Because I add spinach to everything. I keep frozen spinach on hand so I can toss a handful into whatever I’m cooking and spinach felt like such a natural addition to my usual grilled cheese. I also added a little feta cheese for a tangy punch, a few spicy flakes of red pepper, and toasted it up on some good bread. The result was something truly spectacular. This Spinach Feta Grilled Cheese only takes a few minutes more than regular grilled cheese, and it’s SO worth the extra effort. No joke, you’ll pay about $8 for something like this at your local cafe, but not at home!
This post contains some affiliate links, which means that we make a small commission off items you purchase at no additional cost to you.
Is This a Melt or a Grilled Cheese?
Okay, so technically this type of sandwich is called a “melt.” A melt is a grilled cheese that has other ingredients added, like vegetables or meat, whereas a grilled cheese is a cheese-only grilled sandwich. While the difference between a melt and a grilled cheese often sparks heated debates, I want people to be able to find this recipe on the internet and the data shows that people are searching for “spinach and feta grilled cheese,” not “spinach and feta melt”. The English language is fluid, and the use of the term “melt” is declining. So here we are!
What Kind of Bread is Best for Grilled Cheese
I originally used ciabatta bread for this recipe, but it wasn’t available this time around so I chose a nice sourdough bread instead. Homemade focaccia would also be nice. Because the ingredients in this recipe are a little more hearty than your everyday grilled cheese sandwich, I would suggest using any sturdy bread that can hold up to the filling ingredients. Skip the soft white bread for this one. ;)
What Kind of Spinach to Use
I used frozen spinach for this recipe because it’s easy to keep on hand without worrying about it spoiling, but you could absolutely use fresh spinach if you have it. Just sauté it down until most of the moisture is gone, just as I did below with the frozen spinach.
As far as frozen spinach goes, you’ll want to buy the kind that comes loose in a bag rather than the type that is frozen into a block. That will allow you to thaw just enough for this recipe while leaving the rest in the freezer for your next cooking adventure.
What to Serve with Spinach and Feta Grilled Cheese
As with any grilled cheese sandwich, this spinach and feta version goes great with a cup of tomato soup. But you could also serve it with a little dish of pasta sauce or pizza sauce for dipping!
What Else Can I Add?
Oh, there are so many delicious possibilities for add-ins here: olives, artichokes, red onion, parmesan cheese… I’d not be against putting an egg on there, too. ;)
Spinach and Feta Grilled Cheese
Servings 2 1 sandwich eachIngredients
- 1/2 Tbsp olive oil ($0.08)
- 1 clove garlic, minced ($0.08)
- 1/4 lb. frozen chopped spinach ($0.42)
- 1 pinch salt and pepper ($0.05)
- 4 slices bread ($1.00)
- 2 Tbsp butter ($0.20)
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella ($1.15)
- 1 oz. feta ($0.62)
- 1 pinch crushed red pepper ($0.02)
Instructions
- Add the olive oil and minced garlic to a skillet. Sauté over medium heat for about one minute, then add the frozen spinach (no need to thaw), and a pinch of salt and pepper. Continue to sauté over medium until most of the moisture has evaporated from the skillet.
- Spread butter over one side of each of the slices of bread. Flip the bread over so the buttered side is facing down as you build the sandwiches.
- Divide half of the shredded mozzarella between two slices of bread. Top the mozzarella with the crumbled feta.
- Divide the cooked spinach between the two sandwiches, then top with the remaining shredded mozzarella and a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes. Top each sandwich with the second slice of bread, buttered side facing out.
- Heat a large skillet over medium-low. Once hot, add the sandwiches and cook on each side until golden brown and crispy on the outside and warm and gooey on the inside.
- Cut the sandwiches in half and serve!
See how we calculate recipe costs here.
Nutrition
Have you tried this recipe?Mention @budgetbytes or tag #budgetbytes on Instagram!
How to Make Spinach and Feta Grilled Cheese – Step by Step Photos
Add a 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil and one minced clove of garlic to a small skillet. Cook the garlic for about a minute, then add ¼ lb. frozen spinach (you can just estimate ¼ of a one pound bag, or ⅓ of a 12oz. bag). Season with a pinch of salt and pepper and continue to sauté over medium until most of the moisture has evaporated.
Spread about ½ Tbsp butter over one side of each slice of bread (four slices).
Flip the bread over so the unbuttered sides are facing up. Add about ¼ cup shredded mozzarella to two of the slices. Top each with a little crumbled feta.
Add the cooked spinach on top of the mozzarella and feta.
Add another ¼ cup shredded mozzarella to each along with a pinch of crushedred pepper. Top with the second piece of bread, butter side facing out.
Heat a large skillet over medium-low. Once hot, add the sandwiches. Cook for about five minutes on each side, or until golden brown and crispy on the outside and melty and hot on the inside.
Slice the sandwiches in half and serve!
Ooohhhh yesssssss.
Look for Greek feta, it’s made from sheep/goat milk, has a unique taste and comes in anywhere at about $6-$9 a pound in the US, depending on location and brand. You won’t need to use as much Greek feta, so no sense in getting a domestic feta that’s priced the same and made from cow milk, unless of course you really like the taste of the domestic feta you used.
This sandwich is so GOOD!!! I was able to find ciabiatta bread and feta cheese for $2.99 inside the deli section at the grocery store. Since I cooked too much spinach, I’m going to make this sandwich again for breakfast tomorrow. This is my first time making this recipe from Budgetbytes. Thank you Beth for this recipe. :-)
I made these tonight for 4, tripled the garlic, used 2bags of fresh spinach, so very good, used my bread master too
Yum! I made this for dinner tonight along with a chunky homemade tomato soup and it’s just a grown-up comfort food. Loved it!
I don’t even like grilled cheese and I LOVE this. The weighted pan makes the roll so nice and crispy!
These are very good (isn’t all warm gooey cheese?), but my favorite part of this dish was Beth’s Thick and Rich Pizza Sauce I made for the dippin’ sauce. That is the best pizza sauce EVER!
Where is the recipe for the pizza sauce?
You could really use any marinara or pizza sauce, but here is the recipe for my Thick & Rich Pizza Sauce.
I used the homemade rolls and since I had some leftover roast lamb I added that. Delicious!! Love the flavors, a great change from regular grilled cheese :)
This was amazing. I made the whole recipe not realizing it was for two but now I have another amazing sandwich waiting for me. Definitely is amazing with the marinara. Had leftover spaghetti sauce that I used and definitely complements the flavor. Such a great website to find!
Hi Beth,
Thank you so much for this recipe!
Since I’ve been eating waaay too much cheese lately I wanted to make it a bit ‘healthier’. So I decided to use cottage cheese instead of mozzarella. It’s more filling, lower on calories and where I live it’s also a lot cheaper!
Thanks so much for the inspiration, they were delish!
I like cottage cheese. I think I ll try it with it
Loved it! Definitely a winner . Next time I’ll add artichoke to the spinach mix :)
Love the idea for this as an easy dinner when my classes run late! Think pita would work as well as ciabatta?
Yep, you could do that. Or, you could even put it between a tortilla and make it into a quesadilla! :)
I made a version of these but didn’t have any mozz so just used feta and fresh spinach because that was all I had. I used some hot sauce instead of the pepper flakes and it was extremely delicious. Thanks!
Shut the door! This is like those greek treats, but ciabatta bread instead of phyllo dough! Can’t wait to make this!! Thanks for sharing! (LOVE the panini hack – awesome!)
I just made this and it is soooo good! Such a great idea. Love the panini hack idea, I always wanted to make them and now I know that I can without having to buy a panini press. Love this blog so much it’s my new favourite, thanks for all of the great recipes!
Wow! Just made these along with your Vegan Lentil Soup for dinner tonight (Meatless Monday) and had to force myself to stop after one! Tastes like a Spanikopita Sandwich — yum! Two thumbs up from hubby too!