Vegetarian Recipe: The Best Grilled Cheese Sandwich

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Every week on the Good Food Blog we celebrate Meatless Monday by sharing a vegetarian recipe from our archives.

Laura Werlin  is the author of  Great Grilled Cheese: 50 Innovative Recipes for Stove Top, Grill, and Sandwich Maker  and is an authority on American cheese.    She first shared this recipe for The Best Grilled Cheese Sandwich on April 18, 2009.

Keep reading for the full recipe…

The Best Grilled Cheese Sandwich

8 1/4-inch slices sourdough
2 Tablespoons butter, softened
6 oz cheddar cheese, coarsely grated

To assemble: Butter one side of each of the bread slices. Place 4 slices of bread, buttered side down, on your work surface. Distribute the cheese over the bread slices. Place remaining bread, buttered side up, on top of the cheese.

For stovetop method: Heat a large nonstick pan over a medium-high heat for 2 minutes. Put the sandwiches into the pan, cover, and cook for 2 minutes. Remove the cover and turn the sandwiches, pressing each one firmly with a spatula to flatten slightly. Cook for 1 minute or until underside is golden brown. Turn the sandwiches once more, press with the spatula again, cook for 30 seconds, and remove from the pan. Cut in half and serve immediately.

For sandwich maker method: Preheat the sandwich maker. Assemble as directed above. Cook according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

For outdoor grill method: Brush the grill rack with oil and preheat to medium-high. Follow directions for stovetop method.