Lasagna Grilled Cheese

Our family doesn’t have any traceable roots to Italy.  But, we have wondered if perhaps there was some mysterious ounce of Italian blood passed on to my sister.  She has always been obsessed with Italian food.  Every birthday, special occasion and dinner out, if there was Italian on the menu, it was on her plate.  She’s also a grilled cheese fiend.  This ooey-gooey, wacky, mash-up recipe was officially tested and approved by her and completely devoured by everyone who was served one in the testing process.

It’s a sandwich with crispy griddle marks and melty cheese, but totally delivers the flavor profile of lasagna.  Part of the magic is from Traina Sun Dried Tomato Ketchup, and this recipe was sponsored by and created just for them.  As mentioned in prior sponsored recipes I’ve done for Traina Foods, this is not your standard ketchup.  In this recipe, it’s like a thick marinara.  Don’t sub in standard ketchup, it won’t be lasagna-ey.

(Full printable recipe at the bottom of this post)

A few notes before we get started.  First, if you follow this recipe and the proportions, these make very large sandwiches.  Like, really large.  So, either plan to be hungry or split sandwiches.  However, what really dictates the size of the sandwiches is the bread you buy.  My strongest suggestion is to go for an unsliced, large round Italian bread.  Then, slice with a sizable thickness, I did about 3/4 inch thick and it was perfect.  My first round was too thin and because of the large amount of filling, the sandwich fell apart.  3/4 inch was just right and held up without being too much.  All that said, mind your bread.

Start with cooking and crumbling 8 ounces of sweet Italian sausage.  If there’s casing, remove the casing then cook.  Strain off the fat and set aside.

Next, mix together 8 ounces ricotta, 3 ounces shredded Parmesan, ½ tsp dried oregano, ¼ tsp granulated garlic and 2 T fresh, minced parsley.

Next, heat a non-stick skillet or an electric griddle to medium high heat.  Then take two pieces of bread and spread some of the Traina Sun Dried Tomato Ketchup on both pieces. Then, layer on one of them ¼ of the ricotta mixture, ¼ of the sausage, ¼ of the provolone and place the other slice of bread, ketchup side down, on top.

Next, spread 1 T of mayo on top of the top slice of bread, then place the sandwich mayo side down in the heated pan, using a spatula to help steady your sandwich. You should hear it searing, though not burning. If the heat is too high, turn it down.

Once it’s seared and golden brown (approximately 1 – 2 minutes), smear mayo on the un-browned top, then flip and sear another 1 to 2 minutes.

Serve immediately, sliced down the middle.

*This recipe was sponsored by Traina Foods

*Original recipe by Joanie Simon (JoanieSimon.com)

Lasagna Grilled Cheese

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4.8 from 8 reviews

• Author: Joanie Simon
• Total Time: 25 mins
• Yield: 4 sandwiches 1x

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Description

A creative sandwich that mixes up the flavors of lasagna in a grilled cheese.

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Ingredients

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• 8 ounces sweet Italian sausage
• 4 ounces sliced provolone cheese
• 3 ounces shredded Parmesan cheese
• 8 ounces ricotta
• ½ tsp dried oregano
• ¼ tsp granulated garlic
• 2 T fresh minced parsley
• ½ cup Traina Sun Dried Tomato Ketchup
• 8 slices thick sliced crusty bread
• 4 T mayonnaise

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Instructions

1. Cook and crumble sausage, strain off the fat and set aside
2. Mix together the ricotta, 3 ounces shredded Parmesan, ½ tsp dried oregano, ¼ tsp granulated garlic and 2 T fresh, minced parsley.
3. Heat a non-stick or cast-iron skillet over medium high heat
4. Take two pieces of bread and spread some of the Traina Sun Dried Tomato Ketchup on both pieces. Then, layer on one of them ¼ of the ricotta mixture, ¼ of the sausage, ¼ of the provolone and place the other slice of bread, ketchup side down, on top.
5. Spread 1 T of mayo on top of the top slice of bread, then place the sandwich mayo side down in the heated pan, using a spatula to help steady your sandwich. You should hear it searing, though not burning. If the heat is too high, turn it down. Once it’s seared and golden brown (approximately 1 – 2 minutes), smear mayo on the un-browned top, then flip and sear another 1 to 2 minutes.
6. Serve immediately, sliced down the middle.

• Prep Time: 20 mins
• Cook Time: 5 mins
• Category: Sandwich
• Cuisine: Italian