This Grilled Cheese Florentine is a hearty vegetarian sandwich filled with tender baby spinach, juicy fresh tomatoes, thinly sliced red onion, and shredded mozzarella. And best of all, there’s no need to stand over the stove since this sandwich is baked in the oven. It’s a no-fuss dish that can serve as the main course or pair easily with your favorite sandwich sides.
Saturday lunches at our home are usually very casual, throw-together-whatever’s-in-the-fridge kinds of meals. More often than not, that means sandwiches. Sandwiches with lots of cold cuts and cheese.
But sometimes, I just want something different. Something quick and easy but out of the ordinary.
This sandwich perfectly fits that description. It’s different from our usual cold-cut laden fare and piled so high with good-for-you and good-tasting ingredients that you might not even realize that it’s vegetarian. It’s honestly one of the best grilled cheese sandwiches I’ve ever made.
And if you have folks who want a sandwich with more protein, you could easily add a little sliced leftover rotisserie chicken. Yum.
Recipe Snapshot: Grilled Cheese Florentine
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 13 minutes
Total Time: 23 minutes
Servings: 2
Cuisine: American
Cooking Method: Oven
Primary Ingredients: Baby Spinach, Mozzarella, Onion, Tomato, Whole Grain Bread
Skill Level: Easy
DO MORE WITH CHATGPT
WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING …
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“Excellent flavor! Will make this sandwich often. I put it in my panini press instead of the oven. Pairs wonderfully with creamy broccoli soup.“
— Sarah
Ingredient Notes
This post may contain affiliate links. Lana’s Cooking is reader-supported and earns a tiny commission at no extra cost to you when you shop from our links.
- Baby Spinach — Fresh baby spinach is the primary ingredient in this sandwich. I chose it because it’s very tender and soft. Plus, it wilts nicely when heated.
- Red Onion — A little bit of thinly sliced red onion adds some crunch and a nice, mild flavor.
- Tomato — A tomato brightens up the flavors with slight acidity. I prefer to use Roma (plum) or homegrown ripe tomatoes.
- Garlic — Just one little clove of garlic adds loads of flavor. Be sure to mince or grate it finely.
- Mozzarella Cheese — Mozzarella is known for its great “pull” when melted in a sandwich. You’ll need a low-moisture mozzarella, preferably in a block. I recommend grating it yourself for the best melt, but pre-shredded is okay. If you grate the cheese yourself, you’ll need 4 ounces to equal 1 cup.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil — I use a little drizzle of olive oil to help keep the filling moist.
- Whole Grain Bread — Choose sturdy bread like whole wheat, sourdough, or rye. The bread needs to stand up to the moist filling while getting nice and toasty. Soft white bread, while delicious, isn’t a good choice for this recipe.
The complete ingredient list with detailed measurements is included in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Variations and Substitutions
- Although I can’t advise on specific dietary needs, my understanding is that this recipe is appropriate for vegetarians. If you’d like to add a boost of protein, you might add slices of rotisserie chicken or baked ham.
- Try other cheeses that melt well, such as Monterey Jack, Gruyère, or sharp cheddar.
- Swap out the spinach for kale or arugula for a different flavor.
How I Make Grilled Cheese Florentine Sandwich
STEP 1. Preheat the oven to 425 F.
STEP 2. Combine the spinach, red onion, diced tomato, garlic, and mozzarella in a large bowl. Toss it all together until it’s well combined.
STEP 3. Drizzle on the olive oil, add a little salt and pepper, and toss again.
STEP 4. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray (or use parchment paper) and line up your bread. Top two of the slices with half each of the mixture. Really pile it up high and don’t leave anything in the bowl!
STEP 4 (cont’d). Top with the other two slices of bread.
STEP 5. Place the baking sheet in the oven for 7 to 9 minutes or until the spinach has started wilting and the bread is golden brown. Flip the sandwiches over and cook for another 3 or 4 minutes or until the second piece of bread has toasted.
STEP 6. Transfer each sandwich to a plate. Be sure to scoop up any of the filling that might have escaped while in the oven and put that alongside.
Want to save this?
I'll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later!
Menu Suggestions
Cozy Comfort Lunch
- Main Course: Grilled Cheese Florentine
- Soup: Tomato and Roasted Garlic Soup
- Side: Crispy Tater Tots with a Spicy Ketchup Dip
- Dessert: Fresh Fruit Salad with a Honey-Lime Drizzle
Vegetarian Family Dinner
- Main Course: Grilled Cheese Florentine
- Salad: Mixed Green Salad with Classic Vinaigrette
- Side: Roasted Sweet Potato Wedges with Garlic and Herbs
- Dessert: Warm Apple Cranberry Crisp with Vanilla Ice Cream
Quick and Easy Weeknight Meal
- Main Course: Grilled Cheese Florentine
- Side: Garlic Parmesan Roasted Broccoli
- Dessert: Greek Yogurt with Honey and Mixed Nuts
Questions About Grilled Cheese Florentine Sandwich
So, “Florentine” in recipes means dishes that contain spinach and references the city of Florence, Italy. When you see a recipe with the word Florentine in the title it just means that one of the main ingredients is spinach. That’s all!
For this sandwich, I chose a hearty whole wheat bread. You’ll need something substantial like sourdough, rye, or pumpernickel. Soft breads such as white sandwich bread won’t quite stand up to the filling.
Of course. Select a cheese that melts easily and grate it yourself. The pre-grated cheeses are great for some applications, but they contain a starchy coating that doesn’t work well in this recipe. Monterey Jack or a sharp white Cheddar would be great as would any type of Swiss such as Gruyere. A tablespoon or two of grated Parmesan added to the filling would be nice.
You can cook it on the stovetop, but you’ll need to watch carefully. I would cook it on no more than medium heat in a heavy large skillet with a little butter or oil and flip it only once.
Have a question or thought to share?
If you have a question about the recipe or if you’ve made it and want to share how it turned out, I would truly enjoy hearing from you. Just scroll down to leave a comment or add your star rating.
Thank you for stopping by. It means a lot to have you here.
Recipe
Grilled Cheese Florentine
Ingredients
- 2 cups baby spinach packed, washed and dried
- ¼ medium red onion sliced very thinly
- 1 tomato diced (juices reserved)
- 1 small garlic clove minced finely
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (4 ounces before shredding)
- 2 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 4 slices whole grain bread
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425.
- Combine the spinach, onion, tomato (and juices), garlic and mozzarella in a large bowl. Toss to combine.2 cups baby spinach, ¼ medium red onion, 1 tomato, 1 small garlic clove, 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- Drizzle with the olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and toss again.2 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil, Salt and black pepper to taste
- Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray (or line with parchment). Place two slices of bread on the cookie sheet and top each with half the spinach mixture. Place the second slice of bread on top.4 slices whole grain bread
- Bake for 7-9 minutes or until the spinach is wilted and the bread is toasted. Flip and cook another 3-4 minutes until toasted on the second side.
- Transfer to a plate and include any of the filling that has fallen out.
Notes
- Choose a hearty whole wheat bread such as sourdough, rye, or pumpernickel. Soft breads such as white sandwich bread won’t quite stand up to the filling
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information is calculated by software based on the ingredients in each recipe. It is an estimate only and is provided for informational purposes. You should consult your healthcare provider or a registered dietitian if precise nutrition calculations are needed for health reasons.
Excellent flavor! Will make this sandwich often. I put it in my panini press instead of the oven. Pairs wonderfully with cream broccoli soup
Thanks! This one is also good in the air fryer. It’s perfect for the fall with all the delicious soups we have this time of year.
Wow this looks good. Love every little bit and bite about it!
Just beautiful Lana – love this!
It looks AMAZING!
Lana, we’ve been really trying to eat healthier at our house, more fruits and veggies, less meat. This looks amazing! If I make it for our lunch, and my wife raves about how creative I am, can I just take credit and keep the brownie point all to myself?
Absolutely. I have no idea where you got the idea for that fabulous Grilled Cheese Florentine sandwich :-)
This looks so good Lana! Do you think this will still work if the spinach mixture is cooked slightly in a pan?
I think it would, Gio. But don’t cook it very much because spinach wilts down to nothing really quickly.
I love a sandwich with a heaping helping of greens, Just gorgeous!