This Spinach and Artichoke Grilled Cheese recipe combine a simple grilled cheese sandwich with a cheesy spinach artichoke dip; it’s oozing with a rich and creamy filling that’s stuffed between slices of buttery bread. It takes less than 20 minutes to transform a favorite restaurant appetizer into this easy-to-make meal–it’s the ultimate union of two perfect foods that taste even better together than alone.
Spinach and Artichoke Grilled Cheese — Gourmet Grilled Cheese
I absolutely LOVE this Spinach and Artichoke Grilled Cheese, especially because it takes all the tempting flavors of my favorite spinach artichoke dip and then marries them with the traditional comforts of a melty adult grilled cheese sandwich.
I must admit, this recipe is the best bite of brilliance! I’ve taken a popular dip recipe, tweaked the ingredients to make a filling that’s more cheesy, creamy, ooey, and gooey, and then sandwiched it between two slices of golden brown, crispy bread for the ultimate gourmet grilled cheese.
While the classic grilled cheese is a perfect food on its own, the addition of spinach and artichoke hearts mixed with some creamy, cheesy elements deliciously elevates the original simple sandwich from straightforward to sophisticated. So easy to make, you’ll never go back to the basics!
Why We Love This Spinach and Artichoke Grilled Cheese Recipe
- Easy and quick to make using simple ingredients.
- Everything you love about spinach and artichoke dip in a cheesy sandwich form.
- Every bite is cheesy, creamy, crunchy, and delicious all at once.
- Perfectly satisfying when served as a meal or paired with a small side.
- Use the spinach and artichoke filling as a dip for chips, veggies, or breadsticks.
- Buttery crisp bread pairs perfectly with the creamy, salty artichoke and spinach insides.
Ingredients / Shopping List
- Frozen spinach: Make sure your spinach is thawed and pat dried.
- Artichoke hearts: These should be drained and roughly chopped.
- Mayonnaise
- Sour cream: You can substitute plain Greek yogurt for sour cream.
- Cream cheese, softened
- Freshly grated mozzarella cheese
- Freshly grated white sharp cheddar cheese
- Grated parmesan cheese
- Onion powder
- Kosher salt
- Cracked pepper
- Bread: Any bread can be used to make this sandwich. Choose your favorite!
- Salted sweet cream butter, softened
Substitutions and Additions
- Select A Slice: I like to use a hearty bread that will hold up well to all of the delicious filling, but any sliced bread will be fine. My favorites are focaccia, sourdough bread, Texas toast, crusty Italian bread, and fresh crusty French bread.
- Stuff It: You can stuff the filling into a tortilla and cook it up like a quesadilla or stuff it in a pita pocket for a tasty twist on the traditional sandwich.
- Get Dipping: You can serve the spinach and artichoke filling as a dip for fresh vegetables, crackers, tortilla chips, pita chips, or any of your other favorite foods.
- Change The Cheese: Feel free to experiment with gruyere, gouda or swiss cheese instead of the sharp cheddar cheese.
Recommended Tools
- Mixing bowl and measuring tools
- 10-12-inch skillet
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How to Make the Spinach and Artichoke Grilled Cheese – a Gourmet Grilled Cheese Sandwich
This Spinach and Artichoke Grilled Cheese recipe is so quick and easy to transform a favorite restaurant appetizer into a delicious must-make meal!
- Mix together spinach, artichoke hearts, mayonnaise, sour cream, cream cheese, mozzarella cheese, cheddar cheese, parmesan cheese, onion powder, kosher salt, and pepper until well combined.
- Butter one side of each slice of bread.
- Spread spinach artichoke filling over 4 slices of the unbuttered sides of the bread.
- Place 2 slices of bread topped with filling, in the heated skillet, butter side down.
- Top with 2 slices of plain buttered bread, butter side up.
- Cook for 2-3 minutes per side, flip, and cook for another 2-3 minutes.
Pro Tip: As you cook your sandwich, gently press it down. Each side should be golden brown when cooked. - Repeat for the other 2 sandwiches.
- Plate, cut sandwiches in half, serve, and enjoy!
Tips
- The best way to get your cheese to melt is if you let it sit on the counter for 15 to 20 minutes before you start making these sandwiches.
- You can make the spinach artichoke filling a day in advance.
- I like to squeeze or press as much liquid as possible out of the canned artichoke hearts using a paper towel.
- This would also be fantastic grilled in a panini press instead of on the stovetop.
Storage Tips
- To Store: Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator overnight.
- To Reheat: You can re-toast the sandwiches in the skillet.
Frequently Asked Questions
Feel free to use any bread that you like. I love using a sturdy bread because it holds up well to the hefty filling.
Yes, you can use fresh spinach, however I find that frozen spinach works best because it has a slightly more intense flavor than fresh spinach. Also it means you can skip the step of having to cook and chop fresh spinach. If you prefer to use fresh spinach, simply chop it up and sauté it briefly in a skillet to cook out some of the moisture, then continue with the recipe as stated.
Yes, you can absolutely make this filling in advance. Make sure you tightly seal it in the fridge until needed and bring it to room temp before adding it to the sandwich, otherwise it won’t cook through properly.
Other Easy Sandwich Recipes
Spinach and Artichoke Grilled Cheese
Ingredients
- 6 ounces frozen spinach thawed and pat dried
- 1½ cup artichoke hearts drained and roughly chopped
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 3 ounces cream cheese softened
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese freshly grated
- ½ cup white sharp cheddar cheese freshly grated
- ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
- 2 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp fresh cracked pepper
- 8 slices of your favorite bread
- 3 tbsp salted sweet cream butter softened
Instructions
- Using a medium-size mixing bowl, add the spinach, artichoke hearts, mayonnaise, sour cream, cream cheese, mozzarella cheese, cheddar cheese, parmesan cheese, onion powder, kosher salt, and pepper. Stir until well combined.
- Butter 1 side each of the 8 slices of bread. Set it aside.
- Preheat a 10-12-inch skillet over medium-high heat.
- Spread ¼ – ⅓ cup of the spinach mixture over the unbuttered side of 4 of the 8 slices of bread.
- Place 2 slices of the buttered bread with the spinach mixture, butter side down, in the heated skillet. Top with 2 slices of plain buttered bread, with the butter side up.
- Cook for 2-3 minutes per side, or until golden, flip and cook for another 2-3 minutes, or until this side is golden.
- Repeat for the remaining 2 sandwiches.
- Slice the sandwiches in half and serve immediately.
Jenn’s Notes
- To Store: Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator overnight.
- To Reheat: You can re-toast the sandwiches in the skillet.
- The best way to get your cheese to melt is if you let it sit on the counter for 15 to 20 minutes before you start making these sandwiches.
- You can make the spinach artichoke filling a day in advance.
- I like to squeeze or press as much liquid as possible out of the canned artichoke hearts using a paper towel.
- This would also be fantastic grilled in a panini press instead of on the stovetop.
