Grilled Cheese Sandwich Recipe (VIDEO)
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.
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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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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
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.
Nutrition Per Serving
Natasha Kravchuk
Hi! I'm Natasha Kravchuk. Here you'll find delicious, trusted recipes with easy step-by-step photos and videos. 
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.
I’ve always struggled with tearing up my bread while trying to spread the butter. I had the idea to drop the butter in the pan and lay the bread on top of it several years ago. It worked marvelously and I’ve been doing it that way ever since. Of course that means you need to heat the pan up first.
Thanks for sharing, Ben! Glad to hear that it has always worked well for you.
We made these grilled cheese sandwiches with Natasha’s tomato basil soup. It’s an amazing combination and we couldn’t stop eating. We will definitely make both again – and often!
That sounds wonderful! It is a great combo and thanks for sharing that with us.
Tried this combination of cheeses, and it really is outstanding, but I get far superior results cooking the sandwich in my air fryer rather than trying to judge when each side is done in a frying pan. (I use 370 for 8 minutes and flip half way through.)
I have tried so many of your recipes and have loved everyone if them.
That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review, Sandy!
I love this recipe! If I can find a good sour dough bread, I’ll use that, and season one side with a little garlic salt. 🙂
Thanks for all the help!
You’re welcome, David! Hope you love it! 🙂
I absolutely love this recipe, but just want to add something because my husband loves it.
I add “fresh chopped basil” and a slice of tomato. Only a suggestion, but if you try it, you’ll love it!!! I’ve tried many of your recipes and love every one I’ve made. I’m really not buttering you up, but I have to also tell you, I love your videos. You’re so funny! Very enjoyable. Keep it up girl!
Hi Carmela, that’s so nice of you. Thank you for your good comments and feedback, we appreciate it!
Delicious! My husband doesn’t like Texas toast ( too thick ) so I use regular wheat bread . This recipe is perfect as it still crisps up ! Definitely my go to recipe now .
So glad you found a new to go! Thanks for the review, Karen.
I use leftover bacon grease instead of butter for the outside. Nice and crispy too.
That sounds like it would add a yummy flavor to this grilled cheese sandwich! Thanks for sharing, Katie! 🙂
Ooh that sounds good Katie. I have some bacon grease on hand, am making these sandwiches tonight, so I will try that!!!
I made the three cheese grilled cheese sandwich today. Made 3. Ate them all! Let’s just say I’ll keep making them this way from now on!
That’s great! So glad you enjoy this recipe. 🙂
My new favourite easy way to make grilled cheese is 7 minutes in the air fryer after buttering the bread and adding cheese
Thanks for sharing!
I make the best grilled cheese ever! And it goes great with my tomato soup
We make ours with Asiago Cheese Bread, New York Cheddar, and Swiss cheese. I can’t wait to try your tomato soup. Love your videos!
Yum! That sounds great, Carol! Thank you so much for sharing that with me!
The absolute best grilled cheese! Love the combination of cheeses. We like it on sourdough bread. Yum!!!
So glad you enjoy this recipe!
This recipe is amazing I made it for my mum for breakfast in bed served with bacon and salad she loved it 100% recommend
Thank you so much for sharing that with me, Justin! I’m so glad she loved it!
Best Grilled Cheese Sandwich ever! It was so good that I almost died from all the cheesines, if that’s even a word. I recommend this sandwich to everyone who likes cheese!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
That’s so great! It sounds like you have a new favorite, Phill!
I have been obsessed with the grilled cheese recipe. So delicious with the different cheeses. Love all the recipes I have tried so far. Keep them coming!
I’m happy to know that you’ve been loving these recipes!
Natasha! Thank you very much for sharing all of your recipes! I love watching them and think you are so awesome, you ought to be cloned! You teach and demonstrate at the perfect speed and everything I have tried is delicious!
Jeff (in Canada)
Thank you for that wonderful compliment!
OH my gosh I do not know if you will get this but my name is sophia I am 11 years old and you haved helped me a lot when I am looking for a snack I always tell my mom and dad there is nothing to eat and they are like what do you mean we have a huge kitchen full of food and I’m like ya but I do not want anything in ther so I just look up ntashas kitchen and you have helped me a lot thank you
Hi Sophia! That is so very sweet. Thank you so much for sharing that with me. I’m so glad you find ideas on my blog. Keep up the good work!
Best grilled cheese along with your tomato soup! I’m searching all over for tea sandwich recipes, hoping one day you have a recipe for that because your recipes never fail. You’re the best!
Thank you for your kind words and good comments, Natalie. We appreciate it! Feel free to check out my sandwich recipes here.
I was looking for something good, filling, and delicious for dinner tonight and this will make everybody happy. I love to eat something once in a while that dosen’t take all day or several hours to prepare. Soup and Grilled Cheese Sandwiches.
The soup and grilled cheese combo is seriously so good! I’m glad this was a hit, Donna!
Oh my Goshness! I am making this for dinner tonight! Thank you Natasha! Great video! I can tell a great grilled cheese sandwich, and this is going to be great! Love! Love! Love! Thank you!!!!!
I hope it becomes your new favorite!
Absolutely loved the cheese sandwich. Your tips to brown the bread and melt the cheese really helped. I didn’t make the soup, but I used a prepared Tomato Parmesan Bisque from a discount chain grocery that begins with A and ends with I
Sounds awesome! I’m happy that you loved this cheese sandwich. Thank you for sharing that with us!
What a genius sandwich! Had cravings for just that in my pregnancy. Thank you from Germany!
congratulations on your pregnancy, Elena! Thank you for your lovely comment!
This is so good and I found that I was making grilled cheese the wrong way this entire time! Will remember to use Texas toast, three types of cheeses and to put the skillet on low not medium or medium high (when I get impatient). Thanks you!
You’re so welcome! Happy to know that you loved it and you found your new go-to recipe!
I told my husband I am going to the store to buy three types of cheese. Came back made it and he loved it, So did I. Thank you for sharing your amazing recipes.
You’re welcome! Great to hear that you both loved this sandwich recipe.
Artisan grilled cheese sandwich!
Natasha – Thanks so much for the quick, easy and tasty grilled cheese sandwich. Made with good bread, too. No fuss. No muss.
You are very welcome, Joan. Thank you for your review!
Noooo….thank you, Natasha. My husband loved it; me, too; great sandwich.
hi Natasha, I’d really like to try your Grilled cheese sandwich with a hamburger patty in the middle. How would I go about cooking that, grill the patty all the way and then put between the layers of cheese? or partially cook the patty? help!
I would cook the patty all the way before putting it between the layers of cheese just to be sure that it’s well cooked.
My daughter was not feeling well so I wanted to make her favorite comfort meal; Grilled Cheese with Tomato Soup. I was intrigued to try this grown up version with real cheeses: Used Havarti, Gouda and Provolone (forgot you used Cheddar)…Her response was “Thanks Mom! It was sooo bomb!”…I have to agree. Thank you for our favorite Grilled Cheese!!
That’s great to hear and I’m glad your daughter is feeling better.
I aways put the butter directly on the hot griddle and put the bread on top of the puddle of butter. I put more butter down when it is time to flip for the other side. It works great and doesn’t wrip or mush my bread.
That is good too, thanks for sharing that with us!
BEST GRILLED CHEESE sandwich ever-the cheese pull was awesome!! This is the only way I will make this sandwich from now on-plus with the addition of your tomato soup…..yum😋
That is awesome feedback, thank you so much Anne!
One of my favorite comfort food meals. One day, because we didn’t have white bread, my hubby made the sandwich with sharp cheddar and SOURDOUGH BREAD. Now that has become our favorite since I can’t tolerate much white bread but sourdough is allowed. It takes a bit to adjust to this new bread, but now I love it. I can use it with savory fillings such as cheese or lean protein, but not so deluxe with peanut butter and jelly of cinnamon toast.
That sounds so delicious as a sourdough grilled cheese sandwich! Thanks for sharing!
I followed your recipe for grilled cheese sandwich and creamy tomato soup for lunch. My family loved it! Your recipes really work!
Aww, that’s the best! Thank you so much for sharing that with me, Ellen. I’m all smiles
Love the mixing of cheese the best grill cheese ever
Thank you Natasha you and family take care
You’re very welcome, Theresa. I’m happy to hear that you loved this recipe!
Your grilled cheese is very good, reminding me when we were kids for a quick lunch during winter but we always combined with mushroom soup. Next time will try the tomato soup.
Glad you enjoyed it! I hope you’ll love all the recipes that you will try.
Such a glorious sandwich!! I have never used Havarati cheese before! I also add a little sprinkle of garlic salt on top of the cheeses, we are garlic lovers in this house!
That sounds amazing! Thank you so much for sharing that with me, Shellie! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
I substituted the bread with sourdough. It was fantastic! I used a cast iron skillet on low heat as directed. Thank you.
Thank you so much for sharing that with me.
Went to the store and somehow forgot the bread. So instead I used Texas Toast Garlic bread. Cooked it the same way and it was AMAZING.
Thanks for another great recipe.
I’m so glad you had that on hand!
Awesomest cheese pull ever- I thought you were gonna run out of arm-length!!
Isn’t it great! So good and cheesy! I’m glad you enjoyed it also, Violet!
add ham, chili powder and refried beans out of a can to the ultimate grilled cheese…
I haven’t tried that before, Dennis! Thank you so much for sharing that with me. That sounds like a fully loaded grilled sandwich.
Love this mix of cheeses in a grilled cheese. I also like to use blue cheese or swiss cheese in my grilled cheese. Good call on the Texas toast. Takes the sandwich up a notch! Delicious and so perfect with tomato basil bisque!
The best mix! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
I’ve never tried gouda in a grilled cheese sandwich before. Delish! I love how the flavors of all three cheeses blend together to make one extra cheesy sandwich.
It is SO good! I’m so glad you enjoyed that!
My kids LOVED this grilled cheese! It was AMAZING!
That is the best when kids love what we moms make. That’s so great!
Just made this yesterday as am in Singapore i used sun dried tomato pesto and red pepper walnut pesto and plant based mozzarella also i skipped butter and cheeses as am dairy free i tried this in my new air fryer super delicious Thanks Ramya
Thank you so much for sharing that with me.