A grilled cheese sandwich is not diet food. So when I have one, it has to be great! Crispy, salty, buttery exterior and oozy, molten cheese inside. Are you ready to meet the ultimate cheese toastie??
My two golden rules for a great Grilled Cheese
I realise it might seem strange to share a recipe for what is fundamentally just melted cheese between bread. And really, is there even such a thing as a bad grilled cheese? Perhaps not.
But there is such a thing as a GREAT grilled cheese sandwich!
So here are my two golden rules for my very best grilled cheese:
Use TWO types of cheese โ mozzarella for stretch and another for flavour (gruyere and vintage cheddar are my favourites)
Give your sandwich press a miss. Use a pan on your stove! Just look at the superior golden buttery crust you get to bite into! โโโ
Then to take it from excellent to new heights of greatnessโฆ.
Use sourdough bread instead of ordinary sandwich bread;
Use freshly grated cheese instead of sliced or pre-shredded;
Butter both sides of each slice of bread; and
Be sure to use salted butter!
Grilled cheese vs cheese toastie โ Fundamentally they are both toasted bread with melted cheese sandwiched between them. But toasties are made using a sandwich press or toastie maker, while grilled cheese is made on the stove in a skillet, griddle or pan.
Which is better? While it comes down to personal taste and convenience / speed, for me the grilled cheese wins hands down. The bread gets too squished in toasties and sandwich makers โ even the ones that have a โthick setโ option. The weight of the lid presses down on the bread too much. This also causes cheese to ooze out, limiting the amount you can put in the sandwich to not-enough. Travesty!!
And a quick note on other cooking methodsโฆ..
Broiler/grill โ This method works fine and is a good alternative for batch cheese toastie making but you canโt achieve that same awesome melding of buttery-bread-molten-cheese like you do in a pan. Nor will you get the same golden buttery crust! However, useful method to use for batch cheese-toastie making (my method: toast bread, place on rack, butter, cheese, grill, eat open face or sandwich together)
Jaffle maker โThe sealed edges and squished bread are the cons here. Though, still perfectly acceptable to scratch your cheese-toasties itch!
Microwave โ No, you havenโt, have you??? *YES I HAVE!* ๐
What you need for a grilled cheese sandwich
Hereโs what you need to make my idea of the perfect grilled cheese. However, rest assured thereโs flexibility and options! Itโs more about technique. ๐
Bread โ This recipe will work fine with any sliced bread (sandwich, loaf etc) though you want to ensure the slices are not too thick (cheese might not melt), too thin or too soft (will get squished by the cheese) or too holey (cheese-escape-routes).
My favourite is a nice sourdough but not those super fancy ones that come with a crazy thick, tough teeth-breaking crust. Just a normal, good sourdough is all you need!
Cheese options โ For the best grilled cheese, you want to use a combination of mozzarella (for its cheese pull and non-greasy melting qualities) with a flavoured cheese โ because mozzarella actually has a very mild flavour. A good vintage cheddar or gruyere are my absolute favourites.
Otherwise, Iโll use anything and everything โ tasty, Monterey Jack, colby, swiss, cheddar. Just give me my grilled cheese!!!
Grate your own cheese for the ultimate grilled cheese! The melt is superior โ smoother, more even, and โsofterโ. Store bought pre-grated cheese is coated with anti-caking agents that prevents it from melting well, so it can end up kind of gloopy and rubbery. Cheese slices are better than using packet shredded cheese.
Salted butter โ Just your everyday butter that you use to spread on bread and crackers. Else, use unsalted and add a light sprinkle of salt. Trust me โ you really want the salt!
How to make the best grilled cheese sandwich (in my world)
I added โ(my world)โ to the end because I realise that some people might not agree or have different tastes etc. and thatโs totally ok! Iโm just here today to share what I think is the very best grilled cheese in the world. (I mean, MY world ๐)
Grate cheese โ If not using store bought pre-sliced cheese, grate the cheese using a standard box grater. As noted above, store bought pre-shredded cheese is coated with anti-caking agents which prevents it from melting properly.
Butter both sides of each bread. Yes thatโs right, all four sides. Trust me on this!
Head start fry โ Place the bread in a pre-heated heavy based skillet or non-stick fry pan over medium low heat. Let it lightly toast just for 1 minute. This will give this side of the bread a little extra toasty flavour as well as giving the cheese melting a head start โ because we are going to flip the bread before piling the cheese on.
Flip bread & cheese it! Turn one slice of bread then pile the cheese on top (any order). Place the other piece of bread on top with the hot toasted side in contact with the cheese.
3 minutes โ Press down lightly and cook for 3 minutes until the underside is a deep, even golden brown colour. If it is browning too quickly, remove the pan from the stove, let it cool slightly and lower the heat.
Turn, 3 minutes โ Carefully turn the sandwich. Cook the other side for another 3 minutes until golden and crisp, and (most importantly!) the cheese is melted. Take a quick peek if you are unsure.
Golden brown โ This is what your bread should look like from edge to edge! A deep golden brown, even coloured, crisp. You know this is going to be good!
Cut โ Transfer to a cutting board and cut in half, decisively and with intention. And thenโฆ.wait for itโฆ. THE CHEESE PULL!
Yup, that piece has my name all over it. JUST LOOK AT IT.
That golden, salty, buttery crust.
The molten cheese, the perfect combination of the beautiful melting qualities of mozzarella mixed with the flavour of gruyere or cheddarโฆ.
The first bite is EVERYTHING!
I really hope you give this recipe a go, even if you only make it once, just so you can experience the greatness of a really, really good grilled cheese sandwich!! โ Nagi x
PS Reading back over this post, I find my extreme enthusiasm for butter-cheese-bread somewhat worrying. I hope that one day, my salad recipes read with the same level of energy.
Watch how to make it
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My best Grilled Cheese Sandwich
Ingredients
- 2 slices sourdough bread , sliced 1.3โ1.5cm thick (0.5 โ 0.6โณ) โ Note 1
- 30g/ 2 tbsp SALTED butter , for spreading on bread (or unsalted + pinch of salt)
- 1/3 cup (heaped) vintage cheddar cheese or gruyere, freshly grated (or other melting cheese of choice) โ Note 2
- 30g/ 1/3 cup mozzarella, freshly grated โ Note 2
Instructions
- Butter bread โ Slather both sides of each piece of bread with the butter (yes, all 4 sides!).
- Light toast โ Heat a heavy-based skillet or frying pan over medium low heat (no oil or butter). Place both pieces of bread in the skillet and lightly toast for 1 minute to warm it through and create a light crust. (When we flip, this gives the cheese a head start).
- Pile on cheese โ Flip one slice of bread, then pile on the cheddar cheese followed by the mozzarella. Place the other slice of bread on top, with the hot toasted side in contact with the cheese.
- Cook 3 minutes โ Cook for 3 minutes or until the bread is evenly golden and crisp, pressing down lightly with a spatula every now and then. If it's browning too quickly, remove remove from the stove to cool down a bit and lower heat.
- Flip, 3 minutes โ Turn the sandwich over, and cook the other side for 3 minutes or until the bread is golden and the cheese is melted.
- Devour โ Transfer to cutting board. Cut in half in one swift motion. Admire cheese pull. Devour.
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
Life of Dozer
Post trip re-uniting treat, for both of us! Heโs not usually allowed up on the couch without a full-towel-coverage situation. The furโฆSO MUCH FUR. Iโll be vacuuming that couch tomorrow!
Just how we made this at the restaurant used smoked Gouda and smoked cheddar
mmm nothing wrong with a bit of burnt butter, adds to the taste
Unfortunately, soooooo good! Nagi, youโre the best, although my waistline does not thank you ๐
Agreed on the pan is best, 300+ million Americans cant be wrong ! and lol @ cheese-escape-routes
Frying BOTH sides of the bread?! This is genius! And I confess that I too enjoy a microwaved cheese sandwich, which I call a โmelted cheese sandwichโ. My favourite after school snack as a teen! ๐
I prefer a frypan toastie over a press. But Iโve NEVER buttered both sidesโฆ.you learn something new every day! Guess whatโs for dinner tonight?! LOL
Alright Nagi, youโve convinced me. All future cheese sandwiches will be properly made, thank you. I just wonder why noone has mentioned to add a few thin slivers of red onion โฆ so good, especially if you donโt have gruyere ๐
I agree but then it would be a cheese and onion grill, not cheese grill..
Fair point, I stand corrected ๐ A cheese and onion toasted sandwich deserves its very own recipe, anyway.
Perfection & yep some need a go-to recipe, nothing wrong with that.
Caramelised onion dip panfried on outside side of bread another winner in our house.
Each to their own, just enjoy xnx
I am 87 years young, and just made this yummy grilled cheese on a bagel.Yes I said a bagel. Didnโt have any other bread and didnโt want to wait. It came out so good, just didnโt get as toasted. But my goal was to enjoy and eat it NOW. Unbelievable how satisfying a grilled cheese could be. I guess we go back to being a kid again.Thanks again. Give Dozer a big hug from me.
thanks for sharing your great recipe
Totally toasting the inside of bread. I totally the bread for sandwiches regular and this seems so obvious. Plus I bet it makes better tomato grilled cheeses (itโs tomato season in the US).
My additional comment is cast iron really leveled up grilled cheese in our house.
Nagi,
I am 56 and do not feel it is an exaggeration to state I must have made thousands of grilled cheese sandwiches throughout my lifetime for myself and my family.
For you to do an entire post on a grilled cheese sandwich seems simple, however the idea of buttering all four sides of the bread as well as lightly toasting one side before adding cheese is brilliant!!!
I am immediately doing this and feel anyone that scoffs at todayโs recipe should a) realize how truly blessed we are to have found you and your recipes, and b) perhaps try to be more kind to others in general.
Thank you, Nagi, for always brightening my day!!
Brilliant idea to lightly toast the โinsideโ of the bread! Canโt wait to try it!
Such a sweet pic of you and Dozer.
And this โ truly a laugh out loud comment: (PS Reading back over this post, I find my extreme enthusiasm for butter-cheese-bread somewhat worrying. I hope that one day, my salad recipes read with the same level of energy.)
My thoughts exactly! And from another Mary, too. If you were my neighbor, weโd cook these up this afternoon. ๐
Grilled cheese sandwiches are one of my favorites but I do not think to make often. I never thought about using grated cheese but it makes sense to improve the texture. This recipe allows me to include this as the main course for a nice lunch instead of a throw together at the last minute quicky.
Try it with rye and swiss
Been making grilled cheese sandwiches like this for many, many years. Didnโt know there was any other way.
literally made sliced ham and cheese toastie in the air fryer this morning on a piece of baking paper, was awesome. may have to go again for teaโฆ.
Okโฆ I seriously need some Gruyรจre, Vintage Cheddar + Mozzarella Cheese โฆpronto โฆ + some sourdough bread.
There is something drool worthy about the simple, yet elegant humble Grilled Cheese Toastie.
It doesnโt matter if itโs 3:00am, 9:45am, 1:15pm, 7:03pm or 5 seconds before MidNight, an Ultimate Grilled Cheese Toastie cooked like this, is always worth the time to make one.
Snuggled up in bed with a hot cocoa, knowing youโll end up with crumbies in the bed, is still not a deterrent.
Crumbies in the hairโฆsimply donโt care.
Gilled cheese toastie, Shall eat one anytime, any where.
How about adding mayo instead of butter?
Iโm trying this on the weekend. After searching Iโm going to use both butter & mayo on the outside pieces of bread. Sounds awesome.
So funny โ I came here just to make that point ๐ I do that all the time.
Yes to mayo! It allows the bread to brown without risking burned butter. It might not make the 3 minute mark though. Iโll have to give it a try on med./low heat as Nagi suggests, and devour!
I went through a phase where I used mayo but went back to butter. I found it so much better.
I doubt it would get the golden โfryโ as well without the oil of butter against the pan.
Mayo is my go too and it gives a great crisp.
Mayo is egg and oil. Itโs my current go-to for grilled cheese because it gets nice and golden without burning as easily as butter does.
I prefer Mayo as well. It makes the bread so crispy and Lovely!
Wow. It is only 5am here in Upstate NY and yet I am jonesing for a Grilled Cheeseโฆ. ๐