Mediterranean Sandwich Recipe
This Mediterranean sandwich recipe combines the comfort-food factor of the American grilled cheese sandwich with the deliciousness of Mediterranean flavors.
I’m not gonna lie, this one is kind of decadent. It has ooey-gooey, melty mozzarella with the tang of balsamic and the sweetness of apricots. It has big Mediterranean flavors and is comfort food at its best.
What Bread Is Best For A Mediterranean Sandwich?
Good choices are:
- Whole wheat focaccia
- Whole-grain bread
Pick a sturdy, whole-grain bread that is hearty and will hold up with a lot of toppings. Thin, flimsy bread will not hold this sandwich together.
What To Serve With A Mediterranean Sandwich?
Great sides for this sandwich would be:
- Mixed Green Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette
- Roasted Mediterranean Vegetables
- Greek Tzatziki Sauce with Fresh Vegetables
- Mediterranean Quinoa Salad
- Lemon Herb Couscous
- Hummus and Pita Bread
- Tomato Basil Soup
- Garlic Parmesan Sweet Potato Fries
- Cucumber and Red Onion Salad
- Marinated Olives and Pickles
- Dried fruits
- Fresh fruits
Recipe Variations
Cheese
You can play around with any cheeses you prefer. The main thing to remember is you need at least one that is really good at melting and another that has plenty of flavor. Beyond that, you can use whatever cheeses you prefer.
Pesto
You can spread basil pesto on the inside of the sandwich bread slices. Particularly if it’s a time of year when you can’t get fresh basil.
Dried Fruits
You can play around with the dried fruits you use. Pick your favorite. Almost any dried fruit will work here.
Cooking Options
This sandwich can be made in a few different ways.
- Fry it in a pan.
- Air fry it in an air fryer.
- Grill it on a grill – you’ll need to wrap the sandwich in foil or lay it on a sheet of foil on the grill and flip it as needed.
- In an oven – sandwich it between two cookie sheets for the best results.
Top Recipe Tip
Serve this immediately after cooking. This is when it tastes best.
About The Ingredients
Whole-grain bread – A hearty, whole-grain bread tastes best. Try to find bread without added sugar.
Fresh mozzarella – You can purchase a “log” of mozzarella and slice it yourself or purchase it pre-sliced.
Crumbled feta cheese – Get a feta with great flavor. Mild cow feta doesn’t tend to add much flavor here. You’ll want a stronger feta, which is often a goat or sheep feta. I find the best-tasting feta is one that is a combination of goat and feta.
Kalamata olives: I buy a jar of pre-sliced olives, but you can slice your own in a pinch. Cutting them in half lengthwise is also an option. Just make sure you remove any seeds if you purchase whole olives.
Dried apricots – Look for apricots with no added sugar and minimal ingredients. The best place to find good-quality dried apricots is usually a local health food store or Whole Foods. Trader Joe’s may have good ones, too, though I’ve never purchased them there.
Fresh basil leaves – You can omit this, but I don’t recommend it. They add wonderful flavor.
Balsamic vinegar – You can use regular balsamic vinegar or a balsamic glaze if you can find one without added sugar.
Extra virgin olive oil – Use a good quality oil.
Salt
Ground black pepper
Butter – For grilling
How To Make A Mediterranean Sandwich
Gather, measure, and prep all your ingredients.
Prepare The Mixture
In a bowl, combine the shredded parmesan, crumbled feta cheese, sliced Kalamata olives, dried apricots, balsamic vinegar, and fresh basil. Mix well.
Assemble The Sandwich
If you are grilling, air frying, or frying the sandwich, you’ll want to butter the outsides of the bread so they toast nicely.
Lay down three slices of mozzarella for each sandwich.
Spoon half the mixture on top of that and top with the remaining slice of bread. Heat a skillet or grill pan over medium heat.
Serve
Once the sandwiches are grilled to perfection, remove them from the pan. Allow them to cool for a minute or two, then slice them in half diagonally and serve.
Storage
While I highly recommend eating this right away, you can store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. But again, it tastes best if eaten immediately.
Freezing
Freezing is not recommended for this recipe.
Reheating
To reheat a cold sandwich, you can microwave it to heat it up. Another option is to reheat it in the oven. I don’t recommend reheating on a stovetop because you risk burning the already-cooked bread.
More Sandwich Recipes
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Mediterranean Sandwich Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 slices whole-grain bread (no sugar added)
- 6 slices fresh mozzarella (each about a ¼-inch thick)
- ¼ cup crumbled fetta
- ¼ cup sliced Kalamata olives
- ¼ cup sliced, dried apricots (no sugar added)
- 3 tbsp. chopped, fresh basil leaves
- 2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
- 2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
- salt
- ground black pepper
- butter (if grilling)
Instructions
Prep
- Gather, measure, and prep all your ingredients.
Prepare The Mixture
- In a bowl, combine the shredded parmesan, crumbled feta cheese, sliced Kalamata olives, dried apricots, balsamic vinegar, and fresh basil. Mix well.
Assemble The Sandwich
- If you are grilling, air frying, or frying the sandwich, you'll want to butter the outsides of the bread so they toast nicely.
- Lay down three slices of mozzarella for each sandwich.
- Spoon half the mixture on top of that and top with the remaining slice of bread. Heat a skillet or grill pan over medium heat.
Serve
- Once the sandwiches are grilled to perfection, remove them from the pan. Allow them to cool for a minute or two, then slice them in half diagonally and serve.
Notes
Nutrition
