There’s Grilled Cheese and there’s GREAT Grilled Cheese. Learn how to make the best Grilled Cheese Sandwich with a crisp, buttery exterior and gooey cheese center.
Try this combination of cheeses and the process of buttering and cooking the toast, and you will be known for your Grilled Cheese Sandwiches. All you need is a Creamy Tomato Soup to dunk your sandwich into.
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Grilled Cheese Recipe
This has been named “The Internet’s Most Popular Grilled Cheese Recipe” by the Kitchn and has been a fan favorite for years. Everyone needs a go-to cheese sandwich and this one’s a keeper!
We love hot sandwiches from our Crispy Chicken Sandwich to Philly Cheesesteak. This Grilled Cheese recipe is well-loved by my whole family. Who can resist that impressive cheese pull? Watch the video tutorial and see how easy it is. All you need is a skillet and a spatula.
Grilled Cheese Video Tutorial
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What is Grilled Cheese?
Grilled cheese is a classic American sandwich that has existed since 1920. It is a hot sandwich made with buttered and toasted bread. Originally, it was filled with American cheese, but it is now commonly made with one or more different cheeses. I also feel better about serving real cheese to my family!
Ingredients
- Bread: A thicker sliced bread such as Texas toast works best. Sourdough Bread also makes a terrific sandwich.
- Butter: Use a generous 1/2 Tbsp of butter on each slice of bread. We use unsalted but any butter will work here.
- Cheese: To add more flavor, we use a combination of sliced medium cheddar, gouda, and Havarti cheese.
How to Make a Grilled Cheese
- Butter the toast – spread 1/2 Tbsp butter on one side of each slice of bread.
- Heat skillet – place a skillet over low to medium/low heat. If you’re using a griddle, it should be at 275˚F. Immediately add 2 slices of bread with the buttered side down.
- Add cheese – stack the cheese on one of the pieces of bread, cover it with the other piece of toast and flip the sandwich over.
- Brown the toast – Continue sauteeing, flipping once, until both sides are golden brown and cheese is melted.
- Serve – cut the sandwich in half on the diagonal to serve.
How long to cook grilled cheese?
The total cooking time for a grilled cheese sandwich over low to medium/low heat is 6-7 minutes. That is enough time for the exterior to crisp and brown and for the cheese to fully melt.
Tips for the Best Grilled Cheese
- Low heat – it takes a little patience to make the perfect grilled cheese. Keep your heat on low to give the cheese time to fully melt while the bread gets golden and crisp. If browning too fast, turn the heat down.
- Butter generously – the amount of butter may seem like a lot, but it is important for a crispy exterior.
- Use thick-sliced bread – we love using Texas toast because it’s sliced about twice as thick as normal sandwich bread. You want bread that is about 3/4″ to 1″ thick, but also avoid bread that is too thick or your cheese won’t melt properly. Using bread that is too thin will produce a flimsy and sometimes soggy sandwich.
Common Questions
You can use a cast-iron skillet or any non-stick pan. To cook multiple sandwiches at once, try a griddle or flat cooktop, or even a panini press.
Grilled cheese is not ‘grilled’ as the name implies. It can be grilled, but you would want to keep the heat very low to avoid burning your bread before the cheese melts.
Our favorite blend is a combination of medium cheddar, gouda, and Havarti cheeses. You can use just one type of cheese if you prefer or substitute any of the cheeses with Monterey jack, pepper jack, Gruyere, or even American cheese.
While mayonnaise might seem more convenient to spread on the bread, it will make your sandwich taste like mayo, which is why we prefer butter. If you don’t have softened butter, check out our hack on how to soften butter in 5 minutes.
Yes! We have a recipe for this in my Cookbook. Essentially, you butter the outsides of the bread slices, stack 3 slices of cheese between the bread, and bake on a baking sheet for 10 minutes at 400˚F, flipping halfway. It’s a great way to serve up multiple sandwiches at once to feed a crowd.
Serve Grilled Cheese with
We love to serve Grilled Cheese with Tomato Soup. The acidity and creaminess of tomato soup pair so well with a cheesy sandwich. You can also serve with:
- Marinara Sauce (for dipping)
- Classic Coleslaw
- Air Fryer French Fries or Sweet Potato Fries
- Baked Potato Wedges
- Garden Salad or BLT Salad
- Refrigerator Pickles
- Macaroni Salad
How to Reheat Grilled Cheese
You can make this sandwich ahead, just cool to room temperature then cover and refrigerate for 3 to 5 days. Ideally, you should reheat it the same way it was cooked.
- Skillet or Griddle – place on a skillet over medium-low heat, cover with a lid or tent with foil, and heat until the cheese is melted in the center, flipping once. The lid traps the heat to melt the cheese. Once the cheese is melted, remove the lid to crisp up the bread.
- Microwaving – our least favorite option because it can cause the bread to soften and get soggy.
More Must-Try Sandwich Recipes
If you love this Grilled Cheese Sandwich then you won’t want to miss these popular sandwich recipes:
- Reuben Sandwich
- Smash Burgers
- BLT Sandwich (with Secret Sauce)
- Philly Cheesesteak
- Juicy Burgers
- Chicken Salad Sandwich
- Sloppy Joe Recipe
The Ultimate Grilled Cheese Sandwich
Ingredients
- 8 slices Texas toast, or thick sliced sandwich bread
- 4 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 4 slices medium cheddar cheese, *
- 4 slices Gouda cheese
- 4 slices Havarti cheese
Instructions
- Spread 1/2 Tbsp of butter on one side of each slice of bread.
- Set a skillet over medium/low heat and place 2 slices of bread in the skillet with the butter side down.
- Stack cheeses on one piece of toast: cheddar, havarti, then gouda. Once the breads are golden brown, closed the sandwich with the crisp sides on the outside.
- Continue cooking until the bread is a rich golden brown, flipping once and press down lightly to help the bread stick to the cheese. Total cooking time should one 5-6 minutes. Keep the heat on medium low for the breads to toast slowly, giving your cheese a chance to fully melt and adhere to the bread.
- Once you see the cheese has melted and breads are browned, remove to a plate and cut in half diagonally to serve. Repeat with the next sandwich.
Notes
Nutrition Per Serving
Natasha Kravchuk
Hi! I'm Natasha Kravchuk. Here you'll find delicious, trusted recipes with easy step-by-step photos and videos. 
Best grill cheese ever! The best combination of cheeses I’ve ever had.