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The ultimate list of delicious, feel-good grilled cheese sandwiches that are really easy to make! This list has over 15 recipes that you can make any time of the year.
Grilled cheese sandwiches are the ultimate comfort food recipe. It has the unbelievable ability to put a smile on anyone's face.
This food may be geared towards kids, but, even adults have a secret love for it. It's tied to so many childhood memories of lazy summer days, sick days and snow days.
Here is my list of some of the most unique and tasty grilled cheese sandwiches for you and your kids, along with some great ideas and tips!
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💭 Top tips
- Don't be afraid to use mustard, mayo or even jelly. It enhances the flavor of grilled cheese.
- Grilled cheese can be "grilled" on the stove top or in the oven. The reason I like the oven is that the sandwich bread turns out very crispy. Also, I can make a larger batch of sandwiches at once!
- Grilled cheese cooks better when it is put on medium heat, while on the stove top. Too high and the sandwich bread will burn before the cheese has had a chance to melt. Too low and the cheese will melt before the bread has cooked.
- Do you have success with freezing grilled cheese? I know it has been done, but, I always found it loses taste when thawed. It also tends to get soggy when re-heated. (Using a toaster oven can help to mitigate this issue, though!)
- I love "weighing down" the grilled cheese when cooking on the stove top. Use a separate pan to press down on one side of the sandwich. The other side will be on the hot pan. Flip and do the same for the other side. This makes the bread crispy and the cheese melts perfectly
- Cheese slices are good to use in the sandwich, but, I like shredding a block of cheese. It melts faster and I get a long, stretchy cheese.
❓ FAQs for making the best grilled cheese
What is the best cheese?
- Cheddar cheese
- Mozzarella cheese
- Colby jack
- Pepper jack
- Havarti cheese
- Swiss cheese
These are the top 6 cheeses used in making grilled cheese. But, there is really only one rule for making grilled cheese.
That rule is that there are NO rules, haha! Choose your favorite cheese and other ingredients and give it a try, no matter how strange it sounds.
As you will see from the roundup below, there are other cheeses which work great too. There are sandwiches that use cream cheese and even brie cheese!
What type of bread should I use?
- Whole wheat bread
- Sour dough bread
- Honey bread
- Bread with oats
- Gluten-free bread
- Multi-grain bread
The bottom line on bread is that it should be sturdy, strong enough to be able to hold it's own. Even when the cheese melts to a gooey perfection, the bread doesn't get soggy.
So, have fun with experimenting. Find your favorite bread and be sure to comment below with it.
TeamDiagonal or TeamVertical?
The great debate of whether the sandwich should be cut vertically or diagonally never gets solved.
I have cut the sandwich both ways, but, have a clear favorite. My favorite is cutting it vertically. When cut this way, I feel like I get maximum cheese flavor and maximum stretchy cheese! 🙂
Bon Appetit did their own "scientific" research and concluded that the diagonal method is the best way to cut grilled cheese.
So, the question is: Are you TeamDiagonal or TeamVertical?
What else can I add to grilled cheese?
- Turkey
- Chicken
- Seafood
- Veggies
- Chili
- Beef
- Ham
- Bacon
These are some of my family favorite ingredients to add in.
As the roundup recipes below prove, no vegetable is off limits when it comes to choosing the ingredients for the sandwich.
🍤 Made with seafood
Have you tried cheese sandwich with seafood in it? If you have, you know how delicious it makes the sandwich taste.
Shrimp, fish, and even crab meat are great additions to these sandwiches!
Gourmet grilled cheese with salmon
I love seafood and I love grilled cheese. This recipe is my favorite because I was able to bring both together.
The salmon is delicious with melted cheese. If you want to get your kids to eat salmon, this is the way to do it.
Along with salmon, I also put in apples and dill. They bring out the best flavors of the salmon.
Zingy shrimp sandwich
As you know, my family is a huge fan of shrimp. We love them in stews, pastas, zoodles dishes, and (maybe most of all!) in buttery sauces.
So, putting it into a grilled cheese sandwich is not a leap. My kids used to love this sandwich when they had a sick day. They didn't even mind the baby spinach I used to sneak into it.
It takes about 20 minutes to make this sandwich, so, you can make a big batch easily. Trust me, you will have no leftovers.
🥓 With bacon
Bacon is not just for breakfast! I can eat it all day! Bacon often makes an appearance in my pasta salads, wraps, pizza and even in an ice cream dessert!
So, it's only natural that I put bacon in a grilled cheese sandwich. Go through and make all these bacon grilled cheese sandwiches.
BLT grilled cheese
Ordinary BLT sandwich is boring, but, BLT grilled cheese is not boring at all.
Spend With Pennies has made this delicious sandwich because they have a huge love of BLT and cheese sandwiches.
They brought 2 American classics together into one sandwich. Best part is that this sandwich can be eaten all year round
I think these sandwich would be great with my dill potato fries. Try this combination and let me know what you think.
Ham, bacon & apple cheese sandwich
Adding grilled apples to a ham and bacon sandwich is a GENIUS idea!
This sandwich has a little sweet and crunchy taste which is simply irresistible. This Mama Loves has made this amazing combo of sandwich that is for kids and adults alike.
Bacon and jalapeno with pimento
Question: What brings out the best in bacon?
Answer: Jalapeno!
Jalapeno spices bacon so perfectly that you will never eat bacon any other way. Adding pimento and cheese to the sandwich gives you a spectacular comfort food recipe.
This recipe is from Drug Store Divas' blog who has even more grilled cheese recipes on there.
🐓 With chicken
There is no denying that chicken and cheese make a delicious comfort food combination. Chicken can be shredded, diced or finely chopped before adding to the sandwich.
Have you tried chicken in grilled cheese?
Grilled chicken sandwich recipe
There are so many delicious things happening in this sandwich. The bread is Parmesan crusted for an added crunch.
Inside, the chicken is pre-cooked. So, if you made, say a whole chicken meal last night, you can put the leftovers into this grilled cheese sandwich.
This way, there is no waste.
The cheese I used in this recipe is Mexican blend cheese. It melts perfectly with the chicken and provides just a little exotic flavor.
Are you drooling yet?
Buffalo chicken grilled cheese
Adding a little kick to a grilled cheese is always a good thing, don't you agree?
Gavin and Karen are the brains behind this mega delicious cheese sandwich. They know exactly how you like your grilled cheese and made it just for you.
PS: If you are a fan of buffalo chicken sandwiches, I made one in the slow cooker. Fair warning, you will need to open your jaws wide for it!
🥦 With vegetables
Grilled cheese sandwiches don't have to be empty calories. I found that adding veggies enhances the sandwich both nutritionally and in flavor.
The sky is the limit when it comes to what veggies can go into a sandwich. I had a neighbor who would add asparagus! And, it tasted so good.
So, let's experiment with all the kinds of veggies we can add to grilled cheese. Leave a comment below with your favorite.
Roasted red pepper and spinach
Spinach is a common vegetable that finds it's way into grilled sandwiches.
It's a good way to get kids to eat their spinach, right? I mean, what kid can resist this grilled cheese!
This whole recipe takes 15 minutes to make. It's the perfect comfort food for a cold fall evening or brighten up a boring summer afternoon.
With spinach artichoke
Can you believe that Mary Ellen used artichoke in her sandwich? Not only is it very creative, it's also very nutritious.
She used the age old popular dip and put it into a grilled cheese sandwich. I know a few kids and adults who can't wait to get their hands on this sandwich.
Do you know that you can make a jalapeno artichoke dip in the slow cooker? It's so easy to make.
hot and bubbly spinach artichoke spread. It's like everybody's
favorite party dip in a sandwich.
Keto-friendly made with cauliflower
Does cauliflower belong on a grilled cheese? Yes, it absolutely does.
Just because you are a ketoer (if it's not a word, I am making it one!), it doesn't mean you can't enjoy a grilled cheese!
Oh So Foodie found a way to make bread slices out of cauliflower and that is the best bread idea I have seen!
She shows you how to make the bread first. Then, she uses white cheddar cheese in it which is the perfect compliment to the cauliflower
This sandwich has only 5.5g of net carbs!
Mozzarella cheese sandwich
There is something special about freshly roasted bell pepper and freshly made mozzarella going into a freshly made bread.
This recipe by Healing Tomato is a homemade sandwich that is all about using fresh ingredients.
It's a very easy recipe to make and can also be made in the oven.
👶 Kid friendly
These grilled cheese sandwiches are made for kids and by kids. When kids help in making of their own meals, they have a better appreciation for food, don't you think?
My kids used to help me in the kitchen when they were young and they continue to do so as adults. Being on their own, they find it easier to cook at home since they learned at an early age.
So, no matter the age of your child, they can help make these recipes and devour them.
With pepperoni pizza
Have you met a kid that doesn't like pepperoni pizza? Neither have I! 😂
Cincy Shopper hasn't met a kid like that either. So, she thought of making a grilled cheese out of that pepperoni pizza. She uses only 4 ingredients to make it.
Her family loves making this sandwich for dinner too! I am definitely trying it this weekend.
I have made pepperoni pizza flavored pasta and even made pepperoni pizza twirls. How do you like to eat pepperoni pizza?
Cream cheese and mayo
Adding cream cheese and mayo to a regular grilled cheese is a fun way to take it up a notch.
My kids would love to spread the cream cheese mixture on the bread. Their tiny hands would tightly grasp a plastic knife and diligently spread it on a slice of bread. It's one of my favorite memories of my kids in the kitchen.
This sandwich requires just 6 ingredients and it's ready in 20 minutes.
Cream cheese and veggies
Veg Recipes of India has a love of hiding veggies in food, just like me. She hid tomatoes, cucumber, bell peppers and corn in this sandwich.
It's a very clever idea because all these veggies have so much nutrition. Ordinarily, kids wouldn't dream of eating them, but, put the veggies in a sandwich and they will happily eat it.
Related - Have you tried my hidden veggies queso dip? It's perfect for kids and adults. Can you guess what veggie I hide in it?
With pumpkin puree
Cheddar and pumpkin puree are the main ingredients in my my pumpkin grilled cheese. It's amazing how much kids love this recipe.
In the fall, when my kids and their friends are home for the holidays, they would always request this sandwich. I like to serve it with butternut squash soup which the kids would use to dunk the sandwich! 🤦♀️
That might sound a little strange, but they would eat it without any complaints and I love their unique eating style!
Rollups
Making a rolled-up grilled cheese sandwich is such a smart idea. It makes it so much easier for kids to eat it.
This recipe is by Cincy Shopper and the funny part is that even her hubby couldn't keep his hands off this sandwich. Just more proof that even adults can't resist it.
Kids will love layering the bread and sandwich, then rolling it up. I think this sandwich is perfect for your tiny chef.
🧑 For Adults
No matter how old you are, you deserve a grilled cheese sandwich. These grilled cheese sandwiches include a few grown-up ingredients that can also be a little messy.
Be sure to stock up on napkins before you serve these sandwiches, haha!
Turkey and brie
Turkey and cranberry do not have to be apart, right?
In this sandwich, I bring together your Thanksgiving favorites. Leftover turkey and leftover cranberry sauce mixed with brie cheese in a sandwich!
Doesn't that sound beyond delicious?
Sandwich dripping with chili
Chili is an adult favorite! Everyone in my family has a very unique chili recipe of their own.
Every year, we have a chili cook-off where we get to taste some of the best chili recipes.
All the leftovers from this cook off go into a grilled cheese sandwich. It's a messy, delicious, comforting grilled cheese sandwich that every grown-up must have!
Best part is that it's really easy to make. No culinary skills required.
Broccoli pesto and mushrooms
Do you eat your required 7-10 cups of veggies every day? Adults know about this requirement and yet, we hardly make it to 4 cups a day.
Why? Because veggies can be boring!
Well, I thought to change that by making a grilled cheese sandwich that no adult can resist.
The pesto is made with broccoli. This cruciferous veggie has cancer fighting properties, calcium, magnesium, and so much more!
Mushrooms have their own nutrition too. They are packed with protein, selenium, and folate, among other nutrients. This sandwich is the only way my husband will eat mushrooms!
How do you get your daily vegetable intake?
Bourbon caramelized shallots
I had you at bourbon, didn't I?
Yes, you read that correctly. The Spice Train found a way to work in bourbon into the sandwich.
She caramelized the shallots with bourbon and then, put into a grilled cheese sandwich. Check out her post for all the tips and tricks on how to get the perfect caramelization.
These caramelized shallots would also be great on a bacon pizza.
🥉 Honorable mentions
These sandwiches don't fit the traditional description of a grilled cheese sandwich, but, they come very close.
It would be a shame not to include them on this list, don't you agree?
Avocado tuna melt
Eggplant Milanesa Torta
Sausage mozzarella sandwich
🥗 What to serve with it?
Traditionally, the grilled cheese sandwich is served with tomato soup. In addition to tomato soup, I also like to include unique sides to serve with it.
Have you served grilled cheese with a side of coleslaw? Or how about green bean fries? Now is your chance to try some unique sides. Tell me what you like to serve with it.
Crunchy cole slaw
Green bean fries
Jalapeno Garlic Pickles
Berry delicious fruit salad
Eggplant Fries
I hope you found some great ideas in this list! Personally, I am going to eat my way down the list, and then probably go back up to the top and start again, haha!
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