Treat yourself to the BEST Sourdough Grilled Cheese ever! This heavenly sandwich couldn't be easier to make or more delicious ... you'll enjoy devouring every last crispy, cheesy bite!
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When it comes to sandwiches, it's hard to resist the classic toasted cheese. It's so simple, yet so scrumptious!
This sandwich is a favorite for a reason, but there are a few ways to improve on what's already pretty perfect. And the easiest way is by using better ingredients.
A few small tweaks to the basic recipe make all the difference! And after one bite of this mouthwatering Sourdough Grilled Cheese, and you may never go back to basic white bread and American cheese again.
You are going to love this grown up Grilled Cheese! It takes everything you love about the kid's classic and makes it even better ... buttery, crispy sourdough bread surrounding the perfect combo of flavorful cheeses. Yum!
Best of all though? This sandwich is just as easy to make as the original! Keep reading for all the delicious details.
Ingredients
This recipe uses basic, easy to find ingredients. Here's what you'll need:
- Bread - Flavorful, crusty sourdough bread is an instant sandwich upgrade! Choose store bought bread or use homemade. Either will work great.
- Cheese - While you can use any cheese that melts well for this recipe, some are tastier than others (check out my tips below). This recipes calls for a delicious combination of medium cheddar (which melts better than sharp) and provolone. While slices are fine, for the gooiest results, start with a block of cheese, and shred it yourself.
- Butter - Use salted butter to give the finished sandwich an extra pop of flavor.
Best Cheese for Grilled Cheese
The best cheese for Grilled Cheese is anything that melts well. You can use the cheddar and provolone called for in this recipe (a truly tasty combo!), or you can experiment to find your favorites. Here are some other cheeses to try:
- American - For a classic, no frills sandwich with super melty cheese, American is always a favorite.
- Cheddar - Instead of American, try cheddar for an instant upgrade. It still has that traditional taste you expect, but the flavor is a step up. Mild and medium cheddar melt best, and they're less greasy than sharp.
- Swiss - Popular Swiss cheese is another fave! Try it paired with sliced tomatoes and dijon mustard (one of my fave combos).
- Monterey Jack - This mild cheese melts really well. Use it on its own, or mix it with a stronger tasting cheese for a more sophisticated flavor.
- Pepper Jack - Give your sandwich a spicy twist, by adding some pepper jack.
- Havarti - Mild, creamy havarti is another good melter that makes an excellent cheese sandwich.
- Fontina - The buttery, nutty flavor of fontina, which also melts great, make it a natural for this sandwich.
- Gruyere - Using nutty gruyere is an easy way to level things up. Pair it with another cheese that melts really well for best results.
- Gouda - Delicious gouda is another tempting option. For the best melting capabilities, go with a younger variety (or pair an aged gouda with another meltier cheese).
- Brie - While not super typical, brie makes a wonderfully rich Grilled Sandwich. Use thin slices on their own or pair with another cheese.
- Blue Cheese - If you're a a blue cheese lover, try adding a sprinkle (paired with a milder cheese) to your next toastie.
- Goat cheese - While tasty goat cheese won't give you a luscious cheese pull, it's perfect for a gourmet sandwich. Pair with a gooier cheese for best results.
Tip: Younger cheeses generally melt the best, and they'll give you more ooey gooey results when compared to aged cheeses. If you'd like to use an older cheese, pair it with one that melts easily.
You'll Also Need
You'll need a large frying pan, preferably with a lid, to cook the sandwich. A cast iron skillet works especially well, but you could use a nonstick frying pan, too. If your pan doesn't have a lid, cover the pan with a piece of foil instead.
Want to cook multiple sandwiches at once? Using a stovetop grilled or an electric griddle will give you more space.
How to Make Sourdough Grilled Cheese
Okay, let's talk about how to make this Grilled Cheese with Sourdough Bread! You'll find a detailed recipe card below, but here's an overview of the steps:
- Add bread and cheese to pan. Start by heating your pan over medium-low heat. While it's warming up, butter the outsides of two bread slices and mix your cheeses together. Place one slice (butter-side down) in the hot pan, then pile on the cheese. Tip: Shredded cheese melts best, but slices will work, too.
- Cover pan. After you've added the cheese, cover the pan. There's nothing worse than a hot sandwich with cold cheese in the middle, and this simple step will ensure the meltiest results! Tip: Don't have a lid? Use foil instead.
- Top with bread. Once the cheese has melted, add the second slice of bread (butter-side up). At this point, you can crank up the heat to medium so your sandwich cooks a little faster.
- Flip the sandwich. When the bottom slice turns golden brown, flip your sandwich. Then continue cooking until the second side is browned. Tip: Watch the second side closely ... it always cooks faster than the first!
And that's all there is to it ... time to eat! Don't you just want to bite into that gorgeous Sourdough Bread Grilled Cheese right now?
Tip: Did you forget to soften the butter ahead of time? No worries, simply brush the bread with melted butter just before adding it to the pan, or use mayonnaise (yes, mayo!) instead.
Helpful Tips
This recipe is beyond easy to make, but these simple tips will take your results from good to great:
- Take your time. Starting the sandwich over medium-low heat (and covering the pan) is essential! It allows the cheese to heat up and melt while the bread toasts, giving you the gooiest results.
- Cut the bread ½-inch thick. I get it ... it's tempting to slice scrumptious sourdough bread as thick as possible! But ½-inch slices will give you the best cheese to bread ratio, and the thinner slices also heat up faster, ensuring that your cheese melts better.
- Use shredded cheese. Although cheese slices are okay, shredded cheese that you shred yourself works best. Preshredded cheese has anti-caking additives that keep the shred from sticking together. Which is fine and good, but it also stops the cheese from melting as well. Take a minute to shred it yourself!
- Soften the butter in advance. This one's hard to remember, but it's best to take the butter out of your fridge about an hour before dinner. If you forget, you can always brush melted butter on the slices or use mayo instead.
Variations
This simple Sourdough Sandwich is pretty perfect as-is. That doesn't mean you can't experiment though! Here are some easy ideas to inspire you:
- Cheese - Changing up the cheese is a fast way to vary the flavor profile. While younger, softer cheeses will melt better, everything from good old American to gourmet goat works. Clean out your fridge!
- Mayonnaise - While I like the flavor of butter better, mayo can also be used to fry the sandwich. You might even prefer it! To use mayonnaise, spread a thin layer on the outside of your bread, then prepare as directed in the recipe.
- Fillings - You can easily give easily give this recipe a gourmet twist by pairing the cheese with a vegetable or fruit filling. Try tomato slices, garlicky fried mushrooms, caramelized onions, sautéed greens, roasted garlic, fresh herbs, thinly sliced apples or pears, fresh or pickled jalapeños, sun dried tomatoes, roasted peppers or other roasted veggies, and more.
- Condiment + Sauces - Spreading your fave condiments and sauces on your sandwich is another way to add lots of flavor. Try dijon or wholegrain mustard, homemade pesto (or pesto mayo), hot sauce, chutneys and jams (like this fig spread), pickles, olives, even cranberry sauce.
Serving Suggestions
This Sourdough Grilled Cheese Sandwich is perfectly delicious served on its own when you need a quick meal, although it's even better served with my easy Creamy Tomato Soup! Just start the soup, then make this sandwich, and you'll have an irresistible dinner on the table before you know it.
It's also lovely served with this wonderful Veggie Soup, or with any creamy soup for dipping (pair it with this Celery Soup, Roasted Pumpkin Soup, or this Roasted Carrot Soup). If you're looking for something light and easy, go with a salad! This Simple Garden Salad or this Easy Kale Salad would both be delish.
Storage
Toasted sandwiches are always best freshly made, there's no doubt about it! If you do find yourself with leftovers, refrigerate them in an airtight container. To reheat, wrap in foil, then heat in your oven at 375 degrees until hot. You can also warm the sandwich up in your air fryer. Place it on a small piece of foil first to minimize the mess.
Related Recipes
Looking for more sourdough recipes? Make sure to try my Sourdough Stuffing and my Sourdough Croutons, too! If it's gourmet cheese sandwiches you're craving, then you'll love these tasty recipes:
- Spinach and Artichoke Grilled Cheese
- Cranberry and Brie Grilled Cheese
- Broccoli Rabe Grilled Cheese
- Artichoke and Sun Dried Tomato Grilled Cheese
- Mushroom Open Faced Sandwich
- Halloumi Sandwich with Pesto
P.S. Check out all of my Vegetarian Sandwich Recipes ... you'll find everything from a Meatless Muffaletta to the best Veggie Burgers (and so much more)!
Sourdough Grilled Cheese
Ingredients
- 2 slices sourdough bread (sliced ½-inch thick)
- 2 ounces (57 grams) medium cheddar cheese, shredded (or two slices)
- 2 ounces (57 grams) provolone cheese, shredded (or two slices)
- 2 tablespoons salted butter, softened
Equipment
- Large Frying Pan with Lid (Cast Iron or Nonstick)
Instructions
- Heat a large frying pan over medium-low heat.
- Butter outside of bread slices. Mix cheddar and provolone cheeses together.
- Place one slice of bread (butter-side down) in hot frying pan. Top with cheese.
- Cover pan. When cheese has melted, remove lid and top sandwich with other bread slice (butter-side up).
- Increase heat to medium, then cook sandwich (uncovered) until golden-brown on bottom. Flip, then cook until browned on other side.
- Serve immediately. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
