How to Make the Best Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

There's nothing like a grilled cheese sandwich and a cup of tomato soup for comfort food. Here are my tips for making the best grilled cheese sandwich. Enjoy!

Latest Craze

Today I had a grilled cheese sandwich dipped in sour cream that I needed to use up out of my fridge. Mmmm, very good. I was going to dip it in salsa too, but I used pepperjack so it was spicy enough.

Our Readers' Favorite and Unique Recipes

Some of these recipes sound absolutely delicious! How many ways can you think of to make a grilled cheese sandwich?

theveggieguy
Pepperjack cheese, thinly sliced portabella mushrooms, Annie's Goddess Dressing, more pepperjack. Grill as normal, enjoy tremendously, and prepare to slip into an afternoon food coma.
Heatheray
I prefer mine with cheddar cheese, tomato slices, and jalepeno slices. I prefer everything with cheese, tomatoes, and jalepenos!
smartchoice
Use whole wheat bread with Hellman's mayonaise on both slices... add dijon mustard to one slice. I recommend both American and Swiss cheese... mmm. Optional: slice of tomato.
starbaby
Use 3 or 4 cheeses...swiss, cheddar, provolone, muenster, what every you like...on thick slices of White Mountain bread(round white bread w/flour on top from bakery at the grocery store). Secretly put lots of fresh garlic slices in the middle. Fabulous served with chunky homemade tomato soup.
Chrispa
Technically, the best cheese sandwiches involve a piece of toast with butter and dijon mustard spread on one side, tomato slices on top, and shredded cheese (colby, cheddar etc) and a good dash of worsteshire sauce. Place under a griller to melt cheese.

How to make a Grilled Cheese Sandwich

The basic idea of grilled cheese sandwiches is simple. Bread, cheese, bread. If you are making your sandwich in a frying pan, butter the OUTSIDES of each piece of bread and cook the sandwich on medium heat to make sure the cheese melts and you don't burn your bread.

For other recipes, (in case you think I'm making stuff up), check out the links below.

Cooks.com: Your basic recipe for making a grilled cheese sandwich.
Epicurious.com: Includes variations on a grilled cheese sandwich with meats and veggies.
Greatest Grilled Cheese Sandwich in America Contest: Get great grilled cheese sandwich ideas here with dozens of unique and tasty, award winning, recipes.
Homecooking.About.com: Neat ideas for bread, cheese, and meat combos, such as the bacon and bleu on rye.
RecipeLink.com: Some of these are even a bit weird for me...garbanzo beans??
Taquitos.net: They are SERIOUS about grilled cheese sandwiches.

Don't forget to FLIP your sandwich or it will burn

GRILLed cheese

grilled cheese.. cooking.

4.38

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Grilled Cheese Sandwich Makers

You can use a frying pan, but these handy devices also make great grilled cheese sandwiches.

Cuisinart Sandwich Grill

When I was growing up we had a sandwich press much like this one. I loved it as a kid because it closes the edges of your sandwiches to create two triangle-shaped sandwich pockets.

Amazon Price: $23.95 (as of 10/07/2008)
List Price: $30.00

West Bend 6112 Panini Press and Sandwich Maker

This press is flat on the inside and won't create pockets for you. Great for using with tortillas or focaccia.

Amazon Price: $61.56 (as of 10/07/2008)
List Price: $66.99

VillaWare V5555-03 Mickey's Sandwich Maker

Cute press puts a picture of Mickey Mouse on your sandwich.

Amazon Price: (as of 10/07/2008)
List Price: $79.95

Proctor-Silex 25400 Meal Maker Sandwich Toaster

Another version of the sandwich pocket press.

Amazon Price: $23.98 (as of 10/07/2008)
List Price: $29.49

Krups FDK112 Sandwich Maker, Matte Black

Another version of the sandwich pocket press.

Amazon Price: (as of 10/07/2008)
List Price: $40.00

My Favorite Grilled Cheese Variations

I suppose that once you start adding things it's no longer a grilled cheese sandwich, but it still tastes so goooooooood!

Colby, cheddar, or pepperjack with bacon and/or tomato.
Mozzarella on onion roll with sliced canned mushrooms and sliced canned black olives.
Deli turkey or real chicken strips and tomato on wheat.
Fresh spinach (great way to sneak in some greens - you can't even taste it).
A thick sandwich on sturdy bread with sour cream and salsa in the middle.

Guide to the Best Cheeses

Of course everyone will have their own opinion about which cheeses make the best grilled cheese sandwich, depending on how they grew up and what they are used to. Here are the ones I like the best. AND of course I always use REAL cheese - none of this processed stuff you have to peel out of a wrapper.

American
You can't go wrong with American cheese. If you get a grilled cheese sandwich in a restaurant, this is most likely the type of cheese you will get one your sandwich. It melts easily and has a soft, melty, cheesy taste.

Cheddar
This is the favorite of many, however I believe cheddar is best saved for macaroni and nachos. I use sharp cheddar when I can't find what else I'm looking for.

Monterey Jack
Adds a unique flavor when you mix up your sandwich with some fillers (see list below.) Not quite strong enough to stand on its own unless you use thick slices.

Pepperjack
Pepperjack is a great, spicy cheese to use with crusty rolls and thinly sliced veggie fillers.

Medium Sharp Colby
This is my personal favorite for grilled cheese sandwiches, and not just because it was first developed 16 miles south of where I live! Buy it fresh in round, wax coated bricks and use it right away. Never freeze it (unless you want crumbles).

Cheese Slicers

Most knives aren't made to slice cheese. The cheese sticks to the knife and breaks when you try to peel it off. For serious grilled cheese sandwich making, get a good quality cheese slicer and cutting board.

KitchenAid KG1330B Professional Series Cheese Slicer, Black

Amazon Price: $8.53 (as of 10/07/2008)

Trudeau Adjustable Cheese Slicer

Adjustable wire allows you to choose the thickness of your cheese slices.

Amazon Price: $9.95 (as of 10/07/2008)

KitchenAid Professional Cheese Slicer, White

Amazon Price: $8.99 (as of 10/07/2008)

OXO Good Grips Wire Cheese Slicer

A basic slicer with a comfortable grip. Works best on harder cheeses.

Amazon Price: $9.95 (as of 10/07/2008)

RSVP International CHZ-BL Cheese Slicer

If you eat a lot of cheese or entertain, consider a large wire slicer like this one and the three below. You can choose your slice thickness, as well as easily cube cheese for display.

Amazon Price: $14.45 (as of 10/07/2008)

Prodyne Black Marble Cheese Slicer (602-MB)

Amazon Price: $14.95 (as of 10/07/2008)

RSVP Classic Green Marble Cheese Slicer

Amazon Price: $13.99 (as of 10/07/2008)

Cheese by Mail

Great stores that offer delivery on cheese and other products for gift-giving or gourmet sandwich making.

Hawkeye Dairy: Located in the heart of cheese-making land, this small cheese, sausage, and ice cream shop does excellent gift boxes.
Bedford Cheese Shop: Can't get enough of cheese? Join the Cheese of the Month club and get three cheese delivered to your doorstep.
CheeseMaker.com: The basic variety pack or holiday pack will get you five great grilled cheese flavors.

Grilled Cheese Trivia

Grilled Cheese: Did You Know?: Neat facts about the grilled cheese sandwich that I bet you didn't know. (I didn't!)

How do you eat your grilled cheese sandwich?

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Get more tasty recipes here

All the recipes here are certified cheap and easy, because they've been cooked by me! I'm pretty lazy, but I can come up with a tasty dish.

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Support Grilled Cheese Sandwiches!

Wear a cool shirt.

I Love Grilled Cheese Sticker (Bumper)

from I Love T-shirts

Stuck in traffic? They may THINK you're slow but they'll KNOW for SURE you like grilled cheese!

Price: 5.00

Grilled Cheese Fitted T-Shirt

from Parapluie Designs

eBay Spoof: "The Internet: The only place where grilled cheese sells for more than my car." (Read below for the Virgin Mary story!)

Price: 18.99

I Love Grilled Cheese Women's Cap Sleeve T-Shirt

from I Love (Heart) T-Shirts

The basic shirt, available in dozens of styles.

Price: 20.99

Pro Cheese Sandwich Maker BBQ Apron

from JAY AND ALI'S STORE

Great gift (along with a cheese box!) for the grilled cheese sandwich lover. Also would be a cute kids shirt.

Price: 17.99

Virgin Mary Grilled Cheese Baseball Jersey

from WearaTshirt.com

I ate the Virgin Mary Grilled Cheese! (See below for an explanation.)

Price: 24.99

The Virgin Mary Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Supplies the answer, er, at least the description of WTF.

In November 2004, a woman who owned a 10-year-old grilled cheese sandwich which looked like it had the face of the Virgin Mary imprinted on it, sold it on eBay for $28,000.

My question is who wants a ten-year-old grilled cheese sandwich? And how does she know it's not an image of Eleanor Roosevelt?

BBC News: 'Virgin Mary' toast fetches $28,000
MSNBC.com: Online casino wins eBay auction for 10-year-old 'holy' snack
Wikipedia: This thing made Wikipedia? You're kidding...
Golden Palace: Find out what the auction winner has to say about their new religious meal.
Grilled Cheese Tattoo: Diana Duyser of Florida, discoverer(??) and keeper of the Virgin Mary grilled cheese sandwich, gets the image tattooed on her chest. Only in America.
goyablog: This blogger has some good ideas of what to do with a 10-year-old grilled cheese sandwich.

The Virgin Mary Grilled Cheese Blog

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Share your Grilled Cheese Recipe

I want to know what kind of neat creation you're making at home. Share your favorite version of a grilled cheese sandwich here.

charlino

Mmmmm. Hot grilled cheese sandwich with a sliced crunchy dill pickle . . .

Posted September 29, 2008

MrMarmalade

On Sundays we use a loaf of bread.
Cut onion 1- 2 into small pieces and Fry onions on you Sandwich make and close the lid, stir whilst cutting cheese and tomato, then put into a bowl
Cut Tasty cheese slices, thick or thin. Place into bowl.
Cut tomato into small segments, pepper and salt to taste.
One layer of each between two layers of bread
Smear of butter or what ever and toast to golden brown.
Beautiful.
Then again if you want something different from Cheese.
Squash half a banana and float a little brown sugar on top and then a thin smear of butter on both sides of you newly create toasted sandwich.
Perfection has never been so close.
Last Sunday four of us polished off one loaf of bread.
500 grams of tasty cheese.

Posted September 25, 2008

Dorbledog

I keep mine simple. Two slices of american cheese, no more, no less.

Occasionally, I'll add tuna, and turn it into a tuna melt.

MMMMMMM, tuna melt. I think I know what I'm having for lunch today.

Posted September 11, 2008

Evelyn_Saenz

The milk producing animals from Cows Aren't the Only Ones stopped by to taste your grilld cheese sandwiches and found them so delicious that they are sending you some virtual camel's milk to drink with them.

Posted September 07, 2008