Grilled Provolone with Turkey, Prosciutto, Spinach, and Jalapeño (with Crusty No-Knead Bread)

This grilled provolone with turkey, prosciutto, spinach, and pickled jalapeño sandwich (with crusty no-knead bread) will take your grilled cheese game to all new heights. 

For me, grilled cheese is the ultimate comfort food. With crispy grilled bread filled with warm melty cheese, it's the answer to your need for something crispy, soft, warm, melty, and crunchy all in one sandwich. 

This grilled provolone and turkey sandwich takes your favorite sandwich, adds sweet and savory elements, pairs it with a bread that grills up into a super crunchy, golden, and cheesy combination. 

I love playing with different types of breads, ingredients, and methods to make grilled cheese sandwiches, including chili crisp grilled cheese using homemade cheese bread and chili crisp in and on the sandwich, bacon and guacamole grilled cheese with sourdough, grilled cheese using sourdough apple bread with apple in the bread and in the sandwich, and even a Cuban sandwich. 

Ingredients in This Grilled Provolone and Turkey Sandwich:

Cheeses: Sliced Provolone along with freshly grated Parmesan cheese to mix with the butter that goes on the outside of the bread for grilling. 

Meats: Deli sliced turkey and thinly sliced Proscuitto, an aged, dry-cured Italian ham. 

Baby Spinach: Slightly par-cook the spinach in a small amount of water to reduce it before laying it in the sandwich. 

Jalapeños: I used candied jalapeños in this sandwich. You can also use jarred pickled jalapeños if you can't find the candied version. 

Bread: I used a homemade no-knead bread that is super easy to make. The dough is super wet, resulting in a crispy, crusty bread that is perfect for a crunchy grilled cheese sandwich. If you prefer, you can also use a store-bought crusty French or sourdough bread that is chewy somewhat airy with a crunchy crust. 

I baked the loaf in an Emile Henry Long Baker, a 13-inch long covered baker with a cover. You can also use a four quart Dutch oven with a lid. Either way, you need an enclosed pan because the dough is pretty impossible to shape on it's own and the pan will provide the needed shaping. 

To Make the Bread:

This bread takes about 12 to 13 hours to make, from start to finish, most of the time hands off. 

First, combine the flour, salt, water and yeast in a large bowl, cover, and let rest for about 10 to 12 hours. 

After that, stir down the dough to deflate it and pour it into a greased baker that has been sprinkled with corn meal. Cover the pan and let the dough rise until bubbly and jiggly, about 1 1/2 to 2 hours. In the meantime, heat the oven to 450 degrees F. 

When the dough is ready, bake the bread for 45 minutes, remove the lid, and bake for about 10 minutes more. Cool the finished loaf completely on a wire rack. 

Tips for Making Grilled Cheese Sandwiches:

Be sure to grill the sandwiches over low heat so that the cheese has time to melt and other ingredients have time to heat through before the outside of the bread turns too brown. 

You can also substitute mayonnaise for the butter on the outside of the bread for a smoother application and an even golden color. 

If the cheese seems to be taking too long to melt (especially if it's a harder cheese), you can put a pot lid over the sandwich to capture the heat to speed up the melting. 

Happy National Grilled Cheese Month from The Sunday Funday Group! 

• Baked Beans Bruschetta by Sneha's Recipe
• Corned Beef and Gruyère Toasties by Food Lust People Love
• DIY Grilled Cheese Bar by Culinary Cam
• Grilled Cheese and Avocado by A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Grilled Provolone with Turkey, Prosciutto, Spinach, and Jalapeños by Karen's Kitchen Stories
• Jalapeño Popper Grilled Cheese by Amy's Cooking Adventures

Grilled Provolone with Turkey, Prosciutto, Spinach, and Jalapeño (with Crusty No-Knead Bread)

Yield: 1 sandwich

Author: Karen Kerr

Prep time: 15 MinCook time: 1 H & 15 MInactive time: 12 HourTotal time: 13 H & 30 M

This grilled provolone with turkey, prosciutto, spinach, and pickled jalapeño sandwich (with crusty no-knead bread) will take your grilled cheese game to all new heights. 

Ingredients

For the Sandwich

• 1 small handful (10 to 15) baby spinach leaves
• 1 1/2 tablespoons softened butter
• 1 tablespoon freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 slices crusty bread
• 2 slices Provolone cheese
• 1 to 2 slices deli-sliced turkey
• 1 to 2 thin long slices Proscuitto
• 3 to 4 slices candied or pickled jalapeños

For the Bread

• 5 cups (600 grams) unbleached bread flour
• 1/4 teaspoon instant yeast
• 2 1/4 teaspoons salt
• 2 2/3 cups (605 grams) cool water

Instructions

To Make the Sandwich

1. In a medium small bowl, combine the spinach and 1 tablespoon water and microwave for 20 to 30 seconds, to slightly wilt. Drain and set aside.
2. Mix the butter and Parmesan together and spread the mixture evenly on one side of each bread slice. Place one slice of the bread in a skillet, butter side down and layer with a Provolone cheese slice, spinach leaves, Prosciutto, turkey, jalapeño, and another slice of Provolone. Top with the second bread slice, butter side up, and cook over low heat until the cheeses are melted, the sandwich is heated through, and the outside of the sandwich is crispy and golden. Slice and serve.

To Make the Bread

1. In a large bowl, combine the flour, yeast, salt, and water, stirring until fully combined. Cover and let rest in a cool spot for 10 to 12 hours (typically overnight).
2. Spray a 13-inch covered long baker or a 4 quart Dutch oven with spray oil and sprinkle generously with corn meal. Alternatively, line the pan with parchment paper and spray with spray oil.
3. Stir the dough gently to deflate it and scrape it into the baker or Dutch oven. Cover and let rise for 90 to 120 minutes, until bubbly but no yet deflated. Heat the oven to 450 degrees F.
4. Bake the bread for 45 minutes, covered. Remove the cover and bake for an additional 5 to 10 minutes, until a deep golden color. Turn the bread out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Nutrition Facts

Calories

629

Fat (grams)

24 g

Sat. Fat (grams)

11 g

Carbs (grams)

86 g

Fiber (grams)

13 g

Net carbs

73 g

Sugar (grams)

14 g

Protein (grams)

23 g

Cholesterol (grams)

47 mg

https://www.karenskitchenstories.com/2025/03/grilled-provolone-with-turkey.html

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Bread recipe adapted from King Arthur Baking.