Food Recipes Bacon & Pimiento Grilled Cheese Be the first to rate & review! Kick up your grilled cheese game with this savory, easy-to-make sandwich. By Liv Dansky Liv Dansky Liv Dansky is a recipe tester and developer with three years of experience working in the Dotdash Meredith Food Studios. She holds a Diplôme de Cuisine from Le Cordon Bleu in London and worked in professional kitchens in Denver and Atlanta before finding her way to Dotdash Meredith. Highlights: * Print and digital recipes featured in 5+ publications, including Eating Well, Real Simple, and Southern Living * 3 years' experience working as a test kitchen professional * Received a Diplôme de Cuisine from Le Cordon Bleu in London Real Simple's Editorial Guidelines Published on September 01, 2023 Rate PRINT Share Close Photo: Fred Hardy Prep Time: 25 mins Total Time: 25 mins Servings: 4 sandwiches Yield: 4 sandwiches Jump to Nutrition Facts This is one grilled cheese sandwich recipe guaranteed to turn heads. Crispy bacon and sweet summer tomatoes make an appearance, but it’s not quite a BLT since lettuce is absent. (Although basil leaves add freshness to this sandwich). And it’s definitely not a standard grilled cheese; simply put, it’s better. If you live in a part of the country where high-quality pimiento cheese is available at the grocery store, go for it! But, if not, you can easily stir one together with sharp cheddar, cream cheese, pimiento peppers, and mayo. This sandwich is rich, creamy, and cheesy with pops of freshness, and it settles a long-standing grilled cheese debate: for an optimal golden crust, spread mayonnaise, not butter, on the bread before searing. Consider cooking bacon in the oven for crispy results and less cleanup. Simply preheat oven to 400°F and place bacon on an aluminum-lined baking sheet or a baking sheet fitted with a wire rack. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until crispy and drain on a paper towel-lined plate. The Best Way to Make Grilled Cheese, With Tips From a Pro Ingredients 8 slices thick-cut bacon 1 cup extra-sharp cheddar cheese, grated (about 1 cup) 2 oz cream cheese, softened 1/4 cup chopped and drained pimientos 1/2 tsp cayenne 1/4 tsp onion powder 6 Tbsp mayonnaise 1/2 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves, roughly chopped 8 1/2-inch-thick slices sourdough bread 8 1/4-inch-thick slices tomato Directions Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium. Working in batches if needed, cook bacon, flipping often, until crisp, about 8 minutes. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate. Remove skillet from heat and discard drippings. Meanwhile, stir together Cheddar, cream cheese, pimientos, cayenne, onion powder, and 2 tablespoons mayonnaise in a medium bowl until combined. Spread 1 1/2 teaspoons mayonnaise on 1 side of each bread slice. Arrange 4 bread slices, mayonnaise side down, on a work surface. Spread evenly with Cheddar mixture. Top each with 1 tablespoon basil, 2 bacon slices, 2 tomato slices, and 1 more tablespoon basil. Top with remaining bread slices, mayonnaise side up. Heat skillet over medium. Cook 2 sandwiches until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Remove from skillet and cook remaining 2 sandwiches. Slice in half and serve. Rate It Print Nutrition Facts (per serving) 777 Calories 41g Fat 71g Carbs 30g Protein Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label Nutrition Facts Servings Per Recipe 4 Calories 777 % Daily Value * Total Fat 41g 53% Saturated Fat 14g 71% Cholesterol 75mg 25% Sodium 1539mg 67% Total Carbohydrate 71g 26% Dietary Fiber 4g 13% Total Sugars 8g Protein 30g 60% Vitamin C 17mg 18% Calcium 296mg 23% Iron 6mg 32% Potassium 446mg 9% *The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.