Bread, cheese, eggs…. combine those three together and you have a delicious combination for a perfect sandwich! These grilled cheese egg sandwiches are the perfect nutritious dinner idea or filling lunch option. Packed with nutrition and being allergy-friendly, there’s no guilt associated with these sandwiches! The bread is homemade AND grain-free, you can easily use a delicious dairy-free cheese alternative, and eggs… well what’s there not to like about eggs!? I love whipping up these sandwiches as an on-the-go lunch or for breakfast or for dinner. They truly are a versatile sandwich that everyone will love!
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Modern Pioneer Recipe
These grilled cheese egg sandwiches are a modern pioneer recipe. However, I think they are borderline pioneer recipes too. Homemade bread, farm fresh eggs, cheese… sounds pretty pioneer-based to me! However, considering the bread is grain-free and the cheese is dairy-free, it makes it sound more like a modern pioneer recipe. Either way though, I think this is a fantastic modern pioneer recipe that will help you build pioneer life skills along the way!
Making my own bread is one of my on-going pioneer goals. I like to try different recipes, different styles of bread, and experiment with different bread making techniques. For these sandwiches, I chose to create a bread recipe that was grain-free, gluten-free, and yeast free. To keep it as allergy-friendly and paleo-compliant as possible, I wanted to remove the yeast but still get a nice loaf of bread. The corn-free baking powder and baking soda make a pretty decent substitute, although I do miss the classic yeasty taste that yeast provides!
Aside from being paleo-compliant, these sandwiches are meant to be allergy-friendly and suitable for a variety of dietary restrictions. Obviously the recipe is not egg free, but is anti-inflammatory and free from other common allergens. These grilled eggs sandwiches are…
- grain-free
- gluten-free
- tree nut free
- corn free
- dairy-free option
- anti-inflammatory
- yeast free
Bread Making: Grain-free Style
Like I mentioned before, I love experimenting with making homemade bread! If you have your modern pioneer checklist challenge handy, you will notice that making bread from scratch is one of those challenges! You can check that challenge off when you make this recipe!
Baking bread that is grain-free is different than making gluten-free bread or whole grain bread. Making the bread without yeast is a whole different experience as well! When whipping up a batch of grain-free, yeast free bread, don’t expect it turn out like classic, whole wheat bread, or even like gluten-free bread for that matter. Grain-free bread that is also yeast free tends to be a little bit of hardier bread, somewhat denser with more of a crumb. However, if you’re looking for an anti-inflammatory, healthy bread option, this grain-free bread fits the bill!
Also, make sure you check out this other grain-free bread that I use for making French toast with!
If you’re not up to making grain-free, yeast free bread, or maybe you just want the traditional experience of a soft grilled cheese sandwich, then you can go ahead and use some other healthier bread options. I like whipping up a batch of Pamela’s gluten-free bread, which does use yeast and provides a hardy, flavorful loaf of gluten-free bread!
Or if you really feel like cheating (don’t worry, I do it too!) go ahead and choose a healthier store-bought bread option. My absolute favorite brand of gluten-free is Canyon Bakehouse gluten-free breads. They have such a wide range of gluten-free breads, you will have a hard time choosing which loaf to try! Personally, I like their mountain white or heritage honey white loaves the best! But that’s for cheat days, most of the time I try to stick to my homemade breads!
Grilling Options
For a classic grilled cheese sandwich, I like to break out my good old cast iron skillet and get a warm, cheesy, ooey-gooey delicious sandwich by heating the sandwich up in the skillet. However, there are various ways that you can make a grilled cheese sandwich, and I often wonder why it’s called a grilled cheese sandwich when usually the sandwich is not grilled at all! At least, I don’t think I’ve ever used a grill to make a grilled cheese sandwich, although that is an option!
For these grilled cheese egg sandwiches, I have come up with several ways that you can get the ooey, gooey melted cheese that is traditional of a classic grilled cheese sandwich. Check out these creative ways that you can make your sandwich and choose the option that is most convenient for you!
- pan fried– Heat a cast iron skillet over medium heat with a spot of butter or bacon fat in the pan, place the sandwich in the pan and let it fry until the bread turns golden brown. Flip the sandwich and repeat until the other side is golden brown and the cheese is melted and soft.
- grilled– Actually grill your grilled cheese sandwich! Heat your grill up to about 350°F and place your sandwich in to get nice and toasty and melted!
- toasted– Place your sandwich in a toaster oven and let the bread get nice and toasted while the cheese turns melted and gooey!
- panini- If you have a cast iron panini press, make yourself a grilled cheese egg panini sandwich!
Personally, my favorite way to make a grilled cheese is outlined in the following recipe!
Looking for some actual grilling recipes? Make sure you check out this scrumptious simple bacon wrapped grilled venison backstrap or this simple grilled chicken salad recipe!
Add-In Ideas
Some folks like flavor… I happen to be one of those modern pioneers. However, it has to be the right flavor pairings in order for me to thoroughly enjoy the end product. With these grilled cheese egg sandwiches, there are endless flavor options!
Do you like something a little meatier in your sandwich? Add in some organic, non-GMO ham or bacon or a breakfast sausage! Or maybe you stick more to the veggie side of things. How about some homegrown sprouts, or stir fry veggies, or spinach? Tomatoes are a popular pairing with eggs as are homemade baked beans, both of which would taste great in these sandwiches!
I like to stick to more of the spices and herb flavorings. For me, nothing goes better with eggs and cheese than garlic! Garlic salt is my go-to egg topper and is a must have ingredient in any grilled cheese sandwich I make. I also love basil pesto (maybe because it contains garlic?). Homemade basil pesto also goes great in these grilled cheese egg sandwiches. If you ask me, the pesto is what makes the sandwich!
So let me know, what do you like to include in your grilled cheese egg sandwiches?
Recipe Tips
Making these grilled cheese egg sandwiches is super simple. The hardest part is making the bread, and without the presence of yeast, making grain-free bread actually goes very quickly! Here are a few recipe tips to ensure your grain-free bread and grilled cheese sandwich turn out fantastic!
- Use room temperature eggs. Room temperature eggs can actually help the bread rise better and they will incorporate into the batter better.
- You can use arrowroot flour in place of the tapioca flour. I have not tried any substitutes for the cassava flour.
- Coconut oil, olive oil, or avocado oil make great substitutes for the butter in the bread to make it dairy-free.
- I like to use Hain Pure Foods baking powder, which is corn free and still provides great rise to my baked products.
- Add the water slowly and adjust as needed until you get a bread dough that holds together but is not sticky. Warm water works best!
- For frying your sandwiches, I like to use leftover bacon fat, which adds flavor and is a dairy-free alternative to butter!
- For the cheese in these sandwiches, I highly recommend Daiya cheese slices! They are a great dairy-free and nut free cheese alternative!
Grilled cheese egg sandwiches make a great nutritious lunch option, perfect quick breakfast or versatile dinner idea! You will find endless ways to flavor these sandwiches and customize them to exactly how you like your sandwich! For me, it’s the melted, gooey cheese combined with the egg and basil pesto sandwiched between two slices of bread that makes me happy!
Grilled Cheese Egg Sandwich with Grain-free Bread
Ingredients
Grain-free Bread
- 1 cup cassava flour
- 1 cup Bob’s Red Mill tapioca flour
- 4 free-range organic eggs room temperature
- 1/4 cup organic, grass-fed butter or coconut oil/avocado oil/olive oil
- 3/4 tsp. baking soda
- 4 tsp. baking powder
- 1 tsp. sea salt
- 3 T. warm water
Dairy-free Pesto
- 3 cups fresh basil
- 2 T. sunflower seeds
- 1 T. olive oil
- 1 T. organic coconut milk
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1/2 tsp. lemon juice optional
Grilled Egg Sandwich
- 4 pasture-raised, organic eggs
- 1 tsp. cold water
- 1/4 tsp. garlic salt
- 1/2 tsp. bacon fat
- 2 slices Daiya provolone cheese
- 2 T. homemade pesto
- 4 slices homemade bread
Instructions
Grain-free Bread
- Preheat the oven to 375° F. Cut a piece of parchment paper and place it on a pizza stone. Sprinkle a little bit of tapioca flour over the parchment paper. Alternatively, lightly oil and flour an 8×4" loaf pan.
- In a large mixing bowl, soften the butter. Next add your flours, eggs, salt, baking soda, and baking powder. Stir everything together.
- Add the water one tablespoon at a time. Stir the batter until it forms a ball and is slightly moist. Use additional water as needed. The loaf should hold its shape when formed.
- Lightly flour your hands and pick up the dough. On the parchment paper, form the dough into an oval that is approximately 6 inches long, 3.5 inches wide, and 4 inches tall. ORShape the dough and place it into a prepared loaf pan.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes. The bread should be firm and lightly browned on the bottom. Allow it to cool before slicing it. If using a loaf pan, let the bread cool for 10 minutes before removing it from the loaf pan.
Dairy-free Pesto
- Wash your basil and place it in a food processor. Add the rest of the ingredients. If you want a smooth pesto, grind your sunflower seeds up ahead of time.
- Pulse everything together until it is smooth. You may have to periodically scrape the pesto back down near the blades and continue pulsing.
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge until you are ready to use it.
Grilled Egg Sandwiches
- Preheat a small cast iron skillet over low heat with 1/4 tsp. of bacon fat in it. Scramble the eggs and the cold water in a glass mug.
- Once the skillet is hot, pour the eggs into the pan. Sprinkle the garlic salt on the eggs and let them cook for 2-3 minutes, or until the top is somewhat set up. Flip the eggs over and cook for another 2-3 minutes, then remove the eggs from the pan.
- Add another 1/4 tsp. of bacon fat to the skillet and keep it heat up. Butter both sides of the bread slices and cut the eggs in half.
- Spread the basil pesto over two slices of the bread, place a half of the egg patty on each of the two bread slices. Next place a slice of cheese onto each of the egg halves. Place the other two bread slices on each stack to complete two sandwiches.
- Place one sandwich in the skillet and cook for 5-8 minutes, or until the bottom is browned. Flip the sandwich and cook for another 5-8 minutes, or until the bottom is browned and the cheese is melted. Pressing down on the sandwich sometimes helps melt the cheese. Repeat with the other sandwich.
Where to Find the Ingredients
- Otto’s cassava flour
- Bob’s Red Mill tapioca flour
- Pacific coconut milk
- Hain Pure Foods baking powder
- Thrive Market sunflower seeds
- Chosen Foods organic avocado oil
- Daiya cheese slices- I find them at my local Meijer and co-op grocery store
- Supplies- pizza stone, parchment paper, 8×4″ loaf pan, cast iron skillet, small stainless steel spatula
Grilled cheese egg sandwiches with grain-free bread is a perfect modern pioneer recipe that even lets you check off some modern pioneer life skills! Make homemade bread… check! Cook with cast iron…check! You even get to make your own basil pesto and use farm fresh eggs (if you raise backyard chickens). If you have a dairy animal, you can even make your own cheese! A meal made from scratch always taste delicious because of the time and effort you put into creating your own food! Whip up some grain-free bread, cook up some light and fluffy eggs, mix together a batch of easy basil pesto, and assemble yourself a nutritious sandwich, all made from scratch!
Don’t miss any other chuckwagon recipes! I love sharing both modern pioneer recipes and heritage pioneer recipes in our weekly modern pioneer newsletter!
by Alexa
Tori McConnell
October 25, 2018 1:28 pmI wondered why you used sunflower seeds in your pesto instead of pine nuts. I understand there is a tree but allergy and pine. It’s are technically considered a seed; is it safety precaution?
ThePioneerChicks
October 27, 2018 10:45 amWe use sunflower seeds because we like the consistency and flavor that the sunflower seeds provide. Sunflower seeds are usually what we have on hand too! We have never actually tried pine nuts before, but if you try them we would love to hear how it turns out!
– Alexa