serve: 

Sprinkle thyme or oregano and red pepper flakes on each sandwich, optionally drizzle a little honey on top, and serve immediately.

Can I Cook It In The Oven?

Yes, you can easily make this feta cheese toastie in the oven.

Preheat your oven to 390 ºF (200 ⁰C). Pre-toast your bread slices in a skillet.

Assemble your sandwich as you usually would. Then, wrap the entire grilled cheese in parchment paper. The wrapping should be quite tight to ensure the cheeses melt and everything in the sandwich merges together.

Place the packed sandwich in the preheated oven and leave it to bake for roughly 15-20 minutes or until the cheese is completely melted and soft.

What To Serve It With

You can pair this spinach grilled cheese with a variety of dishes. Here are some of our suggestions:

Soup: Pair your sandwich with a bowl of soup, such as roasted tomato soup, Turkish tomato soup or carrot tomato soup. You will end up with a comforting and satisfying meal.

Salad: Serve the sandwich alongside a fresh, crisp salad to add a refreshing, light touch to the meal. Check out our fig and goat cheese salad or Turkish shepherds salad.

Pickles: The acidity of the pickles helps to balance the richness of the sandwich. Check out our pickled cabbage recipe and quick beet pickles.

Coleslaw: A side of homemade yoghurt coleslaw, made from shredded cabbage, carrots, and a tangy dressing, can provide a refreshing, crunchy contrast to the warm, melty cheese sandwich.

FAQs

Other Recipes With Feta Cheese

• Turkish Börek
• Sigara Börek
• Gözleme
• Haydari Meze
• Pogaça
• Su Boregi
• Feta Stuffed Peppers

Other Sandwich Recipes

• Grilled Cheese In Air Fryer
• French Toast Sandwich

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