Home > Lunch > Sandwiches > Grilled Cheese Grilled Cheese May 4, 2022 | No Comments SAVE TO RECIPE BOX Jump to Recipe This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy. This is the BEST Grilled Cheese sandwich complete with crispy bread and a combination of three kinds of cheese. We’re spilling all our”secrets” to take your Grilled Cheese experience to the next level without adding any extra effort. This recipe contains directions for how to make Grilled Cheese in a skillet AND how to make an air fryer Grilled Cheese. (If you have an air fryer, you might not ever go back to a skillet!) Our favorite Grilled Cheese Sandwich Recipe Somehow in the past eight years of posting recipes, I have never shared my go-to Grilled Cheese recipe. Which is a travesty, since we lean on these trusty sandwiches quite frequently. Especially when it’s soup season and Tomato Basil Soup or Easy Tomato Soup is on the menu! Is there a better combo than toasted, buttery bread with loads of melty cheese and a bowl of warm tomato soup?! But truthfully, the frequency with which we make these sandwiches near tripled after making them in the air fryer a few weeks ago. Talk about a game changer! Yes, these sandwiches are still tasty when made in a skillet, but the texture, flavor, and crispiness you get from air frying is unbeatable. Plus, they are practically all hands-off — the air fryer does all the work! Today’s recipe is all about an all-American Grilled Cheese sandwich. If you’re looking to make a gourmet Grilled Cheese, I have some suggestions for how to level up your sandwich in the FAQs section. Or skip to our two favorite gourmet Grilled Cheese recipes: Grilled Cheese Margherita Sandwiches or this French Dip Grilled Cheese. Grilled Cheese Sandwich Ingredients Bread. The bread makes all the difference! We want to use thick-sliced bread like Texas Toast. This particular type of bread is sliced thicker than regular sandwich bread– which we’re relying on. If the bread is too thick, the cheese won’t melt and, too thin, the sandwich will be flimsy. Aim for bread sliced about 1 inch thick. Softened butter. It’s important the butter is thoroughly softened so it can spread easily without mashing up or flattening the bread. Plus we want an even layer of fat to ensure the perfect bread toasting. See “quick tip” below. Mayo. Real, full-fat mayo is our preference for sandwich flavor! Garlic powder. This is optional — if you love garlic, you’ll love what this subtle addition does for the sandwich. Salt is cheese’s best friend: If your grilled cheese doesn’t taste “cheesy” enough, chances are it’s a salting issue. Try adding a touch more salt and see if that doesn’t make a world of difference. Yes, even a sandwich needs salt — you’ll be amazed at the difference this can make! Cheeses. We add three types of cheese! What’s the best cheese for grilled cheese? Our favorite combo is affordable and kids and adults alike love it: gouda, sharp Cheddar, and Muenster. Delish! QUICK TIP Here’s how to soften butter quickly: Unwrap butter and place it on a plate. Then, fill up a wide liquid measuring cup with 1 cup of water. Microwave the water for 2 minutes or until really hot; then pour out the water and quickly dry the cup. Invert the hot measuring cup on top of the butter. Let stand for about 5-10 minutes. How To Make Grilled Cheese Making a PBJ may be pretty straightforward, but when it comes to a GC, there are a few tricks to the trade.The full recipe is below, and here are a few of our top tips to make the best possible sandwich: Spread softened butter to the very edges, ensuring good coverage for the perfect crispy exterior. If making the sandwich in a skillet or electric griddle, my number one tip is low heat and patience. In order for the cheese to melt at the same time the bread takes to toast and develop the ideal crunch and color, the heat needs to be medium-low to low. The total cook time will be anywhere from 5 to 8 minutes. Don’t rush it! Heat too high = cheese that isn’t fully melted and/or burned (not toasted) bread. Start with a cold pan. Don’t preheat the pan like you do for most other recipes. We want the pan to heat up slowly and evenly distribute the heat to the cheese and the bread. How To Cook a Grilled Cheese Any non-stick skillet will work great. If you’re making a lot of sandwiches at once, an electric griddle/flat cooktop is a game changer! You could also use a sandwich/panini press. As far as air frying goes, we use, love, and recommend this Air Fryer (affiliate link). Air fryers do vary a bit from brand to brand, so the timing for sandwiches may need to be slightly tweaked for your specific model. Also keep in mind that after the initial air fry, the machine is warmed up and will cook subsequent sandwiches a bit quicker. Grilled Cheese FAQs1How many calories in a Grilled Cheese sandwich?This sandwich has just over 600 calories. The full nutritional breakdown can be found below the printable recipe. 2What is the best cheese for Grilled Cheese?Cheese is the star of the show here, but who says there’s just one type of superior cheese? We like combining three cheeses for the ultimate sandwich! Our favorites: Sharp Cheddar cheese Gouda cheese Muenster cheese Other great options: sharp white Cheddar or flavored Cheddar, Monterey Jack, Gruyere, American cheese, Havarti 3Is mayo or butter better for grilled cheese?We like BOTH! We enjoy the flavor of both so a little mayo on the inside of the sandwich and butter on the outside. The butter not only adds a wonderful flavor, but it also promotes a nice and even crispy exterior and browning on the bread. The mayo adds a nice subtle flavor and creaminess that nicely complements the cheese. 4What goes good on a Grilled Cheese sandwich?Here are our favorite additions to “elevate” your sandwich: Caramelized onions Sun-dried tomatoes Fresh herbs (like basil, thyme, parsley) Pesto Olive tapenade A sliced apple Sautéed spinach Ham or turkey Sautéed mushrooms 5How do you make a Gordon Ramsay Grilled Cheese sandwich?Gordon’s famous grilled cheese adds kimchi in the middle of the slices! Follow this recipe and add a scoop of kimchi atop the cheese before cooking. 6How can I add flavor to my Grilled Cheese?Looking for more flavor? Try one of the ingredient adds listed in the 4th question. For the quickest flavor-add, ensure you didn’t forget salt or even add an extra pinch. Salt is going to bring out the flavors really nicely. Another way we like to add flavor (quickly) is to add a few other spices on top of the mayo. Try creole seasoning or cayenne for some heat. Add paprika and onion powder for some general flavor. 7Why isn't the cheese melting on my Grilled Cheese?This is likely because the heat is too high and/or the pan is too hot. The outside is cooking before the inside has a chance to feel the heat. If you’re cooking several sandwiches, let the skillet cool down a bit in between. 8What can you substitute for butter in Grilled Cheese?If butter is a no-go, I’d recommend spray the sandwich with olive oil cooking spray or, using a pastry brush, brushing the bread with a thin layer of olive oil. Serve This Sandwich Alongside: Soup! Think tomato soup or this cauliflower soup or creamy vegetable soup A big green salad such as Garden salad, Caesar salad, or Olive Garden salad A crunchy side like coleslaw or a cucumber salad Chips, french fries, or roasted potatoes Fresh fruit or a big fruit salad FOLLOW ALONG! Subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for the latest updates, recipes and content. Grilled Cheese 5 from 1 vote - Review this recipe This is the BEST Grilled Cheese zandwich, complete with crispy bread and a combination of three cheeses. We're spilling all our secrets to take your grilled cheese experience to the next level without adding any extra effort. SAVE TO RECIPE BOX Print Recipe Grilled Cheese 5 from 1 vote - Review this recipe SAVE TO RECIPE BOX Print Recipe This is the BEST Grilled Cheese zandwich, complete with crispy bread and a combination of three cheeses. We're spilling all our secrets to take your grilled cheese experience to the next level without adding any extra effort. Course Dinner, lunch, Main Course, Sandwich Cuisine American, Vegetarian Keyword grilled cheese, grilled cheese sandwich Prep Time 5 minutes Cook Time 8 minutes Total Time 13 minutes Servings 1 sandwich (recipe scales easily!) Calories 626kcal Cost $3.12 IngredientsFor ONE Grilled Cheese (Recipe easily increased!)2 slices Texas Toast or other thick-sliced bread (Note 1)1 tablespoon room temperature unsalted butter (Note 2)2 teaspoons mayonnaise1 slice sharp Cheddar cheese1 slice gouda cheese1 slice Muenester cheeseTiny sprinkle garlic powder & fine sea salt InstructionsSOFTEN BUTTER: Set out butter to soften at room temperature for at least an hour before making. Or see note 2 to quickly soften cold butter.ASSEMBLY: Brush 1 side of each slice of Texas Toast to the very edges with 1/2 tablespoon unsalted butter. Flip both pieces to the other side and spread 1/2 teaspoon mayo on each of the other sides. Divide a tiny sprinkle of garlic powder on top of the mayo on each piece -- about 1/8 teaspoon total. On one piece of bread layer the 3 slices of cheese right on top of each other. Finally sprinkle salt, (about 1/8 teaspoon) right on top of the last slice. Keep the two pieces of bread separate for cooking in a skillet or, if air frying, press the two pieces together into a sandwich. SKILLET: Set a skillet over medium-low heat (do not heat the skillet before adding in the bread) OR an electric griddle to 275 degrees F and place the two prepared slices of bread in the skillet with the buttered side down. Cover skillet with a lid and cook for 3-4 minutes or until the underside of the bread is golden. Then sandwich the pieces together and continue to cook until the sandwich is deeply golden and crispy and the cheese is melted, flipping only once more during the cooking process, about another 3-4 minutes. The cooking takes about 5-8 minutes total; keep the heat at medium-low and be patient so the bread doesn't burn before the cheese is melted. Once the cheese is nicely melted and bread has developed a beautiful golden crust, remove to a plate. (If bread is browning before the cheese is melted, decrease the heat a bit.) AIR FRY: Place the sandwich in the air fryer basket. (See Note 3) Don't overcrowd the basket-- only air fry 1 or 2 sandwiches -- whatever fits with plenty of room. Air fry at 360 degrees F for 4-6 minutes. Flip and air fry for another 3-4 minutes or until deeply golden brown and cheese is melted. In my specific model, I cook for 5 minutes, flip and cook for 3 more minutes. Remove to a plate. SERVE: Cut sandwich in half and serve immediately. Video Recipe NotesNote 1: Texas Toast: The bread makes all the difference in a Grilled Cheese! We want to use a thick-sliced bread like Texas Toast or a similar type of bread, at least 1-inch thick. This type of bread is sliced thicker than regular sandwich bread, and we're relying on that for perfect results. If the bread is too thick, the cheese won't melt properly and too thin, and the sandwich will be flimsy. If you are using a different type of bread (thinner or thicker), you'll need to slightly adjust the cooking times. Note 2: Soften butter quickly: Unwrap the butter and place it on a small plate. Fill up a wide liquid measuring cup with 1 cup of water. Microwave the water for 2 minutes or until really hot; then pour out the water and quickly dry the cup. Invert the hot measuring cup on top of the butter and let stand for about 5-10 minutes. Note 3: Air Frying: If using a different bread than Texas Toast, you may need to press 2 toothpicks in the two corners of the sandwich to ensure the bread holds together firmly and doesn't shift apart as it cooks. Nutrition FactsServing: 1serving | Calories: 626kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 26.9g | Fat: 40.9g | Cholesterol: 105.3mg | Sodium: 1147.4mg | Fiber: 1.8g | Sugar: 3g We do our best to provide accurate nutritional analysis for our recipes. Our nutritional data is calculated using a third-party algorithm and may vary, based on individual cooking styles, measurements, and ingredient sizes. Please use this information for comparison purposes and consult a health professional for nutrition guidance as needed. DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE? I love hearing from you when you've made one of my recipes! Tag me on Instagram at @ChelseasMessyApron or leave me a comment below.
