- Cheese that melts easily is the key to a great grilled cheese sandwich.
- Consider blending a mild and melty cheese with a second cheese that's more pungent.
- Add accents like fruit jam, mustard, pickles, or herbs to take your sandwich to the next level.
- Visit Insider's Home & Kitchen Reference library for more stories.
Grilled cheese is a nostalgic childhood food for many Americans, but if you're looking to broaden your horizons beyond Kraft singles, the world of cheese can be daunting. Every cheese has a unique flavor and texture, and you'll want to experiment to find your personal favorite cheese and bread combination.
Vanessa Tilaka Kalb is the owner and cheesemonger at Agnes Restaurant & Cheesery, where she curates a selection of artisan cheeses, cut-to-order, to serve in sandwiches, salads, and on cheese boards. "Meltability is key," she says. "Almost all cheeses can be used for grilled cheese but not all cheeses are treated the same during the production process and that makes a difference in what happens when the cheese is heated up," Kalb says.
Alpine cheeses, which are often used for fondue, and any cheeses used in quesadillas are great choices. Kalb avoids high moisture cheeses like burrata, which can make for a soggy sandwich. Also avoid aged hard cheeses like Parmesan, since they don't melt well.
1. Alpine cheese
Gruyère, Comté, Appenzeller, and Emmentaler are all examples of Alpine cheese, typically made in the Swiss alps. "The curds are cooked so the structure of their protein has changed and this makes for a great stringy, melting character," Kalb says. "The flavors are typically slightly sweet, with notes of French onion soup, toasted brioche, and toasted nuts."
2. Fontina
Made in the Italian Alps, this cheese is slightly more pungent than Gruyère or Comté but just as delicious and great for grilled cheese. "Fontina has notes of roasted meats, mushrooms, and toasted nuts," Kalb says.
3. Provolone or mozzarella
"Both of these cheeses are mild and have low moisture content so they melt really nicely," Kalb says. "Both are typically used on pizza or in sandwiches but they would be great for kids or an inexpensive grilled cheese." If you're using mozzarella, avoid fresh mozzarella which has a higher moisture content and could make your sandwich soggy.
4. Cheddar
Kalb recommends using a younger cheddar, aged no more than one year. "This means there's still some moisture in the cheese, but it's aged long enough to have developed some flavor," she says. Some cheddars are grassy while others are nutty and sweet. "If you enjoy eating it on its own, chances are you'll enjoy it in a grilled cheese sandwich," says Kalb.
5. Raclette
Raclette is a Swiss or French mountain cheese, traditionally served melted and hot over potatoes and cured meats. "Notes of grilled meats, charred onion, and fresh cream make this a nice grilled cheese cheese," Kalb says.
6. Blue cheese
It doesn't matter if the blue cheese is creamy or crumbly, Kalb recommends adding blue cheese in combination with another cheese on this list when making a grilled cheese sandwich. "Blue cheese adds a little acidity and a bite that may be welcoming to a rich cheese mix," she says. "Blue cheese on its own is not a very melty cheese and it's typically very strong. The addition of another cheese mellows it out and adds meltability."
7. Butterkäse
German for "butter cheese," this creamy semi-soft cow's milk cheese is super melty and stretchy, so it combines easily with other cheeses. It has a mild flavor and high fat content, so it's a great foundation for additions like herbs or jams. This is a great gourmet alternative to American cheese.
Choose a cheese combo
Creating your own cheese blend makes for a more decadent and unique grilled cheese sandwich. When combining cheeses, make sure at least one melts very well (like mozzarella, raclette, or butterkäse) and then you can add an accent like blue cheese, feta, or pimento for a sharp burst of flavor.
Kalb recommends combining provolone, Gruyère, and cheddar for an extra gooey grilled cheese with nuanced flavors, or blending fontina with blue cheese and adding sliced apples or aged balsamic vinegar.
You can add fruit jams, mustard, herbs, and/or pickles to your grilled cheese sandwich depending on whether you prefer a sweet or savory profile. Fresh shaved truffles or truffle oil are an especially indulgent twist.
Insider's takeaway
Making grilled cheese at home is easy and you can play around with an infinite combination of different cheeses and breads to find your favorite. A mild, melty, gooey cheese like raclette, mozzarella, or butterkäse makes for a nice stretchy base to your sandwich.
This is a good foundation to layer additional flavors, like sharper more pungent cheeses, or sweet and savory accents like fruit jam, mustard, pickles, and herbs if you're craving a more sophisticated sandwich. Stick with sourdough or loaf bread that's not too thickly sliced.