Grilled Cheese Sandwich
Golden brown toasted bread with a stringy cheese core, ready in ten minutes.
- Preparation
- 5 min
- Cook/bake time
- 8 min
- Total
- 13 min
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 655 kcal
- Servings
- 2
- Prep
- 5 min
- Cooking & baking
- 8 min
Golden brown toasted bread with a stringy cheese core, ready in ten minutes. The crucial trick is using mayonnaise instead of butter on the outside, because it browns more evenly, does not burn, and creates an amazingly crispy crust. The simplest soul food in American cuisine, classically accompanied by tomato soup.
Why this works
Butter consists of about 16 percent water and contains milk protein, which burns even at medium heat, hence the dark spots next to pale areas. Mayonnaise is practically pure oil with egg as an emulsifier, tolerates higher temperatures, and can be spread thinly and seamlessly. Therefore, it browns evenly. The cheese needs time in parallel. If the heat is too high, the bread is done before the core reaches over 60 °C and starts to melt.
Step-by-step instructions
- 1
Mix the cheese
Mix the grated Cheddar with the Gouda. This combination is chosen deliberately. Cheddar brings the strong flavor but tends to melt greasily, while young Gouda provides the stringy melt. Grate the cheese yourself, as pre-grated cheese contains anti-caking agents and melts significantly worse.
- 2
Prepare the bread
Spread a thin layer of mayonnaise on the outsides of all four slices of bread. This sounds wrong at first, but it is the proven trick of American diners. Mayonnaise has a higher smoke point than butter, spreads more evenly, and results in a golden, even crust without dark spots. If desired, add a little mustard to the insides.
- 3
Assemble
Distribute the cheese mixture generously on two slices of bread, leaving a half-centimeter border so the cheese does not immediately run out when melting. Place the second slice on top with the mayonnaise side facing out and press the sandwich lightly.
- 4
Fry slowly
Melt the butter in a pan over medium to low heat and place the sandwiches in it. Fry them for three to four minutes per side, pressing them lightly with the spatula from time to time. Low heat is important here, otherwise the bread will be dark on the outside while the cheese is still firm on the inside.
- 5
Cut and serve
Remove the sandwiches from the pan and let them rest for a minute so the cheese sets slightly and does not run out completely when cut. Cut them diagonally, which is not only tradition but also gives the nicer cheese-pull look. Serve them immediately, preferably with tomato soup.
Our best tips
- Mayonnaise on the outside instead of butter. Sounds strange, but reliably yields the better crust.
- Medium to low heat and patience. If the heat is too high, you get burnt bread with a cold cheese core.
- Always grate the cheese yourself and mix two types, that is the difference between good and great.
Tasty variations
With tomato and basil
Drain thin tomato slices well and place them with fresh basil between the cheese.
Deluxe
Add caramelized onions and a few slices of crispy bacon.
Nutrition facts
| Calories | 655 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 28 g |
| Carbohydrates | 31 g |
| – of which sugar | 4 g |
| Fat | 46 g |
| Fiber | 2 g |
Where the 655 kcal come from
per serving
Calculated from the ingredients – how we do it
We add up reference values for every ingredient and divide by the number of servings. These assumptions are baked in:
- Reference values per 100 g – for the raw ingredient, exactly as listed.
- Tinned goods count at drained weight, bone-in meat at purchase weight: you eat about 70 per cent of a chicken thigh and leave the rest.
- Water evaporates as you cook. The energy stays in the pot, the weight does not – so the figure is per serving, not per 100 g of finished dish.
- Anything listed without a quantity – “salt and pepper” – is not counted.
A guide value, not a lab measurement: no two onions weigh the same, and fat content varies from pack to pack.
Frequently asked questions
Why mayonnaise instead of butter?
Mayonnaise contains oil and egg, spreads more evenly, and browns at a higher temperature without burning. The sandwich does not taste like mayonnaise afterwards.
Which cheese melts best?
Young, semi-hard varieties like Gouda, Emmental, or Monterey Jack. Very hard, long-aged cheeses become slightly oily when melting.
Can I make it in a sandwich maker?
Yes, then you do not need to flip it. However, the crust will be less evenly browned than in the pan.
Comments & ratings(0)
Sign in to rate and comment on this recipe.
You might also like
DinnerMicrowave Sweet Potato
Eight minutes instead of fifty, and with thirty seconds in a pan it still gets roasted flavors.
BreakfastMenemen
Turkish scrambled eggs with tomatoes and green peppers, and the eggs are just stirred in, not cooked through.
BreakfastEggs in Tomato Sauce for One
Half a can of tomatoes, two eggs, a small pan: Shakshuka in a single portion.