American · Quick Meals

Skillet Grilled Cheese

Mayonnaise on the outside instead of butter, two cheeses for flavour and melt, and eight minutes over patient medium-low heat. It is the small details that make this version different.

Not yet ratedThis recipe has no ratings yet 13 min total Serves 2 servings Easy
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Skillet Grilled Cheese — American quick meals recipe, served and ready to eat

Photograph credit: Broccoli cheddar soup and grilled cheese sandwich by Photos of Japan · CC0 · Wikimedia Commons

Ingredients and preparation for skillet grilled cheese
Ingredients and preparation for skillet grilled cheese

Photograph credit: Grilled cheese sandwiches by Jon Sullivan · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons

Method

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  1. Mix the two cheeses together with the pepper. Using two cheeses gives you both flavour and a proper stretch.

  2. Spread mayonnaise thinly and evenly over one side of each slice, right to the crusts.

  3. Spread the Dijon on the unmayonnaised side of two slices.

  4. Pile the cheese onto the mustard side and close the sandwiches, mayonnaise facing out.

  5. Melt the butter in a heavy pan over medium-low heat — the butter is for flavour in the pan, the mayonnaise for the crust.

  6. Cook the sandwiches for 4 minutes on the first side, pressing gently with a spatula, until deep golden.

  7. Flip and cook 3 to 4 minutes more. If the bread is browning before the cheese melts, lower the heat and cover the pan for a minute.

  8. Rest for 60 seconds, sprinkle with flaky salt, then cut on the diagonal — it genuinely tastes better that way.

Chef’s Tips

  • Grate the cheese rather than slicing it. Grated cheese melts in a third of the time.
  • Medium-low heat and patience. A rushed grilled cheese is brown outside and solid inside.
  • Add thin apple slices, caramelised onion or a smear of chutney, but never so much that the cheese cannot bind it.

Pairing Suggestions

  • Creamy tomato soup, obviously
  • A cold lager or a glass of milk
  • Follow with something green

Storage & Reheating

Eat immediately. Nothing about a grilled cheese survives storage.

Common questions

How long does Skillet Grilled Cheese take to make?

About 13 minutes in total — 5 minutes of preparation and 8 minutes of cooking. The recipe serves 2.

What are the key tips for making Skillet Grilled Cheese?

Grate the cheese rather than slicing it. Grated cheese melts in a third of the time. Medium-low heat and patience. A rushed grilled cheese is brown outside and solid inside. Add thin apple slices, caramelised onion or a smear of chutney, but never so much that the cheese cannot bind it.

What should I serve with Skillet Grilled Cheese?

Creamy tomato soup, obviously; A cold lager or a glass of milk; Follow with something green.

Is Skillet Grilled Cheese suitable for a special diet?

This recipe is vegetarian and no added sugar. Those labels are checked against the ingredient list, so a dish is only marked when nothing in it contradicts the claim.

How many calories are in Skillet Grilled Cheese?

About 586 kcal per serving, with 24 g protein, 38 g carbohydrate and 38 g fat. The figures are calculated from the ingredient list and are an estimate.

Nutritional Highlights

Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.

586Calories
24gProtein
38gCarbs
38gFat
2gFibre
4gSugar
980mgSodium

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Written and tested by Turab

One person, one kitchen — no test kitchen, no team. How every recipe on this site is checked before it goes up.