Grilled Cheese Sandwich

The very best method for making a classic grilled cheese sandwich.

By
J. Kenji López-Alt
Kenji Lopez Alt
J. Kenji López-Alt
Culinary Consultant
Kenji is the former culinary director for Serious Eats and a current culinary consultant for the site. He is also a New York Times food columnist and the author of The Food Lab: Better Home Cooking Through Science.
Learn about Serious Eats' Editorial Process
Updated Sep. 12, 2022
Two halfs of a grilled cheese stacked on top of each other with cheese dripping down the front

Serious Eats / Amanda Suarez

While it may be one of the first meals that most of us ever attempt to cook, there is a science to the perfect grilled cheese sandwich. Toast the bread on both sides, to add buttery flavor and promote even melting; cook the sandwich low and slow, for an even, deep brown crust; use plenty of American cheese; and don't forget to salt. The result is the crunchy, buttery, melty sandwich of your childhood dreams.

1:23

How to Make a Better Grilled Cheese

Recipe Details

Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Cook 15 mins
Active 15 mins
Total 15 mins
Serves 1 serving

The very best method for making a classic grilled cheese sandwich.

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons (30g) butter, cut into 3 even pieces

  • 2 slices hearty white bread, such as Pepperidge Farm or Arnold

  • 2 to 4 slices American, cheddar, or Jack cheese

  • Kosher salt

Directions

  1. In a 10-inch nonstick skillet, melt 1 piece of butter over medium heat until foaming subsides. Add both bread slices and cook, swirling occasionally, until pale golden brown on bottom sides, about 2 minutes.

    Overhead view of two pieces of bread in a pan with butter

    Serious Eats / Amanda Suarez

  2. Transfer bread to a work surface, toasted side up. Place cheese slices on top of one slice, then close sandwich, with both toasted sides facing inward.

    Two pieces of bread, tossed side up on a cutting board, with two pieces of yellow American cheese on one side

    Serious Eats / Amanda Suarez

  3. Add 1 piece of butter to skillet, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook until melted. Add sandwich and cook, swirling occasionally and pressing with your hand or a cooking weight, until deep, even golden brown, about 5 minutes. Using a flexible spatula, transfer sandwich to work surface. Add remaining butter to skillet, cook until melted, then return sandwich to skillet, toasted side up. Season with salt. Cook, swirling occasionally, until second side is deep, even golden brown and cheese is thoroughly melted, about 5 minutes; if cheese isn't fully melted, cover skillet and continue to cook until cheese is melted. Serve immediately.

    Four Image Collage. Top Left: butter melting in a pan. Top Right: A metal spatula pushing down on the grilled cheese added to the pan. Bottom left: Overhead view of golden brown grilled cheese in pan. Bottom Right: grilled cheese on a cutting board being cut in half diagonally

    Serious Eats / Amanda Suarez

Special Equipment

10-inch nonstick skillet

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
544 Calories
45g Fat
20g Carbs
17g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 1
Amount per serving
Calories 544
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 45g 57%
Saturated Fat 27g 134%
Cholesterol 130mg 43%
Sodium 1490mg 65%
Total Carbohydrate 20g 7%
Dietary Fiber 1g 2%
Total Sugars 7g
Protein 17g
Vitamin C 0mg 0%
Calcium 1186mg 91%
Iron 2mg 9%
Potassium 276mg 6%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)