Cauliflower Spanakopita Melt

Prep Time:30 minutes Cook Time: 45 minutes Servings: 4 minutes

This cauliflower spanakopita melt is a dream come true! It blends the flavors of the Greek spinach pie, spanakopita, into the hand-held comfort and convenience of a grilled cheese sandwich. Chopped roasted cauliflower brings a healthy, veggie-packed twist. We cook these sandwiches in a skillet, but if you have a sandwich press, you can use that to crisp them up instead.

Ingredients:
  • 2½ cups cauliflower florets (1-inch; 8 ounces)
  • 2½ tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
  • ¼ cup chopped shallots
  • 8 cups packed baby spinach
  • ¼ cup chopped fresh dill
  • 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • ½ teaspoon ground pepper
  • ¾ cup crumbled feta cheese
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup shredded fontina cheese
  • 8 (1-ounce) slices whole-wheat bread
Directions:
  1. Preheat oven to 450°F. Toss 2½ cups cauliflower and 1½ teaspoons oil together on a large rimmed baking sheet; spread in an even layer. Roast until browned, 15 to 20 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes. Finely chop the cauliflower; transfer to a medium bowl.
  2. Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add ¼ cup shallots; cook, stirring often, until softened, about 1 minute. Add 8 cups spinach in batches; cook, stirring often, until wilted, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in ¼ cup dill, chopped garlic and ½ teaspoon pepper; cook, stirring often, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Transfer the spinach mixture to a fine-mesh strainer placed over a large bowl; let cool slightly, about 5 minutes. Wipe the skillet clean. Gently press the spinach to remove excess liquid, patting dry with paper towels if needed. Discard the liquid. Add ¾ cup feta, the spinach mixture and ¼ teaspoon salt to the cauliflower; stir to combine.
  3. Spread 2 tablespoons fontina on each of 4 bread slices; top with about ½ cup cauliflower mixture, 2 tablespoons fontina and the remaining bread slices. Heat 1 teaspoon oil in the skillet over medium heat. Cook 2 sandwiches (place another skillet on top of sandwiches to weigh them down) until golden brown on the bottom, about 2 minutes. Add ½ teaspoon oil to the pan, flip the sandwiches and cook until golden brown on the other side and the cheese is melted, about 2 minutes more. Adjust heat as needed to prevent the bread from burning. Repeat the process with the remaining 1½ teaspoons oil and 2 sandwiches.