The bread component of any sandwich is important but, where grilled cheese is concerned, you have to prioritize the namesake ingredient. Most recipes claim to have the best, most perfect combination of fats and dairy for the ultimate grilled cheese, but what if you’re more of a stretchy cheese girl? Or maybe a fully melted, liquid cheese puddle is more your vibe. The point of any comfort food is to make yourself happy. Instead of ranking cheeses according to my personal preferences, here’s a quick guide to the best cheese for a grilled cheese sandwich for the most important person in the room. (I’m talking about you.)
The best cheese for a grilled cheese
Cheese is composed of protein, fat, water, and acid. (Read more about cheese elements here.) Depending on the ratio of those four pillars, you’ll get different reactions when heat is applied. This might mean that you use all of one type of cheese, or you can try pairing cheeses to get different results.
The best cheese for stretchy sandwiches
If a quality cheese-pull is where the party’s at, then that stretchy protein percentage is important.
For major elasticity, try:
- Mozzarella
- Gouda
- Havarti
- Gruyère
Lean on younger cheeses, as those aged for over a year lack the moisture to melt and stretch quite as well as their younger counterparts.
The best cheese for gooey sandwiches
Not everyone wants a never-ending cheese pull. Sometimes less stretching and more of a soft, melting cheese is in order. The fat content will play a starring role in this case, allowing the protein clusters to move farther away from each other.
Lead Credit: Allie Chanthorn Reinmann
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