how to make a grilled cheese

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 for 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.

Grilled Cheese cut in half showing cheesy center

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We love hot sandwiches from our Crispy Chicken Sandwich to Philly Cheesesteak. This Grilled Cheese recipe is well-loved by the 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 been around since 1920. It is a hot sandwich made with buttered and toasted bread and originally filled with American cheese, but is now commonly made with one or more different cheeses.

Ingredients

Bread – a thicker sliced bread such as texas toast works best
Butter – use a generous 1/2 Tbsp of butter on each slice of bread. We use unsalted but any butter will work here.
Cheese – we use a combination of sliced medium cheddar, gouda and Havarti cheese.

How to Make 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. A griddle should be at 275˚F. Immediately add 2 slices of bread with the butter-side-down.
Add cheese – stack cheeses on one of the pieces of bread, cover 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.

Step by step how to make a grilled cheese sandwich

How long to cook grilled cheese? Total cooking time for grilled cheese over low to medium/low heat is 6-7 minutes. That is enough time for the exterior to crisp and brown and allow 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.

Melty cheese inside of a grilled cheese sandwich

Common Questions

What can I cook a grilled cheese on?

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.

Is a grilled cheese sandwich grilled?

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.

What is the best cheese for grilled cheese?

We use a combination of medium cheddar, gouda, and Havarti cheeses, but you can use just one type of cheese. Monterey Jack or even American cheese also work.

What's better mayo or butter?

While mayo 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 tutorial on how to soften butter in 5 minutes.

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
Coleslaw
French Fries
BLT Salad
Potato Wedges
Salad – especially fresh Green Salad
Refrigerator Pickles

Grilled cheese sandwich served with tomato soup

Reheating 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 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. Remove the lid to crisp up the bread once the cheese is melted.
Microwaving – our least favorite option because it can cause the bread to soften and get soggy.

Grilled cheese reheated on skillet until cheese is melted

More 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)
French Dip Sandwich
Juicy Burgers

The Ultimate Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Prep Time: 2 minutes

Cook Time: 28 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Grilled cheese sandwich with cheese pull

Learn how to make the best Grilled Cheese sandwich with a crisp, buttery exterior and gooey cheese center.

Natasha Kravchuk

Skill Level: Easy

Cost to Make: $8-$10

Keyword: grilled cheese, grilled cheese sandwich

Cuisine: American

Course: Lunch, Main Course

Calories: 499

Servings: 4 sandwiches

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

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.

Nutrition Facts

The Ultimate Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Amount Per Serving

Calories 499 Calories from Fat 297

% Daily Value*

Fat 33g 51%

Saturated Fat 19g 119%

Trans Fat 1g

Polyunsaturated Fat 2g

Monounsaturated Fat 8g

Cholesterol 89mg 30%

Sodium 904mg 39%

Potassium 116mg 3%

Carbohydrates 31g 10%

Fiber 2g 8%

Sugar 3g 3%

Protein 20g 40%

Vitamin A 741IU 15%

Vitamin C 1mg 1%

Calcium 528mg 53%

Iron 2mg 11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Natasha Kravchuk

Welcome to my kitchen! I am Natasha, the blogger behind Natasha's Kitchen (since 2009). My husband and I run this blog together and share only our best, family approved and tested recipes with YOU. Thanks for stopping by! We are so happy you're here.