With fresh mozzarella, sweet strawberries, creamy avocado, basil, and balsamic vinegar, this Strawberry Avocado Grilled Cheese is perfect for summer!

I used to hate grilled cheese. I know…sue me, judge me, say what you must. But growing up, grilled cheese always meant two pieces of white bread sandwiching a thick slab of Velveeta, melted into a weird, pseudo-cheese thing.
And it wasn’t until I grew up and moved off to college that I 1) learned to cook for myself and 2) learned that grilled cheese is pretty okay after all. Maybe it’s a rite of passage into adulthood, but one does not simply go to college and not live off grilled cheese sandwiches for at least a month.

In this time of grilled cheese exploration, I discovered the fascinating world of non-boring grilled cheeses.
Anything could make a grilled cheese sandwich! Whatever I (or my roommates) happened to have in the refrigerator. Pesto / spinach / mozzarella, blueberry/balsamic, leftover mac n’ cheese…everything was game, I tell you. Well thank the heavens I discovered that grilled cheese is not, in fact, the worst food known to man, because that discovery eventually led me to this Strawberry Avocado Grilled Cheese.

Ingredients for this gourmet grilled cheese
This gourmet avocado grilled cheese sandwich had a lot of tasty components. Let’s talk about ‘em.
Fresh Mozzarella: Today we’re using a fresh ball of mozzarella! Cut it into slabs and set them on a few layers of paper towels, then dab the mozzarella with more paper towels to get out the excess moisture. Let them sit for about 20 minutes to really get them dry.
Avocados: Hop on the shaved avocado train or slice them really thin. These are going to add some major eye-candy + creaminess to this sandwich.
Strawberries: You may be wondering if fruit on a savory grilled cheese could actually taste good. The answer: yes. Strawberries give a refreshing sweetness that we’ll balance out with balsamic vinegar and some seasoning.
Balsamic Vinegar: Like I said, we need to balance out those sweet strawberries! The balsamic brings in a deep, tart flavor that ties everything together perfectly.
Basil: Because basil is summer perfection, and because my thumb has finally turned green in the form of an overgrown herb garden, it screams to be included in this grilled cheese!

Because I live in the Netherlands where people adore mayonnaise, the tulip-man requested a dipping sauce for this grilled cheese. If you too have a mayonnaise/dipping sauce-lover at your table, you can whip up a quick dip by combining 1 teaspoon of balsamic vinegar with 1 tablespoon of mayonnaise.


Ingredients
- 4 slices bread
- 2 Tbsp olive oil 30 mL
- ½ avocado thinly sliced
- 3 strawberries thinly sliced
- 8 1/4-inch slices fresh mozzarella cheese about 200 g
- 1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar 15 mL
- A few basil leaves
- Pinch each of salt and pepper
Instructions
- Let’s get the extra moisture out of your mozzarella first. Cut the mozzarella into slices and place them on a few layers of paper towels. Dab each slice to remove excess moisture, and allow them to sit for about 20 minutes before you make your sandwich.
- Brush olive oil onto one side of each piece of bread.
- Onto two of your slices of bread, layer on mozzarella cheese, strawberries, and avocados, being sure to keep the olive oil-coated side facing outward.
- Drizzle with balsamic, add a few basil leaves, and a pinch each of salt and pepper.
- Top with the other slice of bread and cook on a skillet or in a panini press over medium/high heat for about 5 minutes, until brown on both sides and the cheese is melted.
Tiffany says
Mmm this looks really great! I love all of these things! I bet it’s delicious!
Molly says
I loooove grilled cheese with avocado, but I’ve never thought about adding strawberries! Such a good idea. Need to try it soon!
Amanda | Maple Alps says
I love grilled cheese and I love strawberries. This looks like it would be the perfect snack for me! A little sweet and a little savoury! Perfect!
Bella B says
Oh my gosh my mouth is watering this looks so die for!! I love anything with avocado in it!
http://xoxobella.com
Michelle Marie says
I will have to give this one a try. It looks and sounds really good. I am a little nervous about the strawberry, but I will for sure have to give it a shot!
Sarah says
Don’t be! Strawberry has a lot of the same flavors as tomatoes, so it goes really well with mozzarella and balsamic. You should definitely give it a go! 🙂
Shannon says
That looks so amazing! My kids both love grilled cheese so I would like to try this version for them too.
Ciera Chang says
I can’t believe you went through a time where you did not love grilled cheese!! Thankfully you changed your mind…. I could live off of grilled cheese for the rest of my life tbh! This recipe looks absolutely delicious, I’ve never added strawberries to mine but it sounds like it would taste perfect with avocado!
xoxo, CiCi
http://www.worldwidestylista.com
Sarah says
We’ll just refer to those times as “The Dark Ages” 😉 Thanks so much for dropping by and commenting, CiCi!
Kristen says
I LOVE this on the grilled cheese!! Looks amazing, and I love anything and everything with avocado!
Linda Spiker says
Ugh. Velveeta. No wonder you didn’t like grilled cheese! You’ve come a long way. This sounds delicious!
Sarah says
Ha, right? I think Velveeta would be against the law here in Holland, where they REALLY care about cheese.
Leah says
Well, this just sounds ah.ma.zing! I would be all over this! Yum!
Lauren says
This looks delish! What a great twist on a classic!
Joanan says
Pinning this for later! I love avocado and grilled cheese, but I have never tried it with strawberry. Yum:)
Rachel says
Wow, what an interesting combo. Looks good!
Katherine says
I love this unexpected combo of avo + strawberry! This is something I’ll definitely have to try.
DANI CC says
This looks divine! It’s so gourmet and well now we’re going to make it. Thanks for sharing!
Shannon says
Oh my this looks like heaven! What a great take on a classic. Definitely need to try this!
Shannon
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Jaime says
Holy moly this looks amazing!!! I would have never thought to add these ingredients together. Trying it this weekend!!!
Suzanne says
This is such an interesting flavor combination – it sounds delicious!! Avocado can do no wrong ?
Miss Caipi says
Yum! This looks amazing!