Pizza Grilled Cheese Sandwich with Pepperoni

This tasty pizza grilled cheese sandwich is the best comfort food mash up! Made with garlic bread, marinara sauce, pepperoni and mozzarella cheese, this super gooey grilled cheese is perfect for both kids and adults!

This post was originally published in January 2018 and has been updated for content.

Trying to stay creative with meals that my kids don't get sick of can be overwhelming, to say the least. These easy grilled cheese sandwiches are great for lunches, dinner or even cut in quarters for party snacks. Customize them with your favorite pizza toppings for even more fun!

Serve these gooey grilled cheese sandwiches with a bowl of creamy tomato soup, mac and cheese or crispy potato wedges!

Jump to:

• 🍕 Ingredient notes
• 📋 Substitutions and variations
• 🔪 Step by step instructions
• ⭐ Expert tips
• 🥘 Alternative cooking methods
• 🥡 Storage suggestions
• 🍕 More pizza recipes
• 📖 Recipe
• 💬 Comments

🍕 Ingredient notes

• Bread - White bread or texas toast makes the best bread for grilled cheese. French or Italian bread, ciabatta bread or bagels make for fun alternatives!
• Cheese - I love using mozzarella cheese for these grilled cheese sandwiches because it's gooey, melts easily and is the most like regular pizza.
• Pepperoni - I prefer using mini sized pepperoni slices because they have a tendency to stay on the sandwich best. Larger slices may be used as well, but I recommend cutting them into smaller pieces or layering them with the cheese.

📋 Substitutions and variations

• Toppings - Try grilled veggies, italian sausage or mini meatballs as a substitute for the pepperoni for other fun versions of this tasty grilled cheese.
• Cheese - Add a couple tablespoons of ricotta cheese or cream cheese for an extra gooey pizza grilled cheese!
• Dairy Free - Dairy free mozzarella cheese and butter can be substituted for a dairy free version of this grilled cheese. Cook the sandwiches on low heat to prevent burning as dairy free cheese typically takes longer to melt.

🔪 Step by step instructions

First, spread each slice of bread with butter and sprinkle with both the garlic powder and italian seasoning.

Spread the inside of the slices of bread with the marinara and then top four of the slices with cheese and pepperoni.

Place the other slices of buttered bread with marinara on top of the toppings so the buttered sides are facing out and the cheese, sauce and pepperoni are in the middle.

Cook a preheated cast iron skillet or electric griddle for about 2-3 minutes on each side till golden brown and the cheese is melted.

⭐ Expert tips

• Make sure to spread the butter from crust to crust on each side of the bread for even browning and cooking.
• Press down the pepperoni slices and cheese into the bread with marinara to help make sure they stick and don't fall out.
• If the outsides of the sandwiches are browned and the cheese is not melting, lower the heat and place a pot lid on top of the sandwich to help create more heat for the cheese to melt without the sandwich burning.

🥘 Alternative cooking methods

• Oven Baked - Assemble the sandwiches as directed and place on a sheet pan. Bake at 350˚ for 10-15 minutes, flipping half way through, until the cheese is melted and the sandwich is golden brown. Sandwiches can be placed under the broiler for 30-60 seconds for additional browning if needed.
• Air Fryer - Assemble the sandwiches as directed and place in the air fryer basket. Cook at 375˚ for 3-5 minutes on each side until they are golden brown and the cheese is melted.

🥡 Storage suggestions

These sandwiches will keep in an air tight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Sandwiches can be reheated in pan on a stovetop, under the broiler in the oven or in the air fryer till the outside is crispy and the inside is heated through.

🍕 More pizza recipes

If you loved this recipe for pepperoni pizza grilled cheese, check out these other pizza recipes that I know you will love too!

• Pizza Bread
• Breakfast Pizza with Ricotta
• Italian Flatbread Pizzas

📖 Recipe