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The best grilled cheese is all balance: golden, audibly crisp bread around a molten, cheesy middle. Whether you are seeking out tips on the best way to make grilled cheese or looking to take the beloved sandwich to the next level, these recipes have broadly applicable advice as well as innovative riffs you’ll want to try again and again. Think Calabrian-chile corn packed into a cheddar blend, French-onion caramelized onions with Gruyère, or Époisses cheese with pepper jelly and pecans. Techniques range from Parmesan-crusted “inside-out” sandwiches to honey-drizzled Taleggio you’ll eat with a knife and fork. Turn the heat on low, and start cooking.
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Grilled Cheese with Corn and Calabrian Chile
Tara Donne / Food Styling by Chris Lanier / Prop Styling by Raina Kattelson
1990 F&W Best New Chef Nancy Silverton folds charred sweet corn into a mayo-bound blend of English cheddar and caciocavallo cheese, with finely chopped Calabrian chile for warmth. Thick sourdough slices are buttered and toasted in cast iron for a deeply golden crust.
French Onion Grilled Cheese Sandwiches
Brie Goldman / Food Styling by Annie Prost / Prop Styling by Addelyn Evans
Former F&W editor Grace Parisi combines the best parts of the beloved soup in a new format: slow-cooked caramelized onions and nutty Gruyère on whole-grain bread. Dijon and pickle slices cut through the richness.
Grilled Chile-Cheese Toasts
Food & Wine / Photo by Morgan Hunt Glaze / Food Styling by Sally McKay / Prop Styling by Abby Armstrong
Chef and cookbook author Suvir Saran’s take on a beloved South Asian snack layers a soft, spice-laced cheese mix onto grilled toast for a fast, high-impact bite. Serve hot as a snack or with a salad for a light lunch.
Knife-and-Fork Grilled Cheese with Honey
Con Poulos
Chef Chris Cosentino melts luscious Taleggio cheese between slices of sourdough, then finishes the sandwich with a gloss of honey, flaky salt, and cracked pepper — a sweet-salty flourish that rewards the use of utensils.
Tomato, Prosciutto and Gruyère Sandwiches
James Merrell
Swiss-born star chef Daniel Humm’s broiled, open-face take evokes fondue: Gruyère melted over toast scented with white wine and a hint of cherry-flavored kirsch, plus slices of prosciutto and tomato.
Grilled Cheese-and-Bacon Sandwiches with Cheese Curds
Fredrika Stjärne
Montréal chef Frédéric Morin layers smoky bacon and squeaky-fresh cheese curds, then adds his restaurant Joe Beef’s signature “chicken glace mayo” for extra umami depth. At home, he suggests swapping in beef bouillon.
Inside-Out Grilled Ham and Cheese Sandwiches
Con Poulos
Grace Parisi’s inside-out take on the classic sandwiches adds grated Parmesan to the outside of the bread before grilling, creating a shatter-crisp, cheesy exterior around a melty center. Be patient, and make sure the heat isn’t up too high, to ensure the most rewarding crust.
Multigrain Grilled Cheese Sandwiches
Kana Okada
Chef Seamus Mullen likes to stack Mahón, manchego, and Idiazábal cheese on his multigrain sandwich with a slice of slow-roasted tomato. He also offers a quicker method: manchego, smoked cheddar, and Gouda plus a tomato roasted quickly at high heat.
Époisses Grilled Cheese and Pepper Jelly Sandwiches
Christina Holmes
Chef Vivian Howard pairs pungent, beautifully meltable Époisses with hot pepper jelly and toasted pecans on sourdough for a sweet-spicy, ultra-rich bite. The method is straightforward — buttered outsides, skillet-grilled till gooey — and the results, spectacular.
Grilled Cheese and Chorizo Sandwiches
Pernille Pedersen
Sliced chorizo is quickly browned, then layered with Pepper Jack, Havarti, and pickled jalapeños for melt and heat. The buttered sourdough gets griddled in batches until crisp, golden, and ready to eat.
