Fancy Grilled Cheese Recipe With Bacon

This fancy grilled cheese recipe with bacon is my favorite gourmet hot sandwich. We use a hot skillet to melt 3 different types of cheese to make the best grilled cheese sandwich.

This fancy version has the perfect crispy bread, gooey cheese, and savory bacon with endless possibilities for add-ins. Pair it with tomato soup, or dip it in this tomato bisque recipe with fresh tomatoes for a perfect grilled cheese experience.

The exact origin of grilled cheese is unclear, however the sandwich became very popular in the 1920s during the Great Depression. The French had been making croque monsieurs (hot ham and cheese sandwich, with Béchamel sauce, ham, cheese and a smear of Dijon mustard) in the 1900s.

Grilled cheese is a classic comfort food for Americans. The original sandwich used American cheese with white bread, but now we have many options for bread for all types of diets and lifestyles. We use an artisinal thick multigrain bread from Costco.

Our fancy grilled cheese uses crispy bacon, a combination of cheeses that melt perfectly together, and a thin layer of melted butter to get a golden exterior browning. We make it the recipe a little healthy by mixing the butter with olive oil, and not deep frying the dish.

Want that crunchy buttery crispy crust with a perfect melty cheesy goodness? Read on.

I will show you the best way to get the top of the sandwich nice and browned without burning it. You just need a grill pan or a large skillet.

What we use

• sharp cheddar cheese
• gruyere
• gouda

Gruyère is rich, creamy, salty, and nutty. Its flavor varies depending on age: Young Gruyère has pronounced creaminess and nuttiness, while older Gruyère has developed an earthiness that is a bit more complex. Gruyere is most famous for being used in fondue.

Gouda is usually served as a part of a cheese platter while gruyere is often used in cooking. Gouda is slightly sweet and semi hard. Gruyere is also semihard but it has a brownish yellow color, a nutty aftertaste, and is a little more salty.

Pairing smoked Gouda with cheddar is popular in dishes, such as macaroni and cheese, where the smokiness of the gouda can interact and complement the creamy, sharp texture of cheddar.

Gouda cheese is usually nutty yet sweet, and an overall mild cheese.

Equipment we need

cast iron skillet

toaster oven, optional

Alternative for cheeses

Cheeses with an acidity in the range of pH 5.3 to 5.5 are best for being heated up in a sandwich. Examples are gouda, gruyére or manchego.

manchego cheese

monterey jack

swiss cheese

creamy melted brie

a slice of havarti

goat cheese

mozzarella cheese

parmesan, grated

alt use olive oil

Bread options

Any thick bread would work.

Sourdough

white is great and classic.

Use the extra cheese to make

philly cheesesteak

jalapeno popper

sloppy joe

Tips

To get it crispy on the frying pan, pat the bacon dry a couple min in because it stays soft when soaked in bacon grease.

Use low heat for toasting the bread. Monitor for when it gets a golden exterior, the thick bread is the best.

A tablespoon of butter goes a long way. To get toasty bread without an oven, on a large skillet, put the butter on the pan, the bread on top, then slide the bread around to absorb the butter, then start to brown.

Shredded cheese makes it melt faster.

A toaster oven to let one side melt while working on the other.

Start with a low heat skillet.

Modifications

Here are some ideas of toppings you can put on your grilled cheese. Make sure to put it on the pan while it’s still on an open face in order to let the ingredients gain some heat.

• blue cheese and red onions for a tangy flavor
• hot sauce or red peppers for spice
• add roast beef for protein and texture
• caramelized onions for sweetness
• fig jam for a sweet-savory combination
• a bit of dijon mustard to turn up the flavor profile
• onion powder because some of us love that onion smell
• use a hot dog bun to get creative with the bread shape
• lemon juice to add a sour tang

Ingredients

4-6 slices bacon

2 slices gruyere, sliced or broken into small pieces

Gouda, sliced or broken into small pieces

Cheddar, sliced or broken into small pieces

4 sourdough bread slices or thick toast.

2-4 tablespoons Butter

2-4 tablespoons olive oil

How to make it

For the Bacon

400′, preheat oven, cook for 15-20 minutes until desired level of crispiness. rotate pan halfway through to ensure even cookness.

Or, fry bacon over medium-high heat for 5-10 min then reduce to medium until bacon crispy. If the bacon is organic, save the fat for cooking.

For the Sandwich

Butter one slide of each bread slice

On another pan, set medium-low heat. Add 2 slices of bread, butter aside down. Rub the bread against the pan to evenly coat the butter on the bread.

Add half of the cheeses on top. Put bacon on top then close the sandwich, cheese side facing each other. Flip and move around the pan to ensure even golden brown ness of a well-toasted bread.

Do the same for the other sandwich.

Storage

Best served immediately

If you want to save it, freeze then put in toaster oven when you want to eat. Be careful because the exterior could start to burn if it’s left in the heat for too long.

FAQs

What makes it fancy?

The addition of new ingredients, such as extra chees eand thicker bread.