The 15 Best Grilled Cheese Sandwiches We’ve Ever Made

Overhead view of Mozz in carrozza — Serious Eats / Qi Ai

A grilled cheese sandwich is a classic comfort food for a reason: It's ooey and gooey, and delicious on its own or with a bowl of tomato soup. Plus, you don't need much to make a great grilled cheese sandwich—just some bread, butter, and cheese. There are many fun ways to riff on the classic, depending on your mood. You can give it a sweet twist by sandwiching brie and Nutella, add a kick with some kimchi, or deep-fry it for a wonderfully crunchy treat. Below, you'll find 15 spectacular grilled cheese sandwiches worth adding to your rotation. They're all ooey, gooey, and comforting—everything you want in a grilled cheese.

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Egg-in-a-Hole Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Serious Eats / Amanda Suarez

This is, according to former Serious Eats editor Kenji, "possibly the best (and messiest) breakfast sandwich in existence." It's got melty cheese and runny yolks, and you'll want a knife and fork for enjoying it.

Egg-in-a-Hole Grilled Cheese Sandwich
Grilled Cheese With Kimchi

Serious Earts / Vicky Wasik

We'd happily eat kimchi on its own, but the spicy, fermented cabbage is just as delicious when layered with cheese between two slices of heart white bread. Cook it over low heat until it's golden brown and nicely melty, and you've got yourself a spectacular sandwich.

Grilled Cheese With Kimchi
The Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Serious Eats / Amanda Suarez

This recipe is our preferred method for making the very best grilled cheese sandwich. The secret? Toasting the bread on both sides—and choosing a cheese with good meltability.

Grilled Cheese Sandwich
Mozzarella in Carrozza (Italian Fried Mozzarella Sandwiches)

Serious Eats / Qi Ai

So maybe it's not a typical grilled cheese, but this Italian fried mozzarella sandwich is basically a grilled cheese taken up a notch. Frying the sandwich at a relatively low temperature ensures that the cheese melts before the bread gets too brown, and seasoning the egg mixture with Pecorino adds a welcome layer of tang.

Mozzarella in Carrozza (Italian Fried Mozzarella Sandwiches)

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Ham and Cheese Sandwich

Serious Eats/Amanda Suarez

This version of ham and cheese features a generous mound of satiny, savory ribbons of ham sandwiched between a thin layer of tangy Swiss cheese, with tart mustard and pickles added to counter the sweet and salty deli ham. It’s all piled high and cooked in a skillet, where it’s pressed for a portion of the time, until the bread is golden and crisp, and the cheese melts, blanketing the warm ham.

Ham and Cheese Sandwich
Cheese Frenchee (Deep-Fried Grilled Cheese Sandwiches)

Serious Eats / Qi Ai

Ooey-gooey and oh-so-crunchy, this fried cheese sandwich is a Nebraska icon. The sandwich, which is coated in coarse cornflake crumbs for sweetness and crunch, is the deep-fried alter ego to the classic grilled cheeses.

Cheese Frenchee (Deep-Fried Grilled Cheese Sandwiches)
Jalapeño Popper Grilled Cheese

Serious Eats / Vicky Wasik

This recipe recreates the flavors of the classic party app by adding roasted jalapeño, crispy slices of bacon, and a healthy slathering of cream cheese to our standard, double-toasted grilled cheese sandwich. The outside gets toasted in a mixture of butter and rendered bacon fat.

Jalapeño Popper Grilled Cheese
Brie and Nutella Grilled Cheese

Serious Eats / Vicky Wasik

Chocolatey Nutella and rich, gooey brie ooze through the open crumb of butter-toasted French bread to create this sweet-savory extravaganza. Definitely a keeper for those who prefer a lunch with dessert vibes!

Brie and Nutella Grilled Cheese

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Buffalo Chicken Grilled Cheese

Serious Eats / Vicky Wasik

Blue cheese, shredded chicken, and Frank's RedHot are straddled by two melted layers of Monterey Jack—all the spicy, meaty, funky, cheesy flavors of a bar food classic, translated into the ultimate comfort food.

Buffalo Chicken Grilled Cheese
Cemita Grilled Cheese

Serious Eats / Vicky Wasik

This grilled cheese is inspired by cemitas, the Pueblan sandwich specialty. Stringy Oaxacan cheese surrounds a spicy, creamy mash of avocado and chipotles in adobo, while a layer of whole papalo leaves add an herbal pop.

Cemita Grilled Cheese
Mozzarella, Pesto, and Mortadella Grilled Cheese

Serious Eats / Vicky Wasik

Start by spreading minced anchovy fillets over half of the toasts, then layer on mozzarella, pesto, thinly sliced marinated artichoke hearts, and mortadella before closing the sandwiches and grilling them until golden.

Mozzarella, Pesto, and Mortadella Grilled Cheese
Grilled Cheese With Guacamole

Serious Eats / J. Kenji López-Alt

The warm, gooey, crisp, buttery comfort of a grilled cheese paired with the creamy tang of guacamole could just be the best thing ever.

Grilled Cheese With Guacamole

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Grilled Cheese Sandwiches with Sautéed Mushrooms

Serious Eats / María del Mar Sacasa

Adding a few bells and whistles to a classic never hurt. This grilled cheese is slathered in butter, while the inside is generously layered with soft, mildly pungent taleggio cheese. Tucked in the middle are mixed mushrooms sautéed with herbs and sweet shallots.

Grilled Cheese Sandwiches With Sautéed Mushrooms
Grilled Pimento Cheese, Ham, and Homemade Pickles Sandwich

Serious Eats

Savory piquillo-studded sharp cheddar spread, slices of ham, and scratch-made dill pickle chips create a memorable grilled cheese. Here, briefly warming grated onion, ground mustard, and Cayenne in a portion of the mayonnaise tempers the onion's harshness and blooms the spices for a savory, full-flavored pimento cheese.

Grilled Pimento Cheese, Ham, and Homemade Pickles
Spinach and Artichoke Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

Serious Eats / Vicky Wasik

This cheesy melt is everything you love about spinach and artichoke dip, in crispy, crunchy, cheesy sandwich form. It's a hearty lunch or, paired with a bowl of tomato soup, a full dinner on its own.

Spinach and Artichoke Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

December 2023

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The 15 Best Grilled Cheese Sandwiches We’ve Ever Made

December 2023

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