With these expertly customized recommendations, you’ll be able to choose the perfect cheeses for your next grilled cheese sandwich.
As a food writer in Atlanta, a city known for its upscale culinary scene, I’m fortunate to have access to luxury ingredients and elaborate dishes on a daily basis. This privilege never fails to bring me happiness. But ironically, it’s also made me realize how much I value old-fashioned comfort food and straightforward classics, like a perfectly grilled cheese sandwich.
A grilled cheese sandwich is a classic comfort food that kids love, and it just keeps getting better as people mature in their taste preferences. We asked seven chefs across the United States for their expert suggestions on how to elevate the straightforward grilled cheese into a standout dish that will be the talk of the town.
The Art of Crafting the Ultimate Grilled Cheese Sandwich
The quality of a comfort food is largely subjective. If you grew up with a specific dish, you’ll likely want any variations on that recipe to still evoke memories from your past, yet also showcase the improvements that only experience can bring. It’s the subtleties that make all the difference.
It’s undeniable that achieving the perfect balance of flavors and textures with a crispy crust, soft interior, and gooey cheese is a recipe for success.
In this Arizona chef’s opinion, achieving the perfect balance of bread and cheese is key to making a great grilled cheese. Too much cheese and it becomes overwhelming, while too little and it’s basically pointless.
And it leads us to the next essential inquiry.
When it Comes Down to It, is the Bread or the Cheese the Main Attraction?
The top chef believes that the main star of a dish is “primarily the bread,” and prefers “sprouted whole-grain bread with seeds,” which holds its shape well when cooked and provides a satisfying crunch. She also agrees, saying, “If I had to choose one element, I would pick the bread. It hits my tongue first, adds texture, depth, and variety to each bite. I think the bread often gets overshadowed by the cheese, but I appreciate how it’s responsible for carrying both the flavors and the structural integrity of the sandwich.”
Says Yohann Le Bescond, a top pastry chef, “The type of cheese is what sets a really good grilled cheese apart from an even better one. Combining multiple cheeses produces a deeper, more interesting flavor. Bread’s primary role is holding everything together and giving the sandwich shape and texture. A high-quality bread will elevate a dish, but even the best bread can’t make up for poor cheese.”
In Martinez’s view: “Both are of equal significance, but the cheese is what keeps the whole sandwich together. A phenomenal cheese can elevate a humble grilled cheese on white bread, whereas average American cheese is a letdown when paired with a high-quality loaf of bread.”
In Big Fork, Montana, Rob Clagett thinks, “Various breads can be transformed in their own unique way to create a delicious grilled cheese,” and Farrar agrees, “With a bit of care and attention, you can successfully make even unappetizing mass-produced breads taste great,” particularly by using grilling and buttering methods, as Le Bescond also suggests. Nevertheless, “the rich flavor and satisfying texture of the cheese can’t be manipulated,” Clagett emphasizes.
The bread is a crucial component of an extraordinary sandwich.
Choosing the Perfect Cheese for a Gourmet Grilled Cheese Experience
When building a grilled cheese sandwich, the type of cheese you use can make all the difference in achieving a restaurant-quality dish. Ahd Hilke, owner and chef of The Union Square Cafe in New York City, says, “The key to a great cheese selection is to mix and match complementary flavor profiles and textures that balance sweetness, acidity, and richness.”
Hilke notes, “It’s also about understanding the characteristics of different cheeses and how they will melt and interact with each other.” Here are some general guidelines to help you become a cheese guru and create the ultimate grilled cheese experience:
**The Sharpest Cheddar to Melted Magic**
* **Sharpness**: Choose a cheddar that’s at least 5 years old, as it will have developed a rich, sharp flavor that will balance out the other ingredients.
* **Texture**: Look for a cheddar with a medium to firm texture to help it melt evenly.
**Mozzarella: The Ultimate Melt**
* **Meltability**: Mozzarella is a go-to cheese for its creamy texture and ability to melt beautifully, especially when paired with fruit, such as figs or apples.
* **Flavor**: Fresh mozzarella, or burrata, adds a delicate taste that won’t overpower other ingredients.
**Gouda, the Crowd-Pleasing Favorite**
* **Sharpness**: Smoked gouda offers a mild, nutty flavor that pairs well with caraway or rye bread for a tasty combination.
* **Texture**: For a smooth, spreadable cheese, look for aged gouda at around 18 months or more.
**Goat Cheese: The Tangy Twist**
* **Tang**: Goat cheese has a distinct tanginess that adds a unique flavor to grilled cheese sandwiches.
* **Sheep’s Milk**: Opt for a sheep’s milk cheese, like Idiazabal or Ossau-Iraty, which has a milder, nutty flavor and a smooth texture.
**Blending for Perfection**
* **Two or three cheeses**: Mix and match different cheeses to create a complex, layered flavor profile.
* **Balance**: Balance the sweetness, acidity, and richness of each cheese to create a harmonious grilled cheese experience.
By following these guidelines and experimenting with different cheese combinations, you’ll be well on your way to creating restaurant-quality grilled cheese sandwiches that will impress even the most discerning palates.
“When it comes to creating a grilled cheese for a restaurant menu, I look for a cheese that melts consistently and evenly, resulting in the ideal gooey, stretchy texture that we all remember and love from grilled cheese sandwiches of our childhood,” according to Le Bescond.
When it comes to selecting cheese, we look for a cheese with optimal melting properties – one that will yield a smooth, even texture and the perfect taste to complement our dish.”
That flavor is often created by uses mild cheeses as the base of the dish. Clagett notes, “This gives you the chance to add flavors elsewhere, such as in the bread, butter, or even a complementary item like bisque or jelly.” For instance, Martinez suggests using artisanal bread with nuts or dried fruit. “Go for a slightly tangy cheese like goat cheese, but pair it with a mild, smooth cheese so you get to experience the cheese pull without overpowering the subtle flavors of the goat cheese.”
So, Ferrar is saying that blue cheese itself has a lot of great flavor, but it’s just too overpowering to be the main cheese. If you pair it with havarti, however, that could be a winning combination! He’s also highlighting the versatility of his restaurant’s summer grilled cheese, where he uses a mild cheese on molasses sourdough bread, creating a particularly good match with the fresh tomato basil soup.
In some cases, it’s a good idea to start with a mild cheese so you can add flavor to the sandwich. François Le Bescond suggests using rosemary butter instead of strong cheese to give his grilled cheese more flavor. He says, “Trying to combine too many strong cheeses can make a grilled cheese too salty.” According to Le Bescond, getting the balance of flavors just right is key because the overall taste of the grilled cheese is often more impressive than any single ingredient.
American Cheese
Whether you’re a casual food lover or a cheese connoisseur, the legitimacy of American cheese in grilled cheese sandwiches is well-respected by professional chefs.
“American will always hold a special place in our hearts as the quintessential cheese for traditionalists,” Masterson says, playfully mentioning that grilled cheese sandwiches made with this cheese have “been a hit for fundamentals for centuries!”
I’m not recommending a one-size-fits-all or pre-packaged approach, if your source says “don’t buy packaged products!”
in Marietta, Georgia.
Cheddar
For nearly every chef I spoke with, the best supporting actor award goes to Cheddar. According to Martinez, “Adding flavorful soft or hard cheese to complement a semi-hard or semi-soft cheese is a great way to combine multiple cheeses and flavors.”
Martinez prefers “a nice medium Cheddar … for flavor and pull,” while Ferrar suggests combining American and any Cheddar for “that perfect flavor-melt ratio.” Le Bescond always chooses Cheddar with sourdough, citing that the acidity of the sourdough pairs well with aged cheese like Cheddar, resulting in a bolder flavor profile, but notes that adding younger cheeses like mozzarella or fontina can still soften the flavors and add creaminess.
Gruyère
Nothing beats a good melted cheddar or American, but for a truly unforgettable grilled cheese, try using a more sophisticated cheese like Swiss. The famous chef Clagett swears by Gruyère, saying it’s his top pick, with a rich, velvety texture and a one-of-a-kind nutty smell that sets it apart. He loves it so much that he even starts off his grilled cheese recipe with a classic béchamel sauce to really bring out its creaminess.
Martinez is also quite enthusiastic about this option, sharing, “I was fortunate enough to travel in Switzerland at an early stage in my career and have a strong appreciation for those semi-hard Alpine cheeses, such as authentic Gruyère or Appenzeller, when it comes to a grilled cheese. These two options pair extremely well with caramelized onions on a hearty rustic levain bread.”
Le Bescond brings a French twist to the classic grilled cheese by using Gruyère, creating an un-forgettable sandwich with a rosemary butter croissant paired with white American cheese.
Havarti
For a more sophisticated grilled cheese, I recommend using Gruyère, Havarti, and Gouda as my top choices,” Masterson says. “These cheeses, he notes, have a similar flavor profile, which is mildly sweet.
Weston also highly recommends Havarti, and Farrar agrees, saying “Havarti is an excellent option if you prefer a less processed American cheese. Its melting properties are top-notch. Additionally, you can try unique Havarti variations, such as horseradish or jalapeño, to elevate your grilled cheese experience. Experimenting with different flavors like these may surprise you with a new favorite combination.”
Other Favorites
These chefs have carried their grilled cheese expertise even further, trying out new and exciting combinations. Chef Clagett combines Muenster and fontina in a unique blend, using Muenster for its great texture and fontina for its rich, earthy flavor. Chef Le Bescond balances the sharpness of aged Cheddar with the creamy, mild sweetness of fontina. And Chef Carrig, a fan of Muenster for its smooth melting properties, says it’s perfect for complementing a variety of fillings, such as fresh tomatoes.
While Le Bescond goes with mild mozzarella, Farrar prefers the smoked kind, saying it’s been rising in his esteem, boasting a rich flavor and more uses than most other smoked cheeses.
Finally, Weston recommends experimenting with Brie and Gouda, saying “These and Havarti are among my favorites.”
Final Tips
The kind of cheese you use is what makes a grilled cheese great or good, but how you combine it with the other ingredients and cook it really matters. Our chefs had a lot to say on those details and they were happy to share their expert opinions and advice with you.
When picking bread, you’re looking for something that browns well, won’t clash with the flavor of your cheese, and is robust enough to handle being smothered in butter on the outside while soaking up the cheese’s gooey center,” Clagett says. It could be as light and flaky as a croissant, but Le Bescond suggests using a day-old one. “That way, the croissant won’t be as crumbly as it would be fresh, so it will hold its shape nicely.”
It’s generally best to use older bread for toast, according to Martinez. “If your bread is a day or two old, it toasts really well!”
When cooking, “using a press is much preferred over a frying pan,” Le Bescond notes. Ferrar suggests using medium heat and advises to “immerse that bread thoroughly in good olive oil or clarified butter/ghee, if needed.”
‘Be generous,’ advises Martinez. ‘A good amount of fat is crucial to getting a crispy and crunchy crust.’ Ferrar chimes in, ‘Don’t be shy with the salt, and make sure to move the bread around with a bit of pressure throughout the cooking process.’ If you’re grilling, as Weston prefers, use unsalted butter on a butter roller at 325°F for ideal results.
Martinez also adds a depth of flavor by rubbing grated garlic on his grilled sandwiches, and a sprinkle of shredded cheese on one half of the bread, noting that everyone enjoys the crispy cheese bits that form in the pan. He suggests allowing the sandwich to rest for a brief moment before taking a bite to prevent the cheese from spilling out of the sides.
They incorporate seasonal elements into their designs for inspiration.
When it all boils down to it, as Farrar puts it, “It comes down to thinking about what you want the sandwich to achieve. Keep it simple, only add what is needed to get where you want to go”, and most importantly, have a good time!
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