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.
Best grilled cheese and tomato soup that I have ever made. Family loved it.
I’m so happy to hear that!
Thank you for this recipe—-my husband and two boys devoured these sandwiches with your homemade tomato soup after a day of golf!!! They ate two sandwiches each—-guess it was a winner❤️❤️❤️❤️
That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review, Nancy!
Add a thin layer of Mayo or mustard in inside the bread before adding cheese. Add chopped herbs like basil or thyme with also garlic to the butter before spreading it on the bread. Sprinkle some Parmesan cheese on the outside buttered side of the bread to make it crisper. Add caramelized onions. Each step could make it better, but you could eliminate to your liking.
Those are my go to cheeses, but I like smoked Gouda instead of plain. Gives it an extra bit of flavor.
OMGosh this was the best with tomato basil soup! No need to EVER try another recipe. I’ve made several times now and everybody loves it.
I love your recipes! Thanks for sharing how to cook them on your blog! They are always delicious!
Perfect combination of cheeses. Even better if you can find a really good smoked gouda.
Thank you so much for sharing that with me.
I did try butter and mayo when toasting. I would say the mayo actually tasted a lot better. It did not leave a mayo flavor as author mentioned.
Hi Natasha,
First time ever made cheese grilled it was yummy my husband loved them too. So easy to make. Hello from Sydney Australia 👋
I’m glad to hear that, Rosie!
Made last night with tomato soup (naturally!). The best grilled cheese I’ve ever had!
Thank you for this very simple recipe. I have made many a grill cheese sandwich that were just O.K. I didn’t have all the cheeses so I just cut it thicker. This was so quick and easy. Went terrific with my tomato soup.
I is still rainy here so tomorrow I am going to try your version of Zuppa Toscana.
Thank you again. I am looking forward t exploring your website.
You’re very welcome, Thea. Thank you for your review and awesome feedback!
Simply awesome, oh sooo good’n gooey grilled cheese 🧀. The trio of cheese will get your salivary glands going for sure.
Thank you Natasha, your “Grilled cheese” recipe made our Valentine’s Day dinner perfect 😊. Paired perfectly with homemade creamy tomato basil 🌿 soup.
I’m so glad to hear that, Aaron! Thank you for the wonderful feedback.
This is the best grilled cheese I’ve ever had in my life! I followed the recipe exactly and made it on an electric griddle set to 275 degrees. AMAZING!
Hi Christine! I’m so happy you loved it.
Hi Natasha,
You and your recipes are so special to me, this grilled cheese is good, but the Junky American cheese is good too:) Sometimes that’s all I can afford. You’re the Best:)
Hi Melinda! Thank you, I’m so glad you’re enjoying the recipes.
Yes! Absolutely THE BEST Grilled Cheese Sandwich ever! I put a layer of Homemade Apple Chutney in it, it was so WOW! Served it with Butternut Squash Soup. My husband said one of the best dinners ever, absolute ‘comfort food’ for the Fall! Thanks for sharing your recipe, it’s now added to my favorites!!!
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it, Kim! Thank you so much for sharing that with me.
Best grilled cheese sandwich ever! Perfect texture, taste, and cheesy pull. We’ve made this twice now and won’t make it any other way going forward. Thanks for sharing your recipe!
You’re so welcome, Karen! I’m glad you love it.
This is a next level grilled cheese for sure. I add a little garlic salt to one side of the sandwich; everyone seems to love it.
Great idea! Thanks for sharing and for giving our recipe a review.
OMG! Made these last night and the family loved it! Our new way of making grilled cheese.
Thanks Natasha!
You’re so welcome! I’m very happy to know that your family enjoyed it!
Thanks so much for this recipe!! This method of making grilled cheese is easy, works every time and has amazing results. Crispy and golden on the outside and soft, gooey on the inside, and not too greasy. Beats all the local diners too, hands down my favourite grilled cheese ever.
That’s wonderful!
Just found your recipe. Thanks. Will have to try the cheese combination. Have you tried this using Real Mayo, (Dukes) instead of butter? It’s the only thing I will use.