I Asked 7 Chefs the Best Way To Make a Grilled Cheese Sandwich—They All Said the Same Thing

The best grilled cheese sandwich, pros say, relies on the right cheese, bread, temperature, pan, and fat you cook it in.

grilled cheese sandwiches — Simply Recipes / Getty Images

Whether it be 11 a.m. on a rainy day, midnight after drinks with friends, or really any time at all, there’s one food item that I’ll never tire of. Grilled cheese sandwiches. I’ve made this undeniably delicious staple in endless ways. All summer, for instance, I whipped up grilled cheese with a secret ingredient: yellow nectarines.

While I’ve experimented with so many different grilled cheese-making methods and add-ons, I honestly don’t feel I’ve discovered the foolproof way to create a consistently flawless sandwich.

So, I set out on a quest to get the inside scoop on the best tips for making grilled cheese sandwiches by interviewing chefs and culinary creators to learn how they prepare the melty classic themselves. To my surprise, all the food experts I spoke with shared the same steps.

The 7 Chefs and Food Experts I Asked

Chris Borges: Executive Chef of the Commons Club in New Orleans, Louisiana
Jeff Tunks: Executive Chef of Corvina Seafood Grill in Boca Raton, Florida
Erica Thomas: Founder of Eating With Erica, host of the Atlanta Supper Club, and author of the upcoming cookbook Confidently Cooking
Alejandra Graf: Cookbook author and creator of the award-winning blog Ale Cooks
Peter Som: Fashion Designer, Chef, and food journalist
Laura Muller: Content creator, chef, and recipe developer at Food & Deals by Laura
Cesar Zapata: Owner and Chef of Phuc Yea and Pho Sho in Miami, Florida

The Best Way To Make Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

First and foremost, it is important to spread butter or mayonnaise on the outside of both slices of bread before cooking. As the sugars and proteins in the fat heat up, they infuse the crust and react, creating that picturesque, golden crunch.

Both butter and mayo work in this way, yet most experts I spoke with agree that “the secret to the perfect grilled cheese lies in using rich, delicious butter.”

They prefer the creamy flavor butter’s high milk fats bring. If you’re using butter, the pros recommend it be at room temperature, so you can easily slather on a hefty amount.

However, butter has one drawback: It burns quickly, and no one wants a charred grilled cheese! Though mayo has a more neutral flavor, Tunks prefers it over butter for its higher smoking point.

After spreading your fat on, load up the bread with two or three slices of cheese, and pop the creation into a heavy skillet over medium-low heat, cooking it low and slow until one side is crispy and golden. While any heavy-duty pan works, both Zapata and Graf recommend using cast iron because it holds heat evenly, giving you that perfect toast on the bread without burning.

Then flip and repeat.

“This method highlights the contrast between a golden, buttery crust and the creamy, melted cheese inside,” notes Zapata, and it “ensures the bread doesn’t burn before the cheese melts.”

The Best Bread for Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

Ultimately, the kind of bread you use will come down to personal preference. However, all of the culinary experts agreed that the slices should be hefty and substantial.

“Make sure you choose a bread hearty enough to handle all the cheese and the toasting,” advises Som, who opts, like most, for sourdough. Tunks, for his part, suggests challah bread. “It’s great because it’s thick and has a tender, buttery, and eggy flavor profile.”

The Best Cheese for Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

Almost every chef I spoke with prefers cheddar in their grilled cheese sandwich. While nearly any cheese works—American, Jack, Gouda—choosing one with a slight tang that easily melts will add a dynamic taste and luscious texture.

Thomas often opts for Gruyère, sometimes combining it with another cheese. “A blend of cheeses like sharp cheddar and Gruyère provides a creamy melt and rich flavor,” she says.

Plate with jalapeno popper grilled cheese (cut in half diagonally and stacked to showcase a cross-section) served with kettle chips — Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe

The Best Add-Ins for Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

There are hundreds of ways to dress up a grilled cheese sandwich. Tunks likes to boost the indulgence by piling on crab meat. Graf and Chef Thomas add contrasting acidity with pickles and pickled jalapeños.

Whatever extra ingredients you choose, Borges says they won’t work if they’re “added cold to the middle of the sandwich.” Instead, heat them first separately or tuck them in before cooking, so your sandwich stays toasty warm.