This scrumptious Mediterranean grilled tomato mozzarella sandwich features juicy tomatoes, melted mozzarella, complemented with extra virgin olive oil and rich sun-dried tomatoes. Each bite is a burst of flavor!
Are you craving a grilled cheese sandwich, but want something healthier and tastier? Well, this Mediterranean grilled tomato mozzarella sandwich is exactly what you need.
You start with good whole grain bread, then you brush some olive oil (instead of butter), top with thinly sliced mozzarella, tomatoes and sun-dried tomatoes and you heat it in a pan. In just a few minutes, you have a sandwich that is bursting with flavor, its hearty and its healthy!
This sandwich was inspired by Mediterranean salads that so often feature tomatoes with cheese. Mozzarella is perfect as it melts so beautifully and brings the whole sandwich together.
This a great option for vegetarians as well, with a good amount of protein from the cheese, fiber from the bread and tomatoes, and good fats from the extra virgin olive oil. You can accompany this with a salad for a complete meal.
Mediterranean Grilled Tomato Mozzarella Sandwich Ingredients
- Whole grain bread: This makes a huge difference in terms of health (for any sandwich). Good bread should only have flour, yeast, and salt in it. Processed breads do not brown well and become chewy not crispy.
- Mozzarella: Ideally you want to use fresh mozzarella here. Low moisture will not have the same texture.
- Tomatoes: Try and find tomatoes that have thin skins, so that they blend in well within the sandwich.
- Sun-dried tomatoes: Rinse and pat dry before adding them to the sandwich.
- Red wine vinegar: This gives some tanginess to the sandwich.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil: Make sure it is not old as this will affect the taste of the sandwich.
- Garlic: for rubbing the bread, providing a hint of garlic flavor without it being overwhelming.
- Fresh oregano: I used fresh oregano leaves for some more flavor, you can also use basil.
How to Make Mediterranean Grilled Tomato Mozzarella Sandwich
Technique is key in making the perfect grilled mozzarella and tomato sandwich.
- Start by rubbing the bread with a halved garlic clove and then brush the bread with olive oil, making sure the outer side (the side that touches the pan) is well coated.
- Drizzle some red wine vinegar on the inner side of each slice.
- Layer about 2/3 of the sliced mozzarella, then layer the tomatoes and sprinkle with some kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, drizzle 1 tsp of olive oil over the tomatoes.
- Add a few leaves of fresh oregano and then add the sun-dried tomatoes.
- Finish with 3 thin slices of mozzarella, and cover with the second slice of bread.
- Heat a pan on medium heat and place the sandwich on the pan, cover, and grill for about 3 minutes until the one side becomes golden and crispy. Turn over and press the sandwich with another pan for about 30 seconds. Release and continue to grill for 3 more minutes.
- Remove from pan, slice in half, and let it cool for 2-3 minutes before serving.
Tips for making the best Grilled Tomato Mozzarella Sandwich
- Make sure you coat the bread well with olive oil. By covering the whole slice of bread (including the edges) you will get a crisp and crunchy sandwich. If you don’t cover it well it will be dry and chewy.
- Layer ingredients correctly. Make sure there is cheese on top and on the bottom of the sandwich. When the cheese melts it will hold together the bread and the tomatoes.
- Grill at moderate temperature. Do not turn up the heat too much as this will result in burnt bread and inside you will have unmelted cheese. Be patient.
What to Eat with a Mediterranean Grilled Tomato Mozzarella Sandwich
This sandwich is very hearty, and it is considered 2 servings. You can accompany it with a side salad or vegetable dish. Here are some of my favorite salad options:
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Mediterranean Grilled Tomato Mozzarella Sandwich
Ingredients
- 2 large slices whole grain bread each slice is about 50 g
- 1 garlic clove halved
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1-2 tsp red wine vinegar
- 3-4 ounces of fresh mozzarella sliced in thin slices
- 1 medium tomato sliced
- 3-4 sundried tomatoes rinsed and sliced in half
- A few leaves of fresh oregano
- Kosher salt and ground black pepper
Instructions
- Start by rubbing the bread with a halved garlic clove and then brush the bread with olive oil, making sure the outer side (the side that touches the pan) is well coated.
- Drizzle some red wine vinegar on the inner side of each slice.
- Layer about 2/3 of the sliced mozzarella, then layer the tomatoes and sprinkle with some kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, drizzle 1 tsp of olive oil over the tomatoes.
- Add a few leaves of fresh oregano and then add the sun-dried tomatoes.
- Finish with 3 thin slices of mozzarella, and cover with the second slice of bread.
- Heat a pan on medium heat and place the sandwich on the pan, cover, and grill for about 3 minutes until the one side becomes golden and crispy. Turn over and press the sandwich with another pan for about 30 seconds. Release and continue to grill for 3 more minutes.
- Remove from pan, slice in half, and let it cool for 2-3 minutes before serving.
Ooooops…the attached recipe card is for the Tomato & Feta Toast not the Grilled Tomato Mozzarella Sandwich.
This was a great change from a traditional grilled cheese my family is used to. I crave these flavors together now!
Looks so good.thank you
Wow! This was unexpectedly so good! Thank you for this idea! Next time I might add some sliced peppers too!
I’m so glad you shared this recipe, have you ever considered making videos of you cooking some of these meals? It might be helpful for newcomers to the Mediterranean Diet, in particular for the lathera meals
Thank you Alexander. I do have some quick cooking videos of lathera and a few other recipes on my tiktok account: https://www.tiktok.com/@mediterraneandiet