Food & Cooking Recipes Lunch Recipes Sandwich Recipes Grilled Mozzarella Sandwiches Here's a delicious, grown-up spin on the childhood classic. Prep Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 10 mins Total Time: 20 mins Servings: 4 Jump to recipe Our grilled mozzarella sandwiches are a delicious twist on the classic grilled cheese. The recipe is inspired by mozzarella in carozza, a crispy, melty Italian sandwich filled with fresh mozzarella. After tucking the cheese between slices of bread, you'll give the sandwiches a quick dip in a custardy mixture of beaten eggs, heavy cream, fresh thyme, and a touch of nutmeg. From there, it's into the skillet they go to sizzle away in butter and olive oil until the cheese is melted and the bread is crisped to golden brown perfection. Serve them for lunch or dinner, or cut each one into quarters for an inventive appetizer. Whether you call them grilled cheese, mozzarella in carozza, or just plain delicious, these gooey, creamy sandwiches are a must-try. 7 Gourmet Grilled Cheese Ideas to Get You Through the Fall Credit: Jake Sternquist Fresh vs. Low-Moisture Mozzarella Our recipe for grilled mozzarella sandwiches calls for fresh mozzarella, which differs from low-moisture mozzarella in a few key ways: Fresh mozzarella is typically sold in either a ball or log and has a high water content, which makes it soft, tender, and easy to tear. Because it's so moist, it has a shorter shelf life than low-moisture mozzarella and should be used relatively quickly. In addition to sandwiches, fresh mozzarella is delicious in salads like caprese, marinated with herbs and garlic, or melted onto pasta bakes. Like its name implies, low-moisture mozzarella contains less water than fresh mozzarella and has a firmer, almost rubbery texture. And while fresh mozzarella is prized for its milky, clean taste, it's the low-moisture option you'll want to reach for when you want the stretchiest, meltiest mozzarella moments. It shines in lasagna recipes, eggplant or chicken Parmesan, on pizza, and in meatball subs. When dipping your sandwiches into the egg mixture, be sure to do so only briefly to keep the bread from soaking up too much liquid, which can cause it to become soggy and fall apart when cooking. Credit: Jake Sternquist Ingredients for Grilled Mozzarella Sandwiches Bread: Choose a firm white sandwich bread for this recipe—although we love them, enriched breads like tender brioche or fluffy Japanese milk bread are too soft for this recipe and will not hold up well. If you're slicing it yourself, aim for half-inch-thick slices. Fresh mozzarella: For the creamiest, best flavor, seek out buffalo mozzarella or fiore de latte cheese that's sold in a container of milky-looking whey (though mozzarella sold tightly wrapped without liquid will work here as well). Cut it into thin slices, trimming them as needed to evenly cover the surface of the bread. Eggs: You'll need two eggs for this recipe. If any bits of shell make their way into the bowl, use a cracked eggshell to fish them out (it's easier than using your fingers). Heavy cream: A generous half-cup of heavy cream lends richness to the egg mixture. We don't recommend swapping in light cream or half-and-half, which contain less fat and can lead to a soggier sandwich. Thyme: Fresh thyme leaves add a herby note to this recipe. If you can't find fresh thyme, swap in 1/4 teaspoon of dried thyme. Nutmeg: We love the subtle warmth that nutmeg adds to savory, creamy recipes like béchamel and scalloped potatoes and this recipe is no exception. Grating it yourself will provide the best flavor, but you can certainly use pre-ground nutmeg. Butter and oil: To crisp up these sandwiches, use a mixture of butter and olive oil. The butter adds delicious flavor to the exterior of the sandwiches, while the oil helps to keep the butter solids from burning. Directions Credit: Jake Sternquist Layer cheese with bread and remove crusts: Place the mozzarella on 4 slices of the bread. Cover with the remaining slices to form sandwiches. Trim the crusts off to make perfect 4-inch squares. Credit: Jake Sternquist Whisk eggs, add cream and seasonings: In a wide shallow bowl, whisk the eggs. Add the cream, thyme leaves, salt, and nutmeg. Whisk until well blended. Credit: Jake Sternquist Heat olive oil, add butter; dip 2 sandwiches and cook: In a 10 to 12-inch nonstick saute pan, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high heat until smoking. Add 1 tablespoon of the butter and cook until the sizzling subsides. Working quickly, dip 2 of the sandwiches into the egg mixture, turning to coat, then place in the pan and cook until golden brown on the first side, about 2 minutes. Credit: Jake Sternquist Cook second side; repeat with other 2 sandwiches: Flip over and brown on the other side. Transfer the sandwiches to individual plates and repeat the process with the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 tablespoon butter, and 2 sandwiches. Cut in half, and serve immediately. Credit: Jake Sternquist Variations Try swapping smoked fresh mozzarella in place of the regular cheese for a more robust flavor.In place of thyme, use an equal amount of finely chopped rosemary leaves. What to Serve With Grilled Mozzarella Sandwiches To round out the meal, try serving these sandwiches alongside a crunchy salad like a classic Caesar or this bright and tangy radicchio salad. For something heartier, opt for our roasted red pepper salad with anchovy white beans or this simple white bean and tomato salad. End things on a sweet note with some store-bought or homemade gelato or a scoop of ice cream drizzled with olive oil (trust us, it's delicious). 5 More Recipes With Fresh Mozzarella to Try Baked Spaghetti and Mozzarella Grilled Chicken and Eggplant With Mozzarella and Tomatoes Prosciutto Mozzarella Pizza Meatball Casserole Cantaloupe and Mozzarella With Prosciutto and Basil Updated by Esther Reynolds Esther Reynolds Esther Reynolds is an experienced recipe developer, recipe tester, food editor, and writer with over a decade of experience in the food and media industries.