Whether it’s a cold day and you have a steaming bowl of soup in front of you, or it’s chili night with your friends, a grilled cheese sandwich can make a bland meal a whole lot better. The great thing about grilled cheese sandwiches is that they’re mostly made the same way, but they can be customized to fit your cravings.
Do you want tomato and onion on your grilled cheese? Well, go for it. Do you want bacon and mushroom? That’s okay, too. Unfortunately, most people don’t realize how many incredible things can be done with a grilled cheese sandwich. Keep reading to discover some creative things to do with this timeless meal.
Basic Instructions for Grilled Cheese
Before we get to the creative sandwiches, let’s talk about how to make the basic grilled cheese sandwich we all know and love.
Ingredients:
4 slices white bread
3 tablespoons butter, divided
2 sliced cheddar cheese
- Preheat skillet over medium heat.
- Butter one side of a slice of bread
- Place the bread butter-side down into the skillet.
- Add one slice of cheese.
- Butter the second slice of bread and place it on top of the sandwich, butter side up.
- Grill until lightly browned and flip over.
- Continue grilling until cheese is melted.
- Once the sandwich is done, remove it from the heat and enjoy!
Bacon Cheddar Grilled Cheese Egg in a Hole
If you’re looking for a grilled cheese sandwich that is more filling than the traditional grilled cheese, then this Bacon Cheddar Grilled Cheese Egg in a Hole might be a great recipe for you to try.
Ingredients:
6 slices of bacon
4 slices sourdough bread
2 tbsp mayonnaise
2 generous handfuls of shredded cheddar cheese
2 eggs
Salt and pepper
- Cook the back until it’s crisp. Take the bacon out of the pan, putting the grease to the side, and allow the bacon to cool on paper towels.
- Pour out most of the grease into a heatproof container while it’s still hot. Remove the pan from the heat while you move on to the next steps.
- Spread a thin layer of mayonnaise on one side of each piece of bread. Put the bread down on the cutting board, mayo side down. Arrange the cheese and bacon in an even manner over two of the slices. Place the second piece of bread on each slice, mayo side out, and press down firmly.
- Reheat the pan over a medium-low flame. When the pan is hot, add the sandwiches and allow them to cook until they look golden. This should take about three or four minutes. Flip the sandwich and cook for another minute. Remove the sandwiches from the pan and place them on the cutting board. Using a 1 ½” punch, cut a hole out of each of the sandwiches. Put the cut-outs to the side. Place the sandwiches back into the pan. If your pan looks dry, you can add more butter.
- Drop one egg in each of the holes. Add a little bit of salt and pepper to the top of the eggs.
- Cover the pan to help speed up the cooking process. Make sure that the sandwiches don’t burn, though, and flip after a while.
- When the sandwiches are done cooking, crisp the bottom of the holes you put to the side and serve them with the sandwiches.
Bacon, Mac and Cheese Melt
If you thought that grilled cheese sandwiches could only be made with sliced cheese, then you’ve got a whole world of deliciousness coming your way.
Ingredients:
2 slices of break
1-2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 tablespoon butter
1-2 slices extra sharp cheddar cheese
4 slices bacon
½ cup mac and cheese (recipe to follow)
5-6 jalapeno slices, pan-seared
Mac and Cheese:
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 cups whole milk
1 ½ teaspoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
8 cups extra sharp cheddar, grated
1 pound elbow macaroni, al dente
- Spread mayonnaise on both slices of the bread and set to the side. Heat a small skillet on medium heat. Melt half of the butter and place one slice of the bread into the pan, mayonnaise side down. Layer the bread with sliced cheese, mac and cheese, and jalapenos. Put the second slice of bread on top, mayonnaise side up. Cook until the bottom slice of bread is golden brown. This should take 4-5 minutes. Lift up the sandwich and add the rest of the butter to the pan. Gently flip the sandwich with a spatula and press down on the sandwich. Cook until the other side is golden brown.
Easy Mac and Cheese Directions
1. Heat up a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring the milk to a slight simmer. Remove the pan from the heat.
- Heat up a second saucepan over medium heat. Melt the butter. Add in the flour and stir to combine. Make sure to scrape the bottom of the pan to prevent anything from burning. Cook until the mixture starts to look a little brown, which should take about three minutes. Gradually add in the milk and constantly stir until the sauce thickens. Remove from the heat and stir in the dry mustard, pepper, and salt. Add in the cheese and stir until everything is completely melted. Salt and pepper to taste. Add the elbow macaroni and stir well.
- Put the mixture into a greased baking dish. Bake until the top of the mac and cheese begins to turn brown and bubble. This should take about 30 minutes.
Beer Bread Grilled Beer Cheese Sandwich with Bacon
If you’re the type of person who enjoys trying new and interesting foods, then this Beer Bread Grilled Beer Cheese Sandwich with Bacon should be added to your recipe book as soon as possible!
Ingredients:
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
¼ cup sugar
12 ounces beer (summer ale, wheat beer, pilsner)
¼ cup melted butter
8 wt oz cream cheese
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
⅓ cup IPA beer
½ tsp sriracha
1 tbs cornstarch
¼ tsp salt
¼ softened butter
4 strips bacon, cooked
- Preheat your oven to 350.
- Using a large mixing bowl, stir together the baking powder, flour, baking soda, and sugar. Add the beer and stir until all of the ingredients are mixed together.
- Spray a loaf pan with cooking spray. Pour the batter you made into the pan. Make sure that it’s in an even layer. Pour the melted butter over the loaf of batter.
- Bake for 40 minutes or until it’s cooked all the way through. Remove from the oven and allow it to fully cool before slicing.
- Using a food processor, blend the cream cheese, IPA, cheddar cheese, sriracha, salt, and cornstarch. Blend the ingredients until they’re smooth.
- Slice the bread into eight slices.
- Butter one side of each slice.
- Heat up a non-stick pan over medium-high heat.
- Working in batches, place one slice of bread into the pan with the buttered side down. Spread ¼ cup of cheese into the mixture. Then add a slice of bacon and another slice of bread with the buttered side up.
- Cook the sandwich until the bottom bread is light brown. Gently flip the sandwich. Cook on the opposite side until the bread is golden brown.
Cornbread Brisket Grilled Cheese
If you’re from the South, there’s an unbelievably good chance that you’ve had cornbread and brisket before. As a traditional meal of the Southern states, brisket and cornbread is a favorite of so many people, so why not turn it into a grilled cheese sandwich?
Ingredients:
2 pounds of shredded beef brisket
For the Cornbread:
Oil spray
1 ¼ cups cornmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 ½ teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons light brown sugar, firmly packed
3 tablespoons jalapeno peppers, minced
4 green onions, minced
1 ½ cup whole milk
½ cup whole milk yogurt
½ cup extra virgin olive oil, plus a tablespoon
1 large egg, beaten
For the Sandwiches:
1 small red onion, cut into thick rounds
4 slices Gruyere cheese
Unsalted butter
Making the Cornbread:
1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a 9-inch square pan with parchment paper. Spread olive oil on the parchment paper.
- Using a large bowl, mix together the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, salt, peppers, green onions, and brown sugar. In another bowl, whisk together the yogurt, milk, and olive oil. Add the liquid mixture to the cornmeal mixture. Fold until the batter is blended. The batter will be slightly lumpy, so no need to worry when you can’t get all the bumps out. Add the egg and fold until blended.
- Pour batter into the prepared pan. Bake until the bread is a golden brown color. This should take about 20 minutes. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let it cool down completely.
Assemble the Sandwiches:
- While the cornbread is cooling down, heat up the olive oil in a frying pan on high heat. Add in the onion and cook, turn over once, and cook until the onions are deeply caramelized. This should take approximately four minutes on each side. Move the onion to a cutting board and cut it into ½-inch pieces.
- Cut the cornbread into four equal pieces, then halve each piece horizontally. Place ¼ of the brisket on the outside of a bottom piece of cornbread. Top with one tablespoon onion, a slice of cheese, and then the top piece of cornbread. Repeat this process until all of the sandwiches have been made.
- Using a large nonstick frying pan, melt 1 tablespoon of butter over medium heat. Fry the sandwiches. Turn over once, and cook until the bread has been browned and the cheese is melted.
Jalapeno Grilled Cheese with Bacon
If you’re a fan of foods that have a bit of a kick, then you most definitely have to give this Jalapeno Grilled Cheese with Bacon Sandwich a shot!
Ingredients:
2 jalapenos sliced lengthwise, seeds and membranes removed
4 ounces cream cheese
4 slices bacon crispy cooked
4 slices of your favorite cheese
4 slices sourdough bread
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- Fill each jalapeno half with roughly 1 ounce of cream. Bake the stuffed jalapenos on a cookie sheet for 25-30 minutes.
- Place one slice of cheese on each slice of bread. Each sandwich will have both types of cheese on it. Slice the jalapenos bites into small pieces. Add the slices of jalapeno to one side of the bread and 2 slices of bacon to the other side. Add another slice of bread to create sandwiches.
- Grill each sandwich until it’s light brown. Turn over and cook the other side.
- You could also add a little bit of the jalapeno juice from the jar to the cream cheese. It gives the sandwich a nice little kick!
Lasagna Grilled Cheese
If you’re in a daring mood, then you might want to try out this strangely delicious Lasagna Grilled Cheese.
Ingredients:
8 ounces sweet Italian sausage
4 ounces sliced provolone cheese
3 ounces shredded Parmesan cheese
8 ounces ricotta
½ tsp dried oregano
¼ tsp granulated garlic
2 teaspoon fresh minced parsley
½ dried tomato ketchup
8 slices thickly sliced bread
4 teaspoon mayonnaise
- Cook and crumble sausage. Once the sausage is finished cooking, strain the fat and set it to the side.
- Mix the ricotta, 3 ounces shredded parmesan, ½ tsp dried oregano, ¼ tsp granulated garlic, and two teaspoons fresh, minced parsley in a large bowl.
- Heat a non-stick pan on medium-high heat.
- Take two pieces of bread and spread the dried tomato ketchup on both pieces. On one of the slices, layer ¼ of the ricotta mixture, ¼ of the sausage, ¼ of the provolone, and the other slice of bread – ketchup side down.
- Put one tablespoon of mayonnaise on top of the top slice of bread and then place it into the pan with the mayonnaise side facing down. You should sear the sandwich all the way through, but be careful not to scorch it. Once the sandwich is browned on one side, flip it over. Smear mayo on the uncooked side, and cook for another 2 minutes.
Grilled Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich with Brie
If you’re not the type of person who enjoys trying out new things, then you might not want to try this one. While this sandwich sounds a bit odd, your taste buds will be bouncing with just one taste.
Ingredients:
4 slices of bread
2-4 tbsp peanut butter
1-2 tbsp jam or jelly
Brie cheese
Cooking spray
- Spread a layer of peanut butter on two slices of bread. One tablespoon each should be fine, but feel free to use as much as you’d like.
- Spread a layer of jam or jelly on top of the peanut butter. We recommend a ½ teaspoon, but once again, use as much as you’d like.
- Cut several slices of Brie. They should be between ⅛ to ¼ thick. Trim off the rind.
- Using your fingers, spread out the Brie and lay it on top of the jam. Make sure to use enough Brie to cover the entire slice of bread
- Put the other slice of bread on top of the Brie.
- Spray the outside of the sandwich with the cooking spray.
- Using a skillet, grill both sides of the sandwich for approximately two minutes each. Your sandwich should be browned on each side and the cheese melted when it’s done.
Pueblo Chile Grilled Cheese with Strawberry Jam
Ingredients:
2 slices white or wheat bread
2 slices sharp cheddar cheese
2 teaspoons strawberry jam
1-2 small/medium-sized roasted green chiles
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- Heat up a cast iron over medium-high heat. If you don’t have a cast-iron pan than another heavy pan you have will work just fine.
- While your pan is busy heating up, peel your chiles and take out all of the seeds. Cut off all of the stems.
- Spread two tablespoons of butter on each slice of bread. Make sure that the butter reaches all of the edges.
- Melt the rest of the butter in the pan that you have heating up. Once the butter has melted, put one slice of bread into the pan, buttered side down. Place one slice of cheese onto the bread.
- Place the chiles on top of the cheese. Then, place another slice of cheese directly on top of the chiles.
- Spread the strawberry jam on the other piece of bread. Make sure that you put the jam on the side of the bread that doesn’t have any butter on it. Using a spatula, press down on the sandwich.
- Cook the sandwich on each side for approximately five minutes on each side. Make sure that you’re paying attention to the heat and adjust if the heat gets too hot.
- Once the cheese has been melted and the bread is a golden color, take it off the stove and put it onto a cutting board. Allow it to sit for a couple of minutes before you cut it. Enjoy!
Steak and Mushroom Grilled Cheese
Are you a steak lover? What about a nice juicy steak smothered in mushrooms? If steak is a staple in your diet, then you’re going to love this next sandwich.
Ingredients:
Olive or canola oil
3 ½ ounces shiitake mushrooms, sliced thinly
Salt
Black pepper
1 clove of garlic, pressed through a garlic press
4 slices sourdough bread
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened for bread
1 cup shredded gruyere and swiss cheese blend, or whatever cheese you’d like to use
8 ounces either rib eye or flank steak
- Heat up a large, nonstick skillet on medium-heat high. Drizzle a little bit of the oil into the pan. Once the pan is heated up, add in the mushrooms. Saute the mushrooms for about a minute and then add a generous pinch of pepper and salt. Once the mushrooms are a golden-brown color, add a clove of garlic. Stir. Once the mushrooms are quite aromatic, spoon them out of the pan and set them to the side.
- Butter one side of each slice of bread. Place the buttered side down, and add approximately ¼ cup of shredded cheese to the bread.
- Top the cheese with some of the steak, as well as, some of the mushrooms. Then, add another ¼ cup of cheese on top of that.
- Place a piece of bread on top and butter the side that is facing you. Repeat this with all of the sandwiches.
- Preheat your oven to the warm setting or 200 degrees. This is to keep the sandwiches warm.
- Put a skillet over medium-high heat. Once the pan becomes hot, add the sandwiches to the pan, buttered side up. Press down with a spatula. Grill the sandwich on one side for four minutes.
- Using a spatula, flip the sandwich over and grill the other side.
- Once the sandwich is golden brown on both sides and the cheese is nicely melted, remove the sandwiches from the heat.
- If you can’t serve the sandwiches as soon as they’re done, put them into the oven to keep them warm until you’re ready for them.
The world of grilled cheese is vast and full of imagination. From festivals to holidays, people from all over the world absolutely love this food. If you’ve fallen in love with one or more of these recipes, then it might be time for you to experiment with grilled cheese on your own.
Maybe try some blueberries and bacon? Or what about chocolate and chile cheese? Either way, get in the kitchen and use your creativity to whip up some unique grilled cheese sandwiches for your family!
Resources:
- https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/23891/grilled-cheese-sandwich/
- https://www.delish.com/cooking/recipe-ideas/a19610233/how-to-make-best-grilled-cheese/
- https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/articles/50-grilled-cheese
- https://www.jessicagavin.com/how-to-make-grilled-cheese/
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FAQ:
Q: What are some different ways to make grilled cheese?
A: Make It With A Doughnut. Why use bread when you can use a doughnut? … Grill It In A Waffle Maker. Those crispy squares will change the way you look at grilled cheese forever. … Add Some Fruit. … Substitute Tater Tots. … Try A Cheesy Crust. … Coat The Bread In Bread Crumbs. … Fry It Instead. … Fill It With Mac And Cheese. … Make It On A Grilled Bagel. … Add Chocolate. …
Q: What is a perfect grilled cheese?
A: Directions Cut the slices of cheddar cheese; not too thick, but not skimpy, either; cut one slice in half. Take the two slices of bread and generously butter each of them on one side. Heat up a cast iron skillet over medium heat. Get yourself the cover from a Revereware saucepan, or another cover of about the same size.
Q: What is the best bread to use for grilled cheese?
A: Sourdough is the best bread for the perfect grilled cheese sandwich. It browns nicely and is dense and flavorful enough to match well with almost any type of cheese. Some kinds of bread pair well with a specific kind of cheese, but sourdough is at the top of the list for being compatible with so many different kinds of cheese.
Q: What are the different types of grilled cheese?
A: Classic Sandwich: 2 slices cheddar,monterey jack or Swiss cheese between 2 slices country white bread; cook,flipping once,until golden. Bacon and Tomato: Make Classic Grilled Cheese (No. 1),adding 3 slices crisp bacon and 1 slice tomato between the cheese. Triple Cheese: Make Classic Grilled Cheese (No. …