Spaghetti Grilled Cheese
Equipment
- Normal Kitchen Utensils
- Nonstick Pan
Ingredients
- 1 C Leftover Spaghetti Marinara or Spaghetti and Meat Sauce
- 1 C Mozzarella, Asiago, Provolone Cheese or Italian Cheese Mix Grated, roughly 4 oz.
- 4 to 6 Slices Texas Toast, Sandwich Bread, or Similarly-Sized Garlic Bread If using the thicker Texas Toast, you can make 2 sandwiches with 4 slices. If you have the thinner sandwich bread, spread the filling across 3 sandwiches (6 slices of bread).
- 1 Stick Butter Softened
- 4-8 Cloves Garlic Minced
- 1/2 C Parmesan Cheese Grated
- 1 tsp Dried Parsley
- Salt and Pepper to Taste
- Ranch Dressing or Marinara Sauce for Dipping
Instructions
- Make the Garlic Parmesan Butter
- Mix the butter, parmesan, garlic, parsley and 1/4 tsp of salt together. Season with pepper and extra salt to taste.1 Stick Butter, 1/2 C Parmesan Cheese, 1 tsp Dried Parsley, Salt and Pepper to Taste, 4-8 Cloves Garlic
- You can use it straight away, but I prefer to let this compound butter sit and marry for at least an hour, preferably overnight. If letting it sit for more than two hours, put it in the refrigerator and take it out an hour before cooking to soften.
- Prep the Sandwich Filling
- Mix the leftover spaghetti with the 1 C grated cheese. Once mixed, taste it for salt and pepper. Note: make sure the leftover spaghetti is not hot when you mix the cheese in, or it will melt and make it difficult to stuff the sandwiches. Save the melting for the grilling.1 C Leftover Spaghetti Marinara or Spaghetti and Meat Sauce, 1 C Mozzarella, Asiago, Provolone Cheese or Italian Cheese Mix
- Make the Sandwiches
- Note: Make sure your compound butter and spaghetti/cheese mixture are at room temperature before cooking. This will make it easier to melt and crisp everything without burning the bread.
- Another Note: Texas toast is thicker and stronger than normal sandwich bread, so it can hold more filling. If Using Texas toast, I recommend making two sandwiches (but you can still spread the filling across three if you like). If using normal sandwich bread, I recommend spreading the filling across three sandwiches.
- Heat a nonstick pan or skillet to medium-low heat. Make sure it is nonstick or the parmesan crust will cause a lot of issues.
- Spread a layer of the parmesan butter across one side of each piece of bread. Don't worry if you don't use all the butter. Put any extra back in the refrigerator and use it later on a steak or mashed potatoes.4 to 6 Slices Texas Toast, Sandwich Bread, or Similarly-Sized Garlic Bread
- For Each Sandwich:
- Put a slice of bread, butter side down, onto the hot pan.
- If making three sandwiches, top the bread with a third of the spaghetti/cheese mixture. If making two sandwiches, top with half of the mixture.
- Top that mixture with another slice of buttered bread, buttered side up (this way, when you flip the sandwich, the buttered side will be touching the pan).
- Let the sandwich grill for 1-2 minutes over medium heat, letting the parmesan crisp up. Then, using a spatula, carefully flip the sandwich. Note: you may have to scrape a little parmesan off the pan.
- Continue flipping every 1-2 minutes until the center of the sandwich is warm and melty and the outside of the sandwich has a nice golden parmesan crust. Note: flipping every couple minutes will help prevent the outside of the sandwich from burning.
- Give the sandwich a couple minutes to rest before serving. It goes great with marinara sauce or ranch dressing.Ranch Dressing or Marinara Sauce for Dipping
Crispy, Cheesy, Comfort: Spaghetti Grilled Cheese
This Spaghetti Grilled Cheese is peak comfort food. It’s one of those “what if?” meals that actually worked. What if I stuffed leftover spaghetti into a grilled cheese? What if I took that garlic bread I had hanging around, loaded it up with buttery, cheesy flavor, and made something totally ridiculous—but in the best way?
It starts with cold, leftover spaghetti—any kind works. You mix that with shredded cheese (mozzarella, cheddar, whatever you’ve got), then sandwich it between two slices of bread slathered in a garlic-parsley-parmesan butter. Leftover garlic bread is best because it brings that deep, toasty flavor, but plain sandwich bread totally works. Honestly, though, I’d say go for Texas toast if you have it. It give this sandwich a little more structure. Grill it low and slow so the spaghetti gets warm and melty, while the outside crisps into a golden, parmesan-crusted dream. This sandwich is pure magic.
The Strange and Tasty Origins of Spaghetti in a Sandwich
This might sound wild, but spaghetti-in-a-sandwich isn’t new. Australia’s been on board for decades. Their version—often called a “spaghetti jaffle”—uses a jaffle iron, which is basically a sandwich press with crimped edges. It locks everything inside like a hot pocket made with bread. Aussies have been making jaffles with leftover spaghetti since at least the 1980s. It was a way to stretch leftovers, feed hungry kids, and avoid food waste.
The idea eventually made its way to food trucks and Instagram feeds in the U.S., where it got a melty, over-the-top twist. Think: extra cheese, garlic butter, thick bread, and enough carbs to make your soul smile. This version fits right into that trend, but it’s also super practical. It’s how I make leftovers exciting again. No waste, no boring lunches—just a gooey, crunchy, cheesy win.
How to Serve It (Hint: Ranch Goes Here)
This sandwich plays nice with bold flavors. It’s rich, crispy, and savory, which makes it a perfect dipper for ranch dressing. My Homemade Ranch Dressing is a solid choice, and it’s especially good if you used a lemony or spicy pasta sauce. You could also dip this into some extra marinara sauce. Or try mixing the two!
And if need a spaghetti recipe, try this Cajun Spaghetti – an ode to how my Grandpa made it.
Overall, this spaghetti grilled cheese is fun, frugal, and way better than a cold container of noodles. Whether you’re feeding kids, curing a hangover, or just looking for something different—this sandwich hits every time.
Some text generated/edited with the help of ChatGPT | OpenAI: https://www.openai.com/