The BEST Crispy Sourdough Grilled Cheese Sandwich

This Crispy Sourdough Grilled Cheese Sandwich is the BEST. Buttery and melty with a crispy exterior and a four-cheese gourmet, ooey-gooey interior, it’s so much better than anything you’ll find at Starbucks, Dunkin, or Panera. 

Nothing says comfort like a delicious grilled cheese sandwich, and this crispy sourdough grilled cheese recipe is the BEST when you want an easy toasted cheese sandwich that will satisfy those cravings. 

There is absolutely NOTHING better than delicious sourdough bread coated in butter, topped with a delicious combination of flavorful cheeses, and toasted to a crispy perfection. 

While I’m sure you’ve made at least 1 grilled cheese in your lifetime, there are a few tips and tricks that I’ll share below that will make sure your sourdough grilled cheese turns out PERFECT every time!

In This Post

• Why This Recipe Works
• Ingredients
• How To Make The BEST Crispy Sourdough Grilled Cheese Sandwich
• Helpful Tips
• Is sourdough the best bread for grilled cheese?
• Best cheeses for a sourdough grilled cheese sandwich
• Variations & Upgrades
• More delicious sandwich recipes
• Recipe
• Comments

Why This Recipe Works

• Easy. This recipe is easy and FAST. It only takes about 10 minutes total, which is perfect when you’re craving an easy, comforting meal.
• Delicious. We all know and love grilled cheese sandwiches. I love the flavor combination of the cheeses here and how they pair so well with the tangy sourdough bread.
• Crispy. This sourdough grilled cheese is CRISPY! It has the perfect crunchy exterior, paired with a super melty interior. Yum!
• Four Cheeses! Cheddar, gruyere, Havarti, and parmesan create an out-of-this-world combination that melts like a dream. 
• Won’t cost you an arm and a leg. Grilled cheese sandwiches have been popping up at tons of popular chain restaurants like Starbucks, Panera, and Dunkin. But making your own is easy and way more economical. Plus, it’s so much more delicious!

Ingredients

You only need a few simple ingredients for this easy, toasted cheese sandwich on sourdough!

• Sourdough bread. The star of the show! Sourdough bread works great for a grilled cheese sandwich since it’s sturdy and can hold up to the weight of all those cheeses super well. It also has a distinct tangy flavor that pairs so well with the cheeses here. 
  Butter (or mayo). A nice salted butter helps the bread to grill to that beautiful golden brown color, makes your sourdough grilled cheese nice and crispy, and adds tons of flavor to the sandwich. Alternatively, you could use mayo, which also helps the bread to brown nicely. (Personally, I prefer the taste of butter on grilled cheese but if mayo’s what you’ve got - go for it! See also how to make a grilled cheese without butter.)
• Cheese! This sourdough grilled cheese sandwich uses a combination of four different cheeses to create a gourmet taste that’s so melty and delicious. You’ll need Gouda, Havarti, and cheddar cheese for this sandwich. 

How To Make The BEST Crispy Sourdough Grilled Cheese Sandwich

This recipe is oh-so easy to make, and so delicious! Here’s how to make this crispy grilled cheese on sourdough:

1. Heat a skillet over medium-low heat.
2. Spread a generous slab of butter across both sides of each piece of bread. Yes - butter both sides, not just the outer sides of the bread! Buttering the inside of the sourdough as, well as the outside adds even more flavor to your grilled cheese and will help to prevent the bread from becoming dry during the cooking process, which can ultimately cause the bread to stick to the pan.
3. Add your cheeses in layers, sprinkling the shredded Parmesan on the top.
4. Add the sandwich to the skillet and grill on low heat until both sides are a gorgeous golden brown color and the cheese has melted through. (About 2-4 minutes per side.)

Helpful Tips

• Use salted butter. This pairs so nicely with the sourdough and the cheese and really adds flavor to the sandwich. (Or, if you're looking for a butter substitute, check out my guide on how to make a grilled cheese without butter.)
• Butter both sides! This results in so much delicious flavor. If you want, you can even toast the inside of the bread before adding the cheese to create an even crunchier, crispier grilled cheese.
• You’ll want to keep the heat nice and low when cooking the grilled cheese sandwich. This will ensure the cheese has enough time to melt and will give your sandwich an even, deep brown crust. Watch the sandwich closely so it doesn’t burn!
• Use plenty of cheese. You want your grilled cheese to be oozing with cheese. Don’t skimp!
• Cover the skillet to help the cheese melt more easily. If your cheese isn’t melting as quickly as you’d like, simply cover the skillet with a lid or a piece of foil to help trap the heat and encourage a faster melt time.
• Let the grilled cheese rest for a couple of minutes! While I know you’ll want to dive right into this delicious sourdough grilled cheese right away, allowing it to rest just for a minute lets the cheese set lightly and prevents it from spilling out all over the sides. 

Is sourdough the best bread for grilled cheese?

I absolutely love sourdough for a grilled cheese sandwich. It’s a sturdy bread that holds up well to grilling and can handle the heft of all that cheese. Plus, the tangy flavor of the sourdough pairs so well with the melted cheese flavors. However, there are tons of great alternatives so if you don’t have sourdough on hand, just use another sturdy bread that’s convenient. Brioche, multigrain, rye, or even the classic white bread are all good substitutes. 

Best cheeses for a sourdough grilled cheese sandwich

This is up for debate and it really depends on your personal preference and the flavor combination you're going for. However, the most important thing to look for in the perfect cheese for this sandwich is that it melts well. 

I love the combination of cheddar, gruyere, Havarti, and parmesan here. It gives the grilled cheese a slightly elevated and gourmet feel. Some other great cheese options would be mozzarella, brie, gouda, pepper jack, Monterey jack cheese, or American cheese. 

Variations & Upgrades

Of course, the classic sourdough grilled cheese is always a perfect match for a nice big bowl of tomato soup, there are loads of ways you can customize your basic grilled cheese sandwich. Try one of the combinations below to elevate this sourdough grilled cheese!

• Apple, onion & gouda
• Pesto and white cheddar
• Garlic butter and cheddar
• Tomato, bacon and cheddar
• Cranberry and brie
• Roasted red pepper, spinach, and mozzarella
• Jalapeno and gouda 

The combinations really are endless. Use your imagination to come up with some new takes on this delicious classic. 

If you try this Crispy Sourdough Grilled Cheese, let me know what you think in the comments! And don’t forget to tag me @frontrangefed on Instagram so I can see your creation!  

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Recipe