The Ultimate Sourdough Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Sourdough grilled cheese sandwich sliced and pulled apart to show melted cheese inside.

The Ultimate Sourdough Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Few things rival the universal love for a grilled cheese sandwich - it's a comfort classic, an undeniable crowd-pleaser and quite frankly, a bit of an addiction.

But what if we told you that you could elevate this seemingly simple classic to a whole new level with a few simple tips and tricks? That's precisely what we've achieved with our ultimate sourdough grilled cheese toastie recipe.

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5 from 31 votes

Course: Main Course, Snack

Servings: sandwich

Calories: 747

Author: Maretha Corbett

Prep Time: 5

Cook Time: 5

Total Time: 10

Equipment

1 cast iron skillet/frying pan

Ingredients

▢ 2 slices sourdough bread - sliced no thinner than 1cm/0.4"
▢ 1 tablespoon salted butter (or more if needed) - spreadable consistency
▢ 40 grams (1½ oz) emmental/Cheddar/Gouda - or to taste. Freshly grated.
▢ 40 grams (1½ oz) mozzarella cheese - or to taste. From a ball of mozzarella, thinly sliced
▢ 1 tablespoon parmesan shavings - or to taste. Grated parmesan works too.

Instructions

Slice the bread into medium-thick slices.
Grate the Emmental (or your chosen cheese). Drain, dry and finely slice the mozzarella.
2 slices sourdough bread, 40 grams (1½ oz) emmental/Cheddar/Gouda, 40 grams (1½ oz) mozzarella cheese
Spread a generous amount of butter on two slices of bread, making sure to cover the entire surface from edge to edge. Then, flip the slices over, placing the buttered side down.
1 tablespoon salted butter (or more if needed)
Generously sprinkle both slices, on the dry sides, with freshly grated Emmental cheese (or your chosen cheese).
Evenly distribute slices of thinly sliced mozzarella on top of the grated cheese.
Finish it off by topping the mozzarella slices with parmesan shavings or a sprinkle of grated parmesan.
1 tablespoon parmesan shavings
Melt a small knob of butter (about a teaspoon) in a pan over low heat.
Once the butter has melted, position the two slices of bread, cheese side up, side by side in the pan.
Place a lid on the pan and continue to heat the bread over low heat for roughly 1.5-2 minutes.
See note 1
As soon as some of the grated cheese starts looking a bit limp from warming, go ahead and remove the lid.
Flip one slice onto the other so that the cheese faces each other. Give it a gentle press with a spatula to 'glue' the cheese together.
Continue frying the bread over very low heat, turning frequently until both sides are toasted to a golden brown colour, the cheese has fully melted and is just starting to ooze out from the edges.
Scrape off any grilled cheese that landed in the pan and serve together with the grilled cheese sandwich (flavour!).

Notes

Note 1: The bread is perfectly toasted, but the cheese hasn't melted yet?

Truthfully, this has been our biggest challenge throughout all our years of making cheese toasties.

Firstly the basics, as mentioned above, keep your pan over the lowest heat possible and exercise patience. Turn the sandwich frequently.

However, sometimes, depending on the bread, the weather, the state of the world economy or the latest political drama, your cheese might decide to take its sweet time melting, leaving the bread questioning its life choices.

What works for us (see photo instructions under the step-by-step guide):

- Arrange the cheese on both slices of bread, buttered sides down. So instead of adding a big, fat layer of cheese on one side, split the cheese across two slices. All will make sense in a moment.

- Place the two open, cheese-topped slices in the pan, cover with a lid and keep the heat on low. This traps the heat, giving the cheese a head start.

- Remove the lid as soon as you spot the grated cheese starting to go a bit limp. Not by much though.

- Flip one slice onto the other, cheese sides facing each other. Now, you're all set to start grilling your toastie the usual way, lid off with the cheese already heated up.

Nutritional data disclaimer

Please keep in mind that the nutritional information provided below is calculated by a third party and we cannot guarantee the accuracy. We try our best to give you the most accurate information, but we do not take responsibility for errors that may be present. Also, the nutritional value of the recipe may change depending on the exact brands and products used. We recommend that you consult with a qualified healthcare professional or registered dietitian for personalised advice on your dietary needs.

Nutrition