This Three-Cheese Grilled Cheese sandwich truly is a GEM of a recipe. It's quick to make, savory, and oh so delicious. Melty cheese sandwiched between salty and buttery toasted bread...I'm drooling just thinking about it!
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About this Grilled Cheese
Something about crunchy, toasted bread with gooey cheese is so nostalgic. And dipped into a nice big bowl of warm, tomato soup?! Say no more. I'm ALL in!
I've discovered, however, that this Three-Cheese Grilled Cheese is my absolute favorite way to enjoy the timeless sandwich. The cheese is the star of the show in this sandwich, so why not load it up with three different kinds.
I used Pepper Jack, aged Gouda, and Shredded Colby Jack for a perfect combination of flavors and the most perfect cheese pull. Yes, that is a very high quality factor, in my opinion, when it comes to grilled cheese.
DO NOT sleep on this one, friends! What a perfect recipe to enjoy for lunch, dinner, or whenever the craving hits! (And after you eat it, you will be craving it A LOT 😉). And if you're looking for something more unique, try out this Jalapeño Popper Grilled Cheese to send your taste buds for a ride.
Recipe Ingredients
- Bread: Using fresh, high quality bread is a real game changer here. I love picking up a simple Tuscano or French loaf from the bakery section of the grocery store. Sourdough is also an honorable mention.
- Butter: Use at room temperature so it's easier to spread. It creates the most perfect golden crust.
- Cheese: In this recipe, I use 1 slice each of pepper jack and aged gouda. Sometimes I do a sharp cheddar in place of pepper jack. We'll also use shredded Colby jack for the ultimate cheese pull. These are just my recommendations. Use what you like!
- Mayonnaise: An underrated grilled cheese ingredient. This will help the shredded cheese stick to the other cheeses and give an even richer flavor.
See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
Substitutions and Variations
On its own, grilled cheese is absolutely amazing. But stuffed with delicious extras? Your amazing sandwich will be taken to a whole new level! What are the best 'extras' on a grilled cheese sandwich? Here are some ideas:
- Why stop at one cheese? There's a reason I use 3 cheeses in this recipe! Cheese is so unique and can have so many different flavors—and even textures. How it's made, how old it is, and how you use it can affect the taste. It's so fun to play around with and learn what cheese combinations you like best. Some other suggestions for this sandwich: parmesan, mozzarella, gruyere, or provolone which are all great for melting, too!
- Add a little sauce: Red pepper jelly, garlic aioli, pesto, hot sauce, dijon mustard—you name it, it'll taste great.
- Stuff it: Grilled cheese sandwiches have room for more than just cheese. Add your favorite protein like chicken or roasted turkey breast. Toss in some pickles, caramelized onions, or herbs like tarragon, basil, or thyme.
How to Make This Recipe
- Heat a frying pan to medium heat. Then, generously spray pan with cooking spray.
- Butter each slice of your bread on the side that will be on the frying pan. Place both pieces next to each other in the pan.
- Put 1 slice of pepper jack cheese on one slice of bread and a slice of aged gouda on the other.
- Next, spread mayo on one slice of cheese. Whichever slice that is, sprinkle the shredded cheese on top of it. The mayo will act as a glue for the shredded cheese to keep it from getting all over the place.
- Sprinkle some Italian seasoning on top of the shredded cheese.
- By now, the cheese will have started to melt and will help keep the sandwich together. Use a spatula to flip the slice without the shredded cheese on top of the other (choosing this slice results in less mess!).
- When you flip the bread over, determine how crispy it is. The sandwich may beed to be flipped once or twice more (about 1-2 minutes per side) to achieve a beautiful golden brown. You may need to turn down the heat to a medium-low so the bread doesn’t burn.
- Slice your grilled cheese, heat up your favorite soup for dunking, and enjoy!
Recipe FAQs
For best results, I highly recommend eating this grilled cheese fresh off the pan. If you do happen to have leftovers, you can wrap in tinfoil and store in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in a frying pan or a toaster oven to keep the bread crispy.
Control the heat source! Keeping the stove at a steady medium heat will allow the cheese to melt without burning the bread. Not all stoves function the exact same way, so you may even need to lower the heat.
My favorite way to enjoy is with this Dairy Free Tomato Soup. But there's so many other options, too. Serve with a simple side salad, or coleslaw, pasta salad, fruit salad, a juicy pickle or roasted veggies.
FRESH bread. It doesn’t have to be wildly expensive, but if you can get bread made in the grocery store (or better from a local bakery), it's going to be freshest and yield the best results in your three-cheese grilled cheese. My favorite for this sandwich is one with a slightly soft center and crusty edges. I've had great success with sourdough and rye.
More Recipes You'll Love
Love this recipe? Please leave a 5-star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟rating in the recipe card below & if you really like the recipe consider leaving a comment further down. Thanks for visiting!
Recipe
Three-Cheese Grilled Cheese
Equipment
- Frying pan
- Cutting Board
- Knife
- spatula
Ingredients
- cooking spray
- 2 slices fresh bread
- 1 tbsp butter, room temperature
- 1 slice pepper jack cheese
- 1 slice aged gouda cheese
- 1 tbsp mayo
- ¼ cup Colby jack cheese, shredded
- ½ tsp Italian seasoning
Instructions
- Heat a frying pan to medium heat. Then, generously spray pan with cooking spray.
- Butter each slice of your bread on the side that will be on the frying pan. Place both pieces next to each other in the pan.
- Put one slice of pepper jack cheese on one slice of bread and a slice of aged gouda on the other.
- Next, spread mayo on one slice of cheese. Whichever slice that is, sprinkle the shredded cheese on top of it. The mayo will act as a glue for the shredded cheese to keep it from getting all over the place.
- Sprinkle some Italian seasoning on top of the shredded cheese.
- By now, the cheese will have started to melt and will help keep the sandwich together. Use a spatula to flip the slice without the shredded cheese on top of the other (choosing this slice results in less mess!).
- When you flip the bread over, determine how crispy it is. The sandwich may beed to be flipped once or twice more (about 1-2 minutes per side) to achieve a beautiful golden brown. You may need to turn down the heat to a medium-low so the bread doesn’t burn.
- Slice your grilled cheese, heat up your favorite soup for dunking, and enjoy!
Nutrition
Notes
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I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below. It’s my passion to create dishes that can be shared with others. Tell me something you loved or just say hi!
Sydney says
Grilled cheese holds a special place in my heart as it was the first thing I ever learned to cook as a kid. It's such a classic comfort food that I'm constantly trying to elevate and this recipe does exactly that. Grilled cheese but make it fancy!! This is the first time I tried mayo on my grilled cheese and O M G life changing. And of course, make some tomato soup to dip this cheesy goodness into
Chelsea Coretti says
I literally mapped my entire day around this grilled cheese and it was worth EVERY FREAKING BITE! I was skeptical of Mayo on a grilled cheese, but Courtney knows what she is talking about!! Run to make this with tomato soup ASAP. Absolutely do NOT skimp on fresh bread—the crunch it delivers is unlike any other. I wish I had a picture to add but ate it before I had even made my husband’s sandwich.
Courtney Paige says
You know what they say, 3 is better than 1. Okay, maybe they don't say that. But when we're talking about cheese, we sure are! YUM.