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    Home » Sandwiches

    Published: Apr 20, 2022 · Modified: May 3, 2022 by Donna Poirier · This post may contain affiliate links ·

    Easy Grilled Cheese with a Twist

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    A grilled cheese sandwich cut into triangles, stacked on top of each other. A bowl and pot of tomato soup is featured in the background.

    Crisp and buttery on the outside and warm and gooey on the inside are what a perfectly executed grilled cheese sandwich is all about.

    Grilled cheese sandwich in the foreground with a bowl of creamy tomato soup and pot of tomato soup in the background. this recipe
    Grilled cheese and tomato soup, a match made in heaven!

    The secret twist to this easy grilled cheese sandwich is the addition of fresh basil. The combination of fresh basil and tomato are a match made in heaven. If you agree you might also like my recipe for the Best Creamy Homemade Tomato Soup or my Italian Lentil and Barley Soup with Vegetables recipe. The best part is that you don't have to be a kid to enjoy dunking your grilled cheese in a steaming bowl of soup 🙂

    Jump to:
    • Gather your Ingredients for the Grilled Cheese
    • Equipment
    • Recipe Instructions
    • Secrets for Success
    • Substitutions & Variations
    • Frequently asked Questions
    • Storage Instructions
    • Easy Grilled Cheese with a Twist
    • Comments

    Gather your Ingredients for the Grilled Cheese

    Overhead shot of the ingredients for the grilled cheese sandwich which includes bread, butter, cheese, fresh basil.  The ingredients are on a wooden cutting board and there is a knife and butter dish in the photo.
    • bread-I used a sprouted grain bread for this recipe
    • mild or strong cheddar
    • fresh basil
    • salted butter

    See the recipe below for specific quantities and details.

    Equipment

    • nonstick frying pan
    • spatula
    • measuring spoon
    • chef's knife
    • butter knife

    Recipe Instructions

    Prepare the bread. On your work surface lay both slices of bread. Spread half the butter on what will be the outside of your sandwich and do the same with the other slice of bread.

    Overhead shot of two slices of buttered bread on a wooden cutting board.
    Butter both slices of bread on what will be the outside of the sandwich.

    Add the rest of the ingredients. Next lay one slice of cheese onto the unbuttered side of the bread, add the fresh basil, lay the second piece of cheese on top of the basil and finally add the second slice of bread (buttered side facing out) on top of the cheese to form your sandwich.

    A photo showing how to assemble the sandwich.  Adding the cheese and basil on top of a slice of bread with the second slice of bread off to the side ready to go on top the cheese and other slice of bread to complete the sandwich.
    "Sandwich" the basil between both slices of cheese.

    Preheat the frying pan. Over medium-low heat, preheat the frying pan for two minutes. Once the pan is preheated, carefully add the sandwich and cook for 3-5 minutes on the first side until golden brown. Next flip the sandwich and cook the other side for approximately 2 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the pan.

    Frying the first side of a grilled cheese sandwich in the pan.
    Frying the second side of the grilled cheese sandwich in the pan until golden brown.
    Fry until golden brown.

    Serve. Once removed from the pan let the grilled cheese sit before diving in as it will be very hot! Enjoy 🙂

    A close up photo of the grilled cheese sandwich with a twist, showing the strings of melted cheese and specks of fresh basil.
    The perfect sandwich for dunking in a creamy bowl of tomato soup.

    Secrets for Success

    • Slow and easy wins the race! Make sure you don't overheat the frying pan as this will result in a charred sandwich instead of one that is golden brown.
    • Cut the basil into ribbons, see note in the recipe card.

    Substitutions & Variations

    • Many different types of cheese will work in this recipe. I happen to like sharp cheese because it is very flavourful but two another melting cheeses to consider are mozzarella and Monterey Jack.
    • If you have sourdough bread on hand then go for it! Sourdough has a great a great tang that will compliment the cheese.

    Frequently asked Questions

    Can I use mayonnaise instead of butter?

    I have tried substituting mayonnaise for butter when making a grilled cheese. If I am honest, it's just not my thing. I enjoy the buttery goodness that only butter can offer. If you think using butter is too rich then maybe you'd like mayonnaise instead.

    What could I use instead of butter?

    Olive oil could be substituted for butter. The bread will get crispy and golden on the outside and the overall flavour will be neutral.

    Is a grilled cheese sandwich healthy?

    I suppose this is a relative question depending on your eating habits and dietary requirements. Although a grilled cheese does have high amounts of saturated fat, it also has many other nutrients. If saturated fat is a concern to you, then substituting with olive oil will lower the amount of saturated fat and you will benefit from the monounsaturated fats from the olive oil. Also use unsalted butter if you want to reduce the sodium in this recipe.

    Storage Instructions

    • A grilled cheese does not store well and will become soft and soggy if refrigerated. Go ahead and eat this right away to best appreciate the crispy golden exterior of this sandwich 🙂
    Print
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    Close up of a grilled cheese cut in three with one piece stacked on top of the other two.

    Easy Grilled Cheese with a Twist


    ★★★★★

    5 from 1 reviews

    • Author: Donna Poirier
    • Total Time: 14
    • Yield: 1 1x
    • Diet: Vegetarian
    Print Recipe
    Pin Recipe

    Description

    Crisp and buttery on the outside and warm and gooey on the inside are what a perfectly executed grilled cheese sandwich is all about.


    Ingredients

    Scale

    2 slices of your favourite bread

    2 slices (50g), mild or strong cheddar cheese

    5 fresh basil leaves, cut into little ribbons (see note below)

    1 tablespoon, room temperature salted butter


    Instructions

    • Prepare the bread.  On your work surface lay both slices of bread.  Spread half the butter on what will be the outside of your sandwich and do the same with the other slice of bread. 
    • Add the rest of the ingredients.  Next lay one slice of cheese onto the unbuttered side of the bread, add the fresh basil, lay the second piece of cheese on top of the basil and finally add the second slice of bread (buttered side facing out) on top of the cheese to form your sandwich.
    • Preheat the frying pan.  Over medium-low heat, preheat the frying pan for two minutes.  Once the pan is preheated carefully add the sandwich and  cook for approximately 3-5 minutes on the first side until golden brown.  Next flip the sandwich and cook the other side for approximately 2 minutes or until golden brown.  Remove from the pan.
    • Serve.  Once removed from the pan let the grilled cheese sit before cutting into it as it will be very hot!  Enjoy.

    Notes

    To cut the basil into ribbons or to chiffonade the basil (which is a chopping technique), take the leaves and stack each leaf on top of the other leaf.  Next roll the basil tightly on the long end into a log shape.  Then slice through this log cutting as finely as you can.  The benefit of using this type of cutting technique is that you are preserving the taste of the basil without unnecessarily bruising it.

    • Prep Time: 5
    • Cook Time: 9
    • Category: Sandwiches
    • Method: Stovetop
    • Cuisine: Canadian

    Keywords: grilled cheese sandwich, tomato soup and grilled cheese, crispy grilled cheese

    Did you make this recipe?

    Tag @ladypeartree on Instagram and hashtag it #ladypeartree

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Vicky says

      April 23, 2022 at 8:57 am

      Hi! We tried this for dinner last night and it was delish! The basil added an amazing taste 🙂

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Donna Poirier says

        April 25, 2022 at 12:35 pm

        Thanks Vicky, this makes me so happy 🙂

        Reply

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