broccoli melts

Lunch

Broccoli Melts

These broccoli-cheese melts combine crisp-tender broccoli with a layer of melted cheese inside two crispy pieces of bread for a sandwich that’s rich and creamy. These 20-minute cheese melts are the ultimate comfort food—satisfying and packed with that cheesy goodness everyone loves. We crisp up these sandwiches on the stovetop, but if you have a sandwich press, you can use that instead.

Ingredients

4 cups finely chopped fresh broccoli florets
3 tablespoons water
2½ tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped (2 teaspoons)
1 teaspoon salt-free italian seasoning
⅛ teaspoon crushed red pepper
½ teaspoon grated lemon zest
¼ teaspoon salt
4 slices crusty whole-wheat bread (about ⅓-inch thick), divided
¾ cup shredded fontina cheese, divided

Directions

Combine 4 cups broccoli and 3 tablespoons water in a large skillet; cook, covered, over medium-high heat until the broccoli is almost tender, about 2 minutes. Uncover, reduce heat to medium and add 1 tablespoon oil, the chopped garlic, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning and ⅛ teaspoon crushed red pepper. Cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture is fragrant, the broccoli is tender, and the water has evaporated, about 1 minute. Transfer the mixture to a medium bowl; stir in ½ teaspoon lemon zest and ¼ teaspoon salt. Wipe the skillet clean.
Place 2 bread slices flat on a work surface; top each with 3 tablespoons cheese and half of the broccoli mixture (about 1 cup). Sprinkle with the remaining 6 tablespoons cheese; top with the remaining 2 bread slices, gently pressing to flatten.
Heat the remaining 1½ tablespoons oil in the clean skillet over medium heat. Add the sandwiches; cook, covered, until the cheese is melted and the bread is golden brown on both sides, 1 to 2 minutes per side.