Breadless Grilled Cheese Bell Pepper Sandwich

This readless Grilled Cheese Bell Pepper Sandwich is incredibly delicious. It’s essentially ham and cheese panini with peppers in lieu of bread, making it both unique and gluten-free. Have you ever done an art project that turned out exactly how you imagined it would?

Inspiration for Breadless Grilled Cheese Bell Pepper Sandwich

That’s what happened here — with this Breadless Grilled Cheese Bell Pepper Sandwich. This is such a fun way to make a sandwich without bread. With a son with Celiac Disease, I’m always trying to come up with new, awesome gluten-free recipes.

I imagined that it might be cool to use bell peppers instead of bread for breadless grilled cheese.

Then I imagined my favorite cheese — the oh-so-delicious, nutty, creamy Gruyère — melting beneath a slightly sweet slice of ham, peppery arugula, and tangy mustard.

I imagined this would be a phenomenal gluten-free bell pepper sandwich.

And it was. This bell pepper sandwich has a truly magical flavor combination.

And guess what? You can make this inside of 20 minutes!

What’s in Breadless Grilled Cheese Bell Pepper Sandwich?

• colorful bell peppers
• whole grain Dijon mustard
• Gruyère cheese
• arugula
• olive oil

How to Make the Breadless Grilled Cheese Bell Pepper Sandwich

1. You can make this on a grill, though I think it’s easiest in a panini press.
2. Cut the peppers into what will become the “bread.”
3. Add the mustard, ham, cheese and arugula, and the top slice of pepper.
4. Grill in the panini press.

(Detailed instructions are below.)

This recipe is so pretty!  I mean, seriously, look at those colors!  And it’s just as tasty as it is pretty.

When to Serve This Delicious Grilled Cheese

• It’s a fabulous lunch or dinner.
• It’s a lovely appetizer or hors d’oeuvre if you cut them into small bites.
• These are absolutely perfect for a cocktail party.
• How about a picnic?

The list goes on.

Here are a few more breadless “sandwiches:”

• Spiced Pork and Mango Chimicurri Lettuce Wrap
• Pepper Jack Turkey & Pickled Onion On Lettuce 
• The Bello (Oh, you must check this out to see what it is. I gasped when I landed on it.)

Enjoy!

5 from 4 votes

Print

Breadless Bell Pepper Ham and Cheese “Panini” Recipe

Prep Time

15 mins

Cook Time

5 mins

Total Time

20 mins

 

This super fun, breadless sandwich recipe is over-the-top delicious! I made it with peppers because I think it’s tasty, and it also happens to be perfect for gluten-free grilled cheese!

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: gluten-free sandwiches, great for spring lunch

Servings: 4

Calories: 330 kcal

Author: Valentina K. Wein

Ingredients

• 4 large bell peppers (varying colors), washed and dried
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon whole grain Dijon mustard
• 8 ounces Gruyère cheese, thinly sliced
• 6 ounces applewood smoked ham (or your favorite ham), thinly sliced
• 3/4 cup loosely packed arugula leaves, washed and dried
• extra virgin olive oil for drizzling
• salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Preheat a panini press. (See notes.)

2. Slice about 1-inch off the tops and bottoms of the peppers, including the stems. Then slice each one in half vertically. Use a paring knife to smooth out the inside of each half, and to remove the seeds and membranes. Set aside.

3. Spread half of them with the mustard and evenly distribute half of the cheese slices on top. Follow the cheese with the ham and arugula on top. Then add the remaining cheese, and "close" them with the remaining pepper halves, smooth side up.

4. Drizzle the top halves with a bit of olive oil and then sprinkle them with salt and pepper.
5. Once the panini press is ready (most have a green light - much like a waffle maker), place the “panini” on the bottom "plate," and close. Most presses will take about 5 minutes. I lift the lid a bit when I think it's getting close to check. The size of the panini press will determine how many you can make at once. I make two at a time in mine.
6. You can serve them whole, or cut each one in half.

Recipe Notes

If you don’t have a panini press, my second choice is a stove-top grill. Just gently press down on the top with a flat-bottomed spatula during the cooking process.

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