Buttery, toasted bread with sliced pepperoni and melted cheese, this pepperoni sandwich is a definite way to spruce up the usual lunch!

It’s the best of a grilled cheese and pepperoni pizza in one epic sandwich recipe that both kids and adults will love.

grilled pepperoni sandwich with melted cheese and tomato next to sliced pears.

Easy Pepperoni Sandwich Recipe

If you can make a grilled cheese, you can make this pepperoni sandwich, it’s that easy.

A good grilled cheese sandwich never gets old at my house, and while I have many variations, this version is (IMO) better than leftover pizza -definitely much faster!

I often assemble this sandwich for lunch with cheese and pepperoni used in previous meals like Pizza Chicken or family pizza night. This way, no ingredients go to waste and lunchboxes return home empty.

If you like this lunch idea so far and want more creative and kid-friendly recipes, check out my 101 Packed Lunches eBook. True to its name, there are 100+ lunch ideas and they aren’t all sandwiches and wraps.

You’ll find recipes for hot thermos lunches, power bowls, epic salads, and bento boxes that both kids and adults will be excited to eat for lunch.

101 Packed Lunches eBook

All my best kid-friendly lunches from over a decade of creating meal plans. Add some variety to your child’s lunchbox with these epic lunches, plus receive my Pack Meals Like a Pro ebook, free with purchase!

Buy the Book

More Pepperoni Pizza Sandwich Variations

These pepperoni sandwiches are also fair game for additional pizza toppings like:

sliced black olives
sliced tomatoes
chopped spinach
sliced mushrooms
sliced bell peppers
ham
sausage
pesto- instead of mayonnaise
marinara sauce- just a little!

If you do plan to load up on the toppings, I recommend using thickly sliced sandwich bread like Texas toast or sourdough. The slices are heartier and hold up better under more ingredients.

Pepperoni Grilled Cheese

There’s an art to crafting the perfect grilled cheese sandwich, and below I share with you step-by-step directions on how to assemble and grill this sandwich:

Spread a thin layer of softened butter over each slice of bread and flip the slices over.
Spread mayonnaise over each slice of bread and layer with the sliced tomato, cheese, and pepperoni. Assemble the sandwich.
Heat a medium, non-stick pan over medium-high heat. Add the sandwich to the pan and grill for 3 minutes until the cheese begins to melt. Flip and grill for an additional minute or until golden brown.
Remove the sandwich from the heat and slice it in half, or leave it whole.

How to Pack this Pepperoni Sandwich for Lunch

If you are packing this pepperoni sandwich for lunch, here’s how to keep the bread nice and toasty:

1. Cooldown
Let the sandwich cool down to room temperature before slicing sealing it in the lunchbox. Otherwise, the steam from the hot sandwich will create condensation and make the bread soggy.

2. Give it space
Make sure to keep the sandwich separate from other ingredients like fruit, veggies, etc. Having a compartmentalized lunch container makes this easy to do and you can still pack other snacks and sides in one container.

If you’re short on time or want to make this sandwich quickly, you can forgo the grilling step. While it does add a nice touch, it isn’t necessary and this sandwich is still a delicious lunch option your kids will enjoy. Just be sure to skip the butter.

Pepperoni Grilled Cheese

This pepperoni sandwich has all the flavors of a grilled cheese and pepperoni pizza in one epic lunch kids and adults will love.

Author: MOMables – Laura Fuentes
Prep Time: 3 minutes
Cook Time: 12 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes
Yield: 2 sandwiches 1x
Category: Lunch
Method: Stove-top
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Scale

Butter, for grilling
4 slices thick sandwich bread
1 tablespoon mayonnaise
1 tomato, sliced
2 slices Mozzarella cheese
8–12 slices pepperoni

Instructions

Butter each slice of bread and flip them over onto a large, flat surface. Spread the mayonnaise over 2 slices of bread and layer with tomato, cheese, and pepperoni. Assemble the sandwiches, buttered side facing up.
Heat a non-stick pan over medium-high heat. Grill the sandwiches, 1 at a time, for 2 to 3 minutes or until the cheese begins to melt. Flip and grill for an additional minute until the cheese melts.
Remove the sandwich from the cutting board and allow the sandwich to cool for 5 minutes before packing it into a lunch container.