Bite-sized, cheesy, gooey baked grilled cheese sandwiches that are perfect for an appetizer or for sharing. By using four cheeses and a tomato dipping sauce, we add layers and layers of flavor into tiny appetizer-sized sandwiches.
Everyone loves grilled cheese and tomato dipping sauce. So let's stop saving this amazing combination for rainy days. This recipe turns baked grilled cheese into an appetizer or a meal for a crowd. We bake the 'grilled' cheese because that's the easiest and quickest way to make a lot of grilled cheese sandwiches at one time. A baking sheet will easily fit 8 or more sandwiches. 8 grilled cheese sandwiches baked in 10 minutes? Sign me up! I have a love-love relationship with cheese too, so I always use three or four cheeses. Using multiple cheeses takes our bite size grilled cheese appetizer to a whole next level!
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Ingredients
- Four cheeses like:
- Gruyere for meltiness
- Cheddar for comfort
- Smoked Gouda for smokiness
- Goat cheese for a little tang
- Good bread
- Salted butter
See recipe card for quantities.
Substitutions
- Cheese - they're endless options for different cheeses. Other cheeses that work well in grilled cheese are havarati, fontina, white cheddar, brie, mozzarella and blue cheese.
- Bread - I love using sourdough bread for baked grilled cheese appetizers, but you can use any bread that is not too thin. Ciabatti buns work great too. Or use focaccia for an interesting twist.
Variations
There are tons of additional ingredients you can add for yet another layer of flavor and texture to your grilled cheese such as: sliced pears or apples, sliced tomatoes, arugula, caramelized onions, bacon or sliced ham.
Equipment
If you're making grilled cheese as an appetizer or for a crowd, I highly recommend baking it. Baked grilled cheese is a fast and easy way to make a lot of sandwiches at once. However, if you're only making a few sandwiches, you can use the stovetop, a grill or a panini maker.
Storage
Store any leftover grilled cheese in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.
Next Level Tips
- Yes, the cheese is important for grilled cheese appetizers, but don't skimp on the bread! A good quality sourdough bread is perfect. Or use your favorite gluten free bread, but use a good bread!
- Don't be tempted to go overboard on the spices in the dipping sauce. The dipping sauce is a complimentary tomato flavor that won't overshadow our baked grilled cheese. If you must jazz up the dipping sauce, you can use my homemade bread dipping seasoning or an Italian seasoning that contains some crushed red pepper. If you have leftover homemade marinara sauce, you can use that as a dipping sauce for grilled cheese too.
FAQ
No, but I would highly recommend a minimum of two to three. If you don't want to start with four cheeses, start with your favorite cheese for flavor. Next add gruyere as it's a mild cheese that's know for it's melting qualities.
No, but grating the cheese helps the cheese melt evenly. Also, don't use pre-shredded cheese from the grocery store. Pre-shredded cheese often contains anti-caking agents and additives. It is also often much less flavorful than the same type of cheese that is sold in chunks. Pound for pound, it's also cheaper to grate your own cheese than buy it pre-shredded.
You can, but crushed tomatoes are often too watery for a dip. It works better to use diced tomatoes, drain them and then mash them.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with baked grilled cheese:
Grilled Cheese Appetizer
Ingredients
Grilled Cheese Sandwiches
- 1 cup cheddar cheese
- ½ cup Gryuere cheese
- ½ cup Gouda cheese
- ¼ cup goat cheese
- 4 tablespoons salted butter
- 8 slices of bread
Dipping Sauce
- 28 ounce can of diced tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 large clove garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon heavy whipping cream
Instructions
- Start the dipping sauce as you preheat the oven to 425℉.
Dipping Sauce
- Drain the canned diced tomatoes and set aside.
- Heat a small sauce pan over medium heat and add olive oil.
- Add the minced garlic to the sauce pan and cook for one minute.
- Add the canned tomatoes and salt to the sauce pan. Mash the tomatoes with a masher or a wooden spoon.
- Allow the sauce to cook down until the sandwiches go in the oven.
- Add the heaving whipping cream and turn temperature to medium low. Stir occasionally.
- When the sandwiches are done, remove the tomato dipping sauce from the heat and add to dipping bowl(s).
Baked grilled cheese
- Grate all cheeses (except the goat cheese), mix them together and set aside.
- Line the baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Butter one side of all slices of bread. Place one piece of bread with the buttered side down on the baking each for each sandwich.
- Add about ½ cup of grated cheese to each sandwich (more if larger bread slices). For the goat cheese, crumble approximately 1 tablespoon on top of the grated cheese for each sandwich.
- Top each sandwich with one slice of bread, buttered side up.
- Bake for 5 minutes. Carefully remove the baking sheet from the oven and flip each sandwich over. Bake for an additional 4-6 minutes until the tops are golden brown and the cheese is melted.
- Cut the sandwiches in triangles, squares or strips. Serve with the dipping sauce.
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