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straight on shot of the pesto, brie, and roasted broccoli grilled cheese sandwiches stacked on top of each other on a wooden board

Basil Pesto + Brie Grilled Cheese with Charred Broccoli and Chili Honey


  • Author: Allison
  • Total Time: 45 minutes
  • Yield: 3 sandwiches 1x
  • Diet: Vegetarian

Description

A touch more sophisticated than your average grilled cheese sandwich, this version combines basil pesto, charred broccoli and red onion, brie, and hot honey for a very flavourful and healthy meal.


Ingredients

Scale

Charred Broccoli and Red Onion

  • 4 cups broccoli florets (from 1 bunch of broccoli)
  • 1/2 of a large red onion, sliced
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • Pinch each sea salt and pepper

Basil Pesto (makes extra)

  • 1/2 cup raw cashews
  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/4 cup nutritional yeast or Parmesan
  • 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice, or to taste
  • 1/41/2 teaspoon sea salt (to taste)
  • Freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • 2 cups fresh basil
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced

For the sandwiches

  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • Pinch of red pepper flakes
  • 6 slices whole grain sourdough bread
  • 3 tablespoons organic butter
  • Sliced brie, enough to cover the bread slices

Instructions

  1. Roast the broccoli and onion: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Place the broccoli florets and onion on a baking sheet. Drizzle with the oil and sprinkle with oregano, salt, and pepper. Toss to coat. Roast for 22-25 minutes, until slightly charred in some spots.
  2. Meanwhile, make the basil pesto: Place the cashews in a food processor fitted with the ‘S’ blade and process until coarsely ground. Add the remaining ingredients and process until smooth.
  3. Warm the honey and red pepper flakes in a small pot over low heat, so that it becomes a bit runny and easier to drizzle.
  4. Finally, make the sandwiches: Spread the outside of each slice of bread with butter. On the inside, spread desired amount of pesto (around 2 tablespoons is a nice amount), followed by some charred broccoli, a drizzle of honey, and a few slices of brie. Top with the second slice of bread.
  5. Warm a skillet (I highly recommend cast iron) over medium heat. Once hot, add the sandwiches (you can only cook one or two at a time, depending on the size of your sandwiches and skillet) and cook for 3-5 minutes per side, until golden and crispy.
  6. Slice and enjoy immediately! If you have any left over, you can store it in an airtight container in the fridge and reheat in a skillet for a couple minutes per side.
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 30 minutes
  • Category: Main Course

Keywords: pesto brie broccoli grilled cheese sandwich recipe