I Tried Our 5 Most Popular Grilled Cheese Sandwich Recipes and This Is the One I’ll Make Forever

Glory be: It’s officially soup season, which means it’s also officially grilled cheese season. It has already snowed in my corner of the world, so I am cozying up with all the comfort foods. While I unabashedly love soup, it’s actually less about the soup and more about the carbs that I get to dip in said soup. That’s why I’ve been on the hunt for the best grilled cheese sandwich recipe. To find the one, I tried our five most popular recipes. And listen: You might not think you need a grilled cheese sandwich recipe, but I’m here to convince you otherwise. Read on to find out what I discovered along the cheesiest path I’ve ever taken.

What Makes a Grilled Cheese Sandwich Great?

With such simple recipes technique is the primary factor that will take your grilled cheese from good to great. I learned this method from my better half, Bray Britton, who also happens to be a professional chef and writer. Use more butter than you think you should, and place both pieces of bread into a pan set over low heat. Use your palms to press the bread into the pan. This promotes even browning and butter distribution. Place cheese on both slices and cover with a lid to steam. Keep the heat on low and take your time. When the cheese is melted and the bread is perfectly browned on both sides, remove the bread from heat, and close up your sandwich.

Meet the Contestants

• Grilled Cheese Sandwich by Sara

• Grilled Cheese with Mayo by Shorecook

• Spicy Grilled Cheese Sandwich by Patelgurl

• Inside-Out Grilled Cheese Sandwich by John Mitzewich

• Gourmet Grilled Cheese Sandwich by Sarah Gretzmier

How I Judged the Recipes

I used three basic criteria compare the recipes:

• Toasty bread: No matter what type of bread you are using, it must be lightly browned to crisp perfection. This is best achieved in a pan over low heat with plenty of butter.

• Melty cheese: If you’ve ever had a grilled cheese with cold, unmelted cheese in the middle, you know how important this is. That’s a disappointment sandwich, and you deserve better. The best way to achieve the perfect melt is to cook your sandwich on low heat in plenty of butter with a lid on top. Let that baby steam until the cheese is fully melted.

• Butter/fat: The trick to achieving the most perfectly browned sandwich is to use more fat in the pan than you think you should. No one wants dry grilled cheese. A generous amount of butter (or alternative source of fat) is absolutely necessary for grilled cheese perfection.

The Results

Best Diner-Inspired: Spicy Grilled Cheese Sandwich

• The Recipe: Spicy Grilled Cheese Sandwich from Patelgurl

• Average Rating: 4.7 stars

• Rave Review: “Absolutely amazing😊just the right amount of spicy, but dependent on individual taste. I highly recommend trying this recipe👍🏽” —Felecia

A twist on the original, this recipe tastes very nostalgic. Patelgurl calls for white bread, jalapeño, Roma tomato, white onion, and American cheese.  In my experience, adding sliced tomato to a grilled cheese is never a bad move, but I was dubious about adding raw white onion. The result genuinely surprised me. I loved the addition of jalapeño for a bit of heat, and the raw onion added nice flavor and crunch. This recipe will transport you right to the coziest booth in your favorite diner.

Most Crowd-Pleasing: Grilled Cheese with Mayo

• The Recipe: Grilled Cheese with Mayo from Shorecook

• Average Rating: 4.5 stars

• Rave Review: “Grilled cheese made with mayonnaise is the best! Will never again use butter again. Mayo makes it crispy, not greasy and there is absolutely no taste of mayo! Try it...promise you'll like it!” —Carol Higgins
  
  Shorecook’s recipe calls for white bread, American cheese, pepper jack cheese, and mayo. It all seems pretty standard until you realize that the sandwich gets cooked in mayonnaise instead of butter. Both slices of bread get slathered with mayo before going into the warm pan. The result is sublime. Not only is the combination of American and pepper jack cheese delicious, but the bread is toasted and crisped to perfection without a pat of butter in sight. This was a favorite among my family members, and replacing butter with mayonnaise is a trusted kitchen hack among both home cooks and pros.

Related: 35 Classic Diner Food Recipes You Can Make At Home

Most Innovative: Inside-Out Grilled Cheese Sandwich

• The Recipe: Inside-Out Grilled Cheese Sandwich from John Mitzewich

• Average Rating: 4.6 stars

• Rave Review: “This sandwich is amazing. I didn't think grilled cheese could be improved but I am mistaken. The cheese on the outside of the bread had an amazing crunch and a different almost smoked tasting flavor and crunch that offset the melted cheese inside. All I can say is wow, I might make another one!” —Coleykim

Turning the classic grilled cheese on its head, chef John Mitzewich adds shredded cheddar cheese both to the inside and outside of his sandwich. The result is a textural bonanza with a creamy, melty interior juxtaposed with an almost shattery exterior. A generous amount of butter encourages the cheese to adhere to the outer bread slices without sticking to the pan, and if you are a fan of crispy edges and caramelized cheese, this is the recipe for you.

Fanciest: Gourmet Grilled Cheese Sandwich

• The Recipe: Gourmet Grilled Cheese Sandwich from Sarah Gretzmier

• Average Rating: 4.1 stars

• Rave Review: “Oozy, dripping good. One of the best grilled cheese recipes ever and so simple.”—JMFoodie

Sarah Gretzimer’s recipe calls for mixing together softened cream cheese, mayonnaise, garlic salt, and shredded colby jack cheese. This pimento cheese–like mixture is then spread between two slices of French bread and fried in butter until melty and golden. The outcome is creamy, nuanced, and a pleasant departure from the traditional recipe.

Best Overall: Grilled Cheese Sandwich

• The Recipe: Grilled Cheese Sandwich from Sara

• Average Rating: 4.8 stars

• Rave Review: “Can’t go wrong with a grilled cheese sandwich. I cook mine in a sandwich press so I don’t need to worry about flipping. A classic but a goody.”—Erecipe

Sara’s recipe is the simplest, most straightforward, and the perfect jumping off point for personal modifications by preference. She instructs the cook to place one slice of cheddar cheese between two slices of buttered white bread. The sandwich is then cooked on both sides over medium-low heat until the bread is toasted and the cheese is melted. This is a quick recipe that works every time. When I make this sandwich, however, I use Bray’s brilliant technique: I toast the sandwich open face in plenty of butter, cover the pan with a lid to steam, and close the sandwich up when it’s perfectly browned and melted on both sides. When it comes to comfort food, simple is often better, and this little recipe confirms this principle. We’ll definitely be making Sara’s recipe for years to come.

Related:

• 15 Classic Sandwiches that Make Lunch Legendary

• I Tried Our Most Popular Biscuit Recipes and This One Was the Clear Winner

• Chef John’s Best Comfort Food Recipes
  
  

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