5 Easy Variations On The Humble Grilled Cheese Sandwich

A humble grilled cheese sandwich can be the perfect companion during thunderstorms. The allure of a grilled cheese sandwich is that it’s simple and it doesn’t involve a ton of ingredients to pull off. The cooking time required to create this comfort food is the time it’ll take to melt the cheese sandwiched between the two bread slices. Then, cut it diagonally, have a bite, and contemplate why you’d burn the roof of your mouth like that! No need for a dedicated sandwich press, your trusty frying pan and spatula would do the trick. So, here’s 4 ways to make a hearty grilled cheese sandwich.

1. The Classic Grilled Cheese Sandwich 

Even though a grilled cheese sandwich comes together with the help of a few ingredients, often in life, the simple things are hard to pull off. A grilled cheese sandwich should be crunchy on the outside and ooey-gooey from the inside. A cheese pull isn’t necessarily the marker of a good grilled cheese sandwich but if it’s there, it’s all the more satisfying. Here’s the rustic approach to creating a classic grilled cheese sandwich.

Ingredients:

• 2 large bread slices
• Salted butter, as required
• ½ cup or 8 tablespoons of cheese, preferably shredded low- moisture mozzarella and cheddar. Packaged cheese slices would also work, in which case, 4 slices worth
• 1 teaspoon chilli flakes (optional)

Method:

1. Butter one side of two sliced breads and put the buttered side down to toast them on your frying pan on low medium heat.
2. Add your cheese slices or shredded mozzarella and cheddar on the unbuttered side of the bread while the underside is toasting.
3. Sprinkle chilli flakes over the cheese to add a little kick to your sandwich. This step is completely optional.
4. Don’t let the underside toast for too long, once it is lightly browned, put the two bread slices together.
5. Once the bread slices are sandwiched together, flip them from time to time to brown the outer layer of the sandwich and melt the cheese inside evenly.
6. Add a little butter to the pan, if it’s necessary, but the marker to know when it’s done is when the cheese has melted completely and the bread on the outside looks browned and crispy.

2. Cheese Corn Sandwich 

Sweet corn pairs best inside a grilled cheese sandwich, so if you have a bag of frozen sweet corn kernels languishing in your freezer, use it to create this variation on a classic grilled cheese.

Ingredients:

• 2 large bread slices
• Salted butter, as required
• ¼ cup or 4 tablespoons, sweet corn kernels
• ½ cup or 8 tablespoons of cheese, preferably shredded low- moisture mozzarella and cheddar. Packaged cheese slices would also work, in which case, 4 slices worth
• 1 teaspoon oregano (optional)

Method:

1. If you’re using frozen sweet corn kernels, let them thaw and come up to normal room temperature. This’ll aid the cooking process.
2. Butter one side of two sliced breads and put the buttered side down to toast them on your frying pan on low medium heat.
3. Add your cheese slices or shredded mozzarella and cheddar on the unbuttered side of the bread, with the sweet corn kernels. Sprinkle oregano at this point over the corn and cheese, which is completely optional.
4. Keep an eye on the underside of the bread and don’t let it toast for too long, once it is lightly browned, put the two bread slices together.
5. Once the bread slices are sandwiched together, flip them from time to time to brown the outer layer of the sandwich, cook the sweet corn kernels and melt the cheese evenly.
6. Once the cheese inside has melted completely and the bread is toasted brown on both sides of the sandwich, remove it from the pan.

3. Tomato Grilled Cheese Sandwich

If you’re looking to add a little bit of freshness to your classic grilled cheese, we have a recipe that might suit your taste buds. This recipe might involve a few more ingredients but it comes off absolutely amazing in the end, which is all that we want from our grilled cheese sandwiches.

Ingredients:

• 2 large bread slices
• Salted butter, as required
• ½ cup or 8 tablespoons of cheese, preferably shredded low- moisture mozzarella and cheddar. Packaged cheese slices would also work, in which case, 4 slices worth
• 1 tomato, chopped. Discard the wet pulp
• 1 pickled cucumber, chopped
• 1 tablespoon, mint chutney or pesto

Method:

1. Butter one side of two sliced breads and put the buttered side down to toast them on your frying pan on low medium heat.
2. Put a layer of pesto or mint chutney on the unbuttered side of both bread slices, followed by the chopped tomato and cucumber.
3. Proceed to add your choice of cheeses on top of the chopped accoutrements.
4. Once the cheese is lightly melted and the underside of the bread is golden or lightly browned, sandwich the two slices together.
5. Flip it from time to time until the cheese is melted and the outer crust of the sandwich is browned to crispy perfection!

4. Ham and Cheese Sandwich

If you’re looking to add meat to your grilled cheese sandwiches, then sliced ham might do the trick. You could also add bacon, if you’re in the mood for something greasy, but for the purposes of this recipe we’ll stick with ham and cheese toastie because you don’t have to additionally cook the ham and it comes together quite easily in a pan.

Ingredients:

• 2 large bread slices
• Salted butter, as required
• ½ cup or 8 tablespoons of cheese, preferably shredded low- moisture mozzarella and cheddar. Packaged cheese slices would also work, in which case, 4 slices worth
• 6 slices of ham
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 3 tablespoons mustard

Method:

1. In a small bowl, mix honey and mustard together to form a paste.
2. Butter one side of two sliced breads and put the buttered side down to toast them on your frying pan on low medium heat.
3. On the unbuttered side of the two bread slices, slather the honey mustard paste.
4. Put 3 slices of ham each on the two bread pieces.
5. Proceed to add your choice of cheeses on top of the ham and once it is lightly melted and the underside of the bread is golden or lightly browned, sandwich the two pieces of bread together.
6. Flip it from time to time until the cheese has melted evenly and the outer layer of the sandwich is crispy and browned all around.

5. BLT Grilled Cheese

If you're looking for a full blown meal in a sandwich, then this recipe might be just for you. You can swap out the bacon for an alternative like, turkey bacon strips but ultimately, you'd be delighted beyond words to have made this. So, go on, treat yourself to this loaded BLT sandwich.

Ingredients:

• 2 large bread slices
• 1 tbsp. butter
• 3 slices of bacon
• 3 slices cheddar cheese
• 2 big cut tomato slices
• A handful of green leaf lettuce

Method:

1. Fry bacon over medium-high heat until crisp. Drain excess grease afterwards, then wipe the pan clean with a paper towel. 
2. Reduce the flame to medium heat. Butter one side of two sliced breads and put the buttered side down to toast them.
3. On one of the bread slices, place 2 slices of cheddar cheese, then lettuce, tomato, and the cooked bacon. 
4. Top with remaining slice of cheese and close the sandwich with the other bread.
5. Cover and cook until golden brown. Flip and cook other side until cheese is melty and bread is golden brown. Slice it diagonally and revel in the glorious cross section.