A Bacon Jam Panini is the ultimate grilled cheese sandwich made with an incredible reduced bacon spread, gooey cheese, beautiful greens, and buttery toasted bread. Make one and be swept away to a magical place!

Bacon Jam Grilled Cheese Recipe

Everyone said, “she’ll never use it – it’s heavy. It’s bulky. It takes up too much space. She’ll get bored with it. It will just collect dust. I’d put money on it.” Any guesses? 

No, it’s not my treadmill. It’s my panini maker! And I’m proud to say my panini maker gets used so often that it has its own permanent spot on the counter. Yes, it’s counter-worthy.

I think this sandwich speaks for itself, but just in case you missed the love affair this country was having with bacon jam back in 2011 – I’m going to tell you…um, it’s not weird. It’s not gross. It’s so completely the opposite of that. You need to make it. Stat. And then you need to make these bacon jam paninis. Stat.

…and you might want to double the ingredients, because you’ll want another sandwich the next day. Probably the minute you wake up. Trust me.

Ingredients Needed

This grilled cheese recipe requires just 5 ingredients including the bacon jam.
(Scroll below to the printable recipe card for details and measurements.)

• Thick crusty bread – You’ll want a sturdy bread like sourdough, French, or Italian, that can hold all the fillings.
• Softened butter – For the outside of the bread so it gets nice and golden.
• Bacon jam – This a bacon-based relish. Sounds weird, but it’s SO good. It’s made by slow cooking bacon along with onions, vinegar, and brown sugar before blending in a food processor. We also put maple syrup and brewed coffee in our bacon jam recipe. If you don’t want to make it, a lot of markets carry it jarred now near the jams and jellies.
• Baby spinach – Make sure it’s fresh, not frozen, and give it a rough chop.
• Shredded cheese – I typically use fontina cheese for this panini. It’s buttery and soft, mild and slightly nutty, which compliments the salty bacon jam perfectly. Gruyère or even Monterey Jack are great alternatives.

How To Make Bacon Jam Panini

Making this bacon jam grilled cheese is super easy. The perfect no-stress lunch or dinner for busy days.
(Scroll below to the printable recipe card for details and measurements.)

1. Butter the bread. Lightly brush the outside of each bread slice with the butter.
2. Assemble the sandwich. Evenly distribute the spinach leaves and shredded cheese on 2 slices of bread; spread the bacon jam on the other 2 slices. Put the halves together.
3. Cook. Place on a preheated panini press; close lid and cook for about 3 to 4 minutes until the bread is toasted and the cheese is melted. (See notes below if you don’t have a panini maker.)
4. Enjoy. Slice the sandwich in half, serve right away and be carried off to a magical place!

Tips For Success

• Making bacon jam. If you just made the bacon jam, you’re good to go. If you made it earlier (or bought it) and it’s been in the fridge or if it’s jarred, then place it in the microwave for about 10 seconds to soften slightly.
• Use a sturdy bread. As mentioned above, you’ll want a sturdy bread for this grilled cheese. The bacon jam can cause other bread to get too moist and be unable to hold the other ingredients.
• Hate spinach? We love taste of spinach and pop of beautiful green color spinach brings to this sandwich, but if you hate it, just simply leave it out.
• Don’t have a panini press? This sandwich can definitely be made using a nonstick frying pan or griddle. Simply place a heavy plate on top of the sandwich, cook for 3 minutes on medium-low, then flip and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes – keep a close eye and adjust your heat if it’s over-browning.

Serving and Storage

This panini sandwich is best enjoyed immediately, as grilled cheese doesn’t reheat the best and the bread can get soggy. However, if needed, you can pop it in the air fryer for a few minutes or reheat on the stovetop – just keep an eye on it to avoid burning the bread.

More Grilled Cheese Recipes:

• Oven Grilled Cheese
• Best Grilled Cheese Sandwich
• Muenster Grilled Cheese
• Sloppy Joe Grilled Cheese
• Turkey Brie Grilled Cheese

I hope you love this delicious and easy recipe – be sure to give it a review below! Also don’t forget to follow Belly Full on TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube!