This is one of the best grilled cheese sandwich recipes because it’s vegetarian, incredibly easy to make and best of all, it’s super tasty. Moreover, you can also make it vegan.
Hey Foodies,
Today I will show you how to make a grilled cheese sandwich at home. And it’s not just any sandwich but one of the best I’ve ever made.
Let me tell you why.
First of all, it’s vegetarian. You all know that I am a big fan of vegetarian recipes so that’s a big plus for me.
Second, this grilled cheese sandwich recipe is so easy even a kid can make it (Really!).
Third, it’s super tasty.
Oh well, grilled cheese, veggies, and pesto… how could it not be tasty, right?
And last but not least, it’s versatile. This means that you can replace the main ingredients with your favorites and adjust it to your taste.
You can use any medium-hard cheese and your favorite sauce and veggies. I will explain more about this in the Tips & Tricks below.
So let’s dive into the yummy details, shall we?
More recipes with cheese:
- The Ultimate Holiday Cheese Board
- Smashed Potatoes With Garlic And Parmesan
- Cheesy Chicken Spaghetti Squash
How to make a grilled cheese sandwich at home – Best Tips & Tricks
1. Which bread makes the best grilled cheese sandwich
Personally, I like making the grilled cheese sandwich with almost stale bread.
Yep, you heard that right!
Heat and cheese fat will bring stale bread to a perfect texture. So if you have some bread leftovers that you wanted to throw away, don’t!
Use them to make the best grilled cheese sandwich ever.
But keep in mind that almost stale doesn’t mean a 2 weeks old stone-hard bread, ok? Nothing can bring that back to life and I wouldn’t want you to chip your teeth in it 🙂
Aside from stale bread, you can use any kind of white or whole wheat bread, sourdough, rye or even homemade.
Just make sure the slices are thin for the cheese to melt easy.
Don’t use loaves with holes in them because the cheese will make its way through and it will melt away on the grill.
Now that you know which bread makes the best grilled cheese sandwich, let’s talk about the main ingredient, cheese.
2. What is the best cheese for a grilled cheese sandwich
This is my favorite part and not just because it involves melty cheese, but because you can adjust it to everybody’s taste. It’s actually the reason why I think this is one of the best grilled cheese sandwich recipes ever.
I made it with mozzarella but if that’s not your cup of tea, no worries, you can change it with any of your favorite medium-hard cheese.
And here are some good ideas: Provolone, Cheddar, Gruyere, Comte, Fontina.
Moreover, you can experiment and mix them together. Or, you can use one of the above melty cheeses and also add a bit of Parmesan or Feta.
These two won’t melt so don’t add too much, just enough to enhance the flavor.
And here’s a great tip for you vegans. You can make it with vegan Mozzarella which is made with coconut milk. This is an excellent alternative to regular cheese, which doesn’t compromise when it comes to taste and texture.
See now why I call it the best grilled cheese sandwich recipe ever?
It just keeps everybody happy.
And there’s more…
Let’s see what else we can stuff in to make this sandwich truly amazing.
3. What goes with grilled cheese
I know that many people are literally in love with the classic grilled cheese sandwich and nothing I could say would ever change their minds.
And that’s alright, we all love it, but if you are a foodie who likes to experiment and try new things then the following paragraphs are for you.
Actually, I could write a book about it because there are so many fillings that go perfectly with grilled cheese. But don’t worry, I’ll keep it short… this time 🙂
I could have added some crispy bacon or salted beef and it would have been delish but I wanted it lighter and healthy so I stuffed it with lots of grilled veggies.
Of course, you can change these with your favorites but keep in mind to use ingredients that would normally go well with a cheese platter.
And here are a few good ones: caramelized onions, olive tapenades, chutney, figs, pears, chopped nuts.
Or, you can let yourself inspired by the Mediterranean diet and fill it with fresh tomatoes, basil, pickled artichokes, fresh spinach, pesto sauce or pepperoni.
Or just try it with your favorite veggie combo, after all, your sandwich your rules 🙂
Ok, we know what to fill it with, but how do we cook the best grilled cheese sandwich?
Well, let’s see…
4. How to cook the best grilled cheese sandwich
First of all, use a cast iron grill pan, or a panini press.
Sure, you can also make it in a regular non-stick pan or even on an outdoor grill, but cast iron pans heat up faster and distribute heat more evenly than others.
That’s what makes it the best pan for many types of sandwiches.
Make sure you heat the pan (no matter which kind you use) to medium-low, to cook the bread at the same pace as the cheese melts.
Otherwise, the bread can get burned easily, especially on outdoor grills.
This tip is very important so try not to forget it if you want to make the best grilled cheese sandwich recipe.
And here’s another trick you need to remember.
When making a grilled cheese sandwich in a pan you need to press it firmly with a spatula while it cooks. This will integrate the ingredients better and it will make the bread perfectly crispy.
This may seem insignificant but trust me, it makes quite a difference.
Finally, let’s go through the takeaways before moving on to the recipe:
- Â Don’t use bread with holes in it, as the cheese will melt away on the grill.
- Â You can use most types of bread, even stale bread, just make sure the slices are thin.
- Â You can stuff this sandwich with grilled veggies (any of your favorites), with chutney, figs, pesto, crispy bacon, or salted beef.
- Â Make it in a cast iron grill pan for best results.
- Â No matter the pan, make sure you heat it to medium-low to cook the bread at the same pace as the cheese melts.
- Â Press the sandwich firmly with a spatula while it’s cooking, to integrate the ingredients and make it crispy.
Ok foodies, now you know how to make a grilled cheese sandwich at home so let’s see how you make it.
Take some photos of it and post them on Instagram using the tag @theblondelish and hashtag #blondelish.
And I know this recipe has many variations in different regions and countries so I want to know, how do you make a grilled cheese sandwich?
Let me know your recipe as I am always in search of inspiration.
If you like this recipe video and want to see more like it, please Subscribe to my Youtube Channel.
Easy Grilled Cheese Sandwich Recipe
Equipment Needed
Ingredients
- 1 red pepper - deseeded and sliced
- 1 yellow bell pepper - deseeded and sliced
- 1 small zucchini - thinly sliced
- 1 small red onion - sliced
- Sea salt and freshly crushed black pepper - to your taste
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 2 Tbsp vegan pesto sauce
- 4 slices of your favorite bread
- 4 slices cheese
Instructions
- Preheat a cast iron grill pan over medium-high heat.
- In a large bowl, mix all prepped veggies with olive oil, sea salt and pepper. Toss well to get them all coated.
- Place them on the grill and cook for about 10-12 minutes, or until they get grill marks on them and become crisp-tender. Using tongs, set them aside on a plate.
- To assemble the sandwich, spread pesto sauce on both slices of bread, then top one with grilled veggies, cheese, and then cover with the other slice.
- Drizzle a bit of olive oil on the grill, lower t and place the sandwich on it.
- Cook for about 3-4 minutes on one side and, using a spatula, press the sandwich firmly. Flip on the other side and cook for about 3-4 minutes more, or until golden brown with a melty center.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
*This post may contain affiliate links
If it has actual cheese, it’s not vegan
Hi and thanks for taking the time to read my blog.
I didn’t claim it is vegan. Throughout the article, I mentioned a few times that it’s vegetarian and that you can also make it vegan. And at point 2, I explained how to make this grilled cheese sandwich vegan.
Cheers
This looks divine! I’m drooling right now! ?
So glad you like it! Thanks for reading my blog