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This spin on grilled cheese came easily to me. Because I add spinach to everything. I keep frozen spinach on hand so I can toss a handful into whatever I’m cooking and spinach felt like such a natural addition to my usual grilled cheese. I also added a little feta cheese for a tangy punch, a few spicy flakes of red pepper, and toasted it up on some good bread. The result was something truly spectacular. This Spinach Feta Grilled Cheese only takes a few minutes more than regular grilled cheese, and it’s SO worth the extra effort. No joke, you’ll pay about $10+ for something like this at your local cafe, but not at home!
“OMG, this was amazing! Made better only by the addition of mushrooms, which I love to add to just about everything. I only had fresh spinach, and not frozen, so I don’t know if it would have tasted even better, but it was pretty amazing with fresh too. I will definitely be making this often!”
SYLVIA
Easy spinach and feta Grilled Cheese
I always keep frozen spinach on hand because it’s my secret way to sneak greens into everything—even grilled cheese. So when I decided to upgrade my usual sandwich, I tossed a handful of cooked spinach and tangy feta cheese into the mix, added a few red pepper flakes for a gentle kick, and toasted it all in butter-brushed sturdy bread. The result? A spinach and feta grilled cheese that takes just minutes more than the ordinary version, but delivers so much more flavor. It’s now one of my go-to sandwich recipes—easy, satisfying, and totally worthy of a place in my lunch rotation (or dinner, and yes, even brunch!).
RECIPE TIPS
- Skip the white bread. I originally used ciabatta bread for this recipe, but it wasn’t available, so I chose a sourdough instead. Homemade focaccia would also be nice. Because the ingredients in this recipe are a little more hearty than your everyday grilled cheese, I would suggest using a sturdy bread that can hold up the filling. Skip the soft white bread for this one. ;)
- Frozen spinach. I used frozen spinach for this recipe because it’s easy to keep on hand; however, you could also use fresh. Just sauté it down until it wilts. Buy the frozen spinach that comes loose in a bag rather than the frozen block. This will allow you to thaw just enough for this recipe while leaving the rest in the freezer for your next cooking adventure.
- Take your sandwich to the next level. There are so many delicious possibilities to upgrade your sandwich even more. Try adding olives, artichokes, red onion, parmesan cheese…I’d not be against putting an egg on there, too. ;)
Spinach and Feta Grilled Cheese
Cost $3.70 recipe / $1.85 serving
Ingredients
- ½ Tbsp olive oil ($0.11)
- 1 clove garlic (minced, $0.08)
- ¼ lb. frozen chopped spinach ($0.42)
- 4 slices bread ($1.00)
- 2 Tbsp butter ($0.20)
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella ($1.15)
- 1 oz. feta ($0.62)
- 1 pinch crushed red pepper ($0.02)
- salt (to taste, $0.05)
- black pepper (to taste, $0.05)
Instructions
- Add the olive oil and minced garlic to a skillet. Sauté over medium heat for about one minute, then add the frozen spinach (no need to thaw), and a pinch of salt and pepper. Continue to sauté over medium until most of the moisture has evaporated from the skillet.
- Spread butter over one side of each of the slices of bread. Flip the bread over so the buttered side is facing down as you build the sandwiches.
- Divide half of the shredded mozzarella between two slices of bread. Top the mozzarella with the crumbled feta.
- Divide the cooked spinach between the two sandwiches, then top with the remaining shredded mozzarella and a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes. Top each sandwich with the second slice of bread, buttered side facing out.
- Heat a large skillet over medium-low. Once hot, add the sandwiches and cook on each side until golden brown and crispy on the outside and warm and gooey on the inside.
- Cut the sandwiches in half and serve!
See how we calculate recipe costs here.
Nutrition
Have you tried this recipe?Mention @budgetbytes or tag #budgetbytes on Instagram!How to Make Spinach and Feta Grilled Cheese Step-by-Step Photos
Cook the garlic and spinach: Add ½ Tbsp of olive oil and one minced clove of garlic to a small skillet. Cook the garlic for about a minute, then add ¼ lb. frozen spinach (you can just estimate ¼ of a one-pound bag, or ⅓ of a 12oz. bag). Season with a pinch of salt and pepper and continue to sauté over medium heat until most of the moisture has evaporated.
Butter the bread: Spread about ½ Tbsp butter on one side of each slice of bread (four slices).
Add the cheese: Flip the bread over so the unbuttered sides are facing up. Add about ¼ cup shredded mozzarella to two of the slices and top each with a little crumbled feta.
Add the spinach: Top the mozzarella and feta with the cooked spinach.
Add more cheese: Add another ¼ cup shredded mozzarella along with a pinch of crushed red pepper. Place the second piece of bread on top with the butter side facing out.
Cook: Heat a large skillet over medium-low heat. Once hot, add the sandwiches and cook for about five minutes on each side, or until golden brown and crispy on the outside and melty and hot on the inside.
Serve: Slice the sandwiches in half and serve! Enjoy!
serving suggestions
As with any grilled cheese sandwich, this spinach and feta version goes great with a cup of tomato soup and a nice slice of apple pie for dessert. If I’m in the mood for dipping, I’ll eat it with pasta sauce or pizza sauce on the side.
Storage and Reheating
If you aren’t able to finish your sandwich, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap or place it in an airtight container and store it in the fridge for 3-4 days. Reheat in a warm skillet or in the microwave until warmed through and gooey again.
OMG, this was amazing! Made better only by the addition of mushrooms, which I love to add to just about everything. I only had fresh spinach, and not frozen, so I don’t know if it would have tasted even better, but it was pretty amazing with fresh too. I will definitely be making this often!
Way too easy, yet flavorful! Made 6 mini grilled cheeses for mom, husband and myself and we all enjoyed them very much. This and the spinach artichoke grilled cheese are my new favorite quick bite recipes.
ETA rating!
These sandwiches were delicious. The mozz and feta were so oozy when the sandwich was warm. I thought I would miss the cheddar, but I didn’t. The addition of spinach was an extra treat, too. Paired these with the Roasted Red Pepper Soup. Delicious combination. It’s a blustery October night in WI. Soup was the tickwet.
So simple and absolutely delicious!!
These were fabulous! We had a Mediterranean herb feta on hand, and used it. Talk about delicious! We will make this again soon!
I was genuinely shocked at how incredible these were for how simple the recipe was. The red pepper flakes delivered the perfect kick. The feta was tangy and paired marvelously with the mozzarella. I feel like the spinach could have used a tad more flavor but that’s my personal taste. Great recipe!
Great idea with the improvised panini-press Beth. Thanks!!
Holy cow! That was better than it should have been. Genius. We served it with tomato soup and my kids actually didn’t complain about the spinach. thanks for a great recipe!
I will try this one for sure
These were scrumptious
I’ve been meaning to hop on here FOREVER and mention that I use this recipe every couple of weeks for an easy lunch for my wife and me. The only change I’ve made is we use naan instead of the ciabatta – I layer naan, cheese, spinach and cheese, then another slice of naan, spray both sides down with just a -tiny- bit of cooking spray, and then pop it in the oven @ 350 for about 15 minutes, flipping over halfway through. Great fast lunch that I can let cook with minimal checking while I get back to work. Thanks!
hello, i just find your website and i am in love. I am a college student in Greece and this year I am trying to create a meal plan.But because, you know grocery shopping when you want to make something unique and healthy every day can be really expensive. The problem is that I am a foodie and I like big variety and balanced meals and thats not always in by bugdet. I really liked your recipes and once I try them I’ll send you a picture on Instagram !!! Have a nice day
Thank you!! :)
Made this about 3 times now husband loved it ! :) is very delicious with red onion
was pretty good think im gonna try fresh spinach next time and less cheese . I acidentally put too much cheese.
I wanna try this at home. This looks perfect for breakfast and snack for kids.