Here’s our formula for the best grilled cheese.
Bread + cheese + anything you like!
If that sounds simple, it’s because it is. Pretty much any food in your kitchen will be delicious when sandwiched between crispy bread and gooey cheese. Ok, not chocolate. Follow your instincts here. If it sounds like it will be good, it probably will be.
Adding in a few extra ingredients and making a little side salad can transform a this simple sandwich from an after school snack to a satisfying meal.
Here are a few of our favorite ways to add a gourmet touch to a classic grilled cheese.
Caramelized Onion Grilled Cheese with Butter Lettuce Salad & Creamy Fig Dressing
By filling slices of warm, golden brown sourdough bread with layers of caramelized onion and melty fontina and cheddar cheeses, we’re giving this comfort food favorite a gourmet boost. For a sweet contrast, we’re dressing buttery leaves of lettuce with a piquant mix of fig spread and creamy mustard sauce, plus almonds for a bit of crunch.
Sweet Pepper & Fig Grilled Cheese with Butter Lettuce & Peach Salad
These flavorful sandwiches highlight layers of smoky Gouda and nutty fontina cheese, sweet fig spread, and tender sautéed peppers—deliciously brought together inside crunchy toasted sourdough. We’re serving them with a refreshing salad of soft butter lettuce tossed with a bright combo of sweet peach and crisp cucumber.
Fontina & Apple Grilled Cheese Sandwiches with Roasted Broccoli
This gourmet spin features crisp slices of apple, which find irresistibly savory complement from layers of melty fontina, tangy whole grain mustard, and fresh chives. On the side, roasted broccoli tossed with golden raisins in a bright, creamy dressing brings flavorful contrast to the dish.
Mango Chutney Grilled Cheese with Apple & Romaine Lettuce Salad
Between slices of irresistibly golden brown bread, a layer of melted gouda and cheddar cheese finds sweet and spicy complement from mango chutney and fresh jalapeño pepper.
Olive & Pepper Grilled Cheese Sandwiches with Butter Lettuce & Cherry Tomato Salad
This unique sandwich is inspired by a New Orleans favorite: the zesty muffuletta sandwich, known for its delicious filling of cheese, pickled peppers, olives, and more. For our vegetarian take, we’re using a duo of tangy pickled goathorn peppers and briny olives, which pairs perfectly with melted cheddar on crispy sourdough bread. Our side salad of butter lettuce tossed with a creamy dressing and topped with cherry tomatoes (yours may be red or yellow) brings refreshing crunch and flavor to the mix.
Prosciutto & Fontina Grilled Cheese with Kale Salad
These irresistible sandwiches feature sliced prosciutto (an Italian dry-cured ham), which finds savory-sweet complement from layers of melty fontina and creamy fig mayo. After cooking the sandwiches, we’re rubbing the toasted sourdough with a whole clove of garlic, for an aromatic touch.
Chipotle-Glazed Veggie Grilled Cheese with Lime-Mayo Corn
By filling slices of warm, golden brown sourdough bread with layers of chipotle-glazed sautéed vegetables and melty gouda and monterey jack cheeses, we’re giving this comfort food favorite a gourmet boost. We’ll be serving them with a side of corn on the cob dressed with layers of creamy lime mayo and our new everything bagel seasoning—a delicious, familiar blend including poppy seeds, sesame seeds, onion and garlic.
Mushroom Grilled Cheese Sandwich with Pear Salad
In this recipe, grilled cheese gets an easy, elegant makeover with smoky gouda and earthy mushrooms, layered between slices of sourdough. A crisp side salad of arugula and pear cuts through the richness of the sandwiches.
Grilled Fontina Cheese & Mint Sandwiches with Peach, Almond & Arugula Salad
Bright, refreshing flavors bring delightful balance to these quick and easy grilled cheese sandwiches. At their center is buttery Fontina, which melts beautifully—and partners perfectly with the tang of quick-pickled shallot and the cooling notes of mint. We’re combining a little more mint with juicy peach, arugula and pan-toasted almonds for a side salad that echoes the complexity of our sandwiches.
Once you’ve picked out your ingredients, try this technique for making the best possible sandwich.
