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Pepper Jack Grilled Cheese Sandwich with Strawberry Hot Sauce and Arugula

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I would be grateful if you shared this recipe 🙂

It is time to celebrate all things cheesy. This Gluten Free Pepper Jack Grilled Cheese Sandwich with a Strawberry Hot Sauce and Arugula is my new favorite craving!

Gluten Free Pepper Jack Grilled Cheese with Strawberry Hot Sauce and Arugula sandwich halves stacked on top of each other. Arugula is on the wooden plate around the sandwich.

(* This post was sponsored by Smart & Final. All “cheesy” opinions are my own.)

Grilled cheese sandwiches are a staple in our house. Everyone in my family loves anything based on melty cheese :-).

You may look at my ingredient list and wonder about this grilled cheese recipe. You have to understand that I love food chemistry and flavor combinations, and I promise I would never steer you wrong.

You will have to trust me on this grilled cheese recipe.

It is so worth making.

The sweetness of the strawberry jam just “works” with the peppery finish of the hot sauce and arugula. The cream cheese adds the creaminess mouthfeel and the flavors create a party in your mouth!

Pulling apart two halves of a Gluten Free Pepper Jack Grilled Cheese sandwich with melted cheese stretching

I am not only celebrating this special “foodie” day, but I wanted to talk a little bit about giving back. If you have been reading my blog for a while, you know I used to work in the non-profit realm as an events and fundraising person. Even now that I am no longer working for a non-profit, our family is still very active in volunteering.

It is so important to give back

Smart & Final Graphic describing how they give back to the community

Smart & Final stores also believe in giving back. Now, when you buy Smart & Final’s First Street® brands, you’ll help support your local community. The funds generated from First Street First Percent will be donated to the Smart & Final Charitable Foundation which gives back to local nonprofits, e.g., food pantries, Little Leagues,
Boys & Girls Clubs, the American Heart Association, Special Olympics, Olive Crest, local schools, and many more.

The Smart & Final Charitable Foundation supports four important areas – health and wellness, education, hunger relief, and team sports and youth development. The Foundation gives to nonprofits in California, Arizona and Nevada where the company has stores.

And what better way to support this cause then to shop and get these tasty First Street ingredients to make this pepper jack grilled cheese sandwich! As always, Smart & Final guarantees all of their First Street products with a “try it and you’ll like it” or your money back guarantee.

First Street Shopping cart filled with ingredients to make this grilled cheese sandwich

For my recipe, I found all sorts of great First Street products to use. Not only does Smart & Final carry over 2,000 First Street products, but they also have a lot of gluten free brands, fresh organic produce, and even cleaning products.

To create this easy grilled cheese sandwich recipe is so easy!

First, we want to create the strawberry hot sauce.

Strawberry Hot Sauce ingredients in a bowl

Just combine the strawberry jam and cayenne pepper sauce in a microwave-safe dish. Cover and heat. Heating the two together help mesh the flavors together. Do this first so it has time to cool off.

Grilled Cheese cooking in a cast iron skillet

Heat a pan and coat one side of the bread with butter. Spread on cream cheese and add pepper jack to one slice, then spread the special strawberry hot sauce on the other.

Grilled Cheese cooking. Arugula added to sandwich

Add another slice of pepper jack then top the one side with fresh arugula. Finish heating then blend the two halves together.

melted cheese stretching between two sandwich halves.

This grilled cheese is super cheesy and delicious! Another thing I love about Smart & Final are the prices. Warehouse prices so I save money. It is so easy to get all of the ingredients I need for this perfect grilled cheese sandwich.

Print
Pepper Jack Grilled Cheese with Strawberry Hot Sauce and Arugula
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Total Time
20 mins
 

Easy pepper jack grilled cheese sandwich recipe.

Course: Main Course, Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Servings: 2 sandwiches
Calories: 548 kcal
Author: Sandi Gaertner
Ingredients
  • 8 slices gluten free bread for 4 sandwiches
  • 8 Pepper Jack cheese slices
  • 1 tablespoon cream cheese per sandwich
  • 1/4 cup strawberry jam
  • 1-2 teaspoons cayenne hot sauce depends how spicy you like it!
  • 1/4 cup fresh arugula
  • butter for the outsides of the bread
Instructions
  1. In a microwave safe dish, combine strawberry jam and hot sauce.
  2. Stir to mix.
  3. Microwave for 40 seconds.
  4. Remove and stir again.
  5. Heat a skillet on medium heat.
  6. Butter one side of each piece of bread.
  7. When the pan is hot, put the butter side bread down on the pan.
  8. Spread cream cheese on one side and the jam on the other.
  9. Cover each with a slice of Pepper Jack cheese.
  10. When the cheese gets a little melted, add arugula.
  11. Remove sandwich halves from the heat and put together.
  12. Serve warm while the cheese is melty.
Nutrition Facts
Pepper Jack Grilled Cheese with Strawberry Hot Sauce and Arugula
Amount Per Serving (1 g)
Calories 548 Calories from Fat 126
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 14g 22%
Saturated Fat 3g 15%
Polyunsaturated Fat 4g
Monounsaturated Fat 7g
Cholesterol 41mg 14%
Sodium 592mg 25%
Potassium 32mg 1%
Total Carbohydrates 90g 30%
Dietary Fiber 3g 12%
Sugars 30g
Protein 7g 14%
Vitamin A 11%
Vitamin C 6.3%
Calcium 19.7%
Iron 4.2%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

What do you like to put on your favorite grilled cheese sandwich?

Gluten Free Pepper Jack Grilled Cheese sandwich on a plate

 

 

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I would be grateful if you shared this recipe 🙂

Reader Interactions

Comments

  2. I already can anticipate the taste! It reminds me of a dish that I already make and love…fried Camembert with jalapeño jelly. Yum! Can’t wait to try this!

    Reply

  6. Fantastic. I’ve tried a wonderful salad with strawberries and mozzarella before, so I have no doubt on your flavour pairing working brilliantly. I love the hit of heat from the cayenne sauce though – perfect to go in a warm and toastie…. cheese toastie as we call them in my house

    Reply

  7. I’m going to run over to the refrigerator right now and make strawberry hot sauce – what an amazing combination. Hope my husband doesn’t mistake it for his strawberry jam tomorrow morning:)

    Reply

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