I was craving a grilled cheese this morning and was too lazy to head out to the nearest coffee shop to grab one. So I made a bacon arugula grilled cheese stuffed with mashed avocado, cheddar and mozzarella on rye bread. This turned out great because it also has a “cheese curtain” on top so it is crunchy, but not dry. It makes your jaw hurt a little but I think it is worth it because it so damn delicious!
I don’t know why but this year I’ve been so into arugula, it’s crazy. It’s because I kept seeing it at the store next to the spinach produce and I was wondering what kind of vegetable it was. I actually just bought arugula out of curiosity… and the rest is history. It’s funny because now I use arugula in anything savory-wraps, sandwiches and salads. Arugula is a leafy green with a crunchy bite and a slightly spicy aftertaste. It reminds me of malt or barley-flavored stuff. It’s packed with lots of vitamins, antioxidants and fiber.
Okay, so to make the grilled cheese, you start off by prepping the avocados. Mash them into a smooth paste just like how you would if you were making guacamole. Next, spread a thin layer of mayonnaise on both sides of all the bread slices. Then spread the mashed avocado, add some cheese, crispy bacon and arugula. Add one more sprinkle of grated cheese before topping it with another bread slice.
The trick to a bomb grilled cheese is cooking it on low heat and covering the pan with foil. I’ve seen people add a splash of water on the frying pan to steam up the cheese so that it melts evenly, which is also pretty cool. To make the cheese curtain, I added cheese on top of the sandwiches, then flipped it. You could also place the cheese on the hot frying pan before placing your sandwich on it so that the cheese sticks to it. I always use a heavy object to press down on the grilled cheese as well like a heavy pan or brick. And that’s it! You will have a beautiful bacon and avocado arugula grilled cheese!
Ingredients
2 ripe avocados, pitted
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 bread slices
4 tablespoons mayonnaise
1-2 cups grated cheddar cheese
2 cups grated mozzarella cheese
8 bacon rashers, fried until crispy
1/2 cup arugula, chopped
2 tablespoons butter
Instructions
- Scoop out the avocado and mash it in a bowl. Mix this with the salt and pepper.
- Spread a light layer of mayonnaise across all the bread slices.
- Place the mayonnaise side of the bread downwards on a plate and spread half the amount of mashed avocado, cheeses, bacon and arugula on top. Place with another slice to form a sandwich.
- Repeat step 3 for the remaining bread slices, leaving some cheese aside if you want a cheese curtain.
- Melt butter in a large non-stick frying pan on medium heat.
- Place both sandwiches on the heated frying pan and sprinkle some extra cheese on top of each sandwich (optional).
- Using an oven mitt, wrap the pan with aluminum foil.
- Top the foiled sandwiches with a heavy object like a brick or cast-iron skillet and let it cook on medium heat for about 4-5 minutes.
- When the cheese is halfway melted, flip the sandwiches and continue wrapping it in foil for another 3-4 minutes.
- Slice the grilled cheese sandwiches as desired and serve warm.
- Do not recommend leftovers for this recipe because it will get soggy in the fridge.