Classic grilled cheese gets a gourmet twist with this fancy four cheese version with goat cheese. Every bite blends gooey layers of sharp cheddar, melty gruyere, smoky gouda and tangy goat cheese for rich, balanced flavor. It's an elevated take on a classic that turns a simple sandwich into something special.
When's the best time to make grilled cheese? On a chilly, rainy day with tomato soup, of course. But, honestly, every time I make grilled cheese for dinner, I always wonder why I don't make it more often. Same with breakfast for dinner. I know, I know. There aren't any vegetables. But that's where the soup comes in! Often I'll just add sautéed broccoli or broccolini to my tomato soup. And once you've mastered this fancy four cheese grilled cheese, you'll see there's absolutely no reason to save this classic for a rainy day.
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Ingredients
- Thick, high quality bread
- Salted butter
- Gruyere cheese, grated
- Goat cheese, crumbled
- Gouda cheese, grated
- Cheddar cheese, sliced
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Step 1: Butter a slice of bread and place it buttered side down. Top with ½ cup of grated gruyere cheese. This allows the grated cheese to melt first.
Step 2: Add two tablespoons of goat cheese on top of the grated gruyere cheese. This creates pockets for the next cheese.
Step 3: Add ¼ cup of gouda cheese on top of the goat cheese, filling in the gaps.
Step 4: Add sliced cheddar cheese on top. If needed, tear the slices and position them so that they cover the entire sandwich without overlapping the sides. Butter the second slice of bread and lay it on top, buttered side up.
Hint: We build the sandwich with the grated cheesed on the bottom so that the grated cheese melts first. That makes the sandwich a lot cleaner and easier to flip. No mess!
Substitutions
- Gluten free - to make grilled cheese gluten free, choose a gluten free bread. And because gluten free bread is often smaller in size, you may need to cut down on the quantity of each cheese used.
- Vegan - to make grilled cheese vegan, use vegan cheese, vegan butter and choose your bread carefully.
- Gruyere cheese - I use gruyere in grilled cheese for its mild and melty qualities. Other cheeses that fall into that category would be raclette, fontina, havarti or even mozzarella cheese.
- Goat cheese - I love the tanginess of goat cheese. But if you don't have goat cheese, you can substitute feta or cream cheese if you want a milder cheese. If you're looking for a bolder cheese, you could use blue cheese or gorgonzola.
- Gouda cheese - gouda has a unique flavor and often comes in versions with a smoky flavor. A good substitute for a smoked gouda would be a smoked provolone. Otherwise, if you can't find gouda (or don't like it), havarti or fontina would work as substitutes for gouda as well.
- Cheddar cheese - good substitutes for a medium cheddar cheese would be Colby, Monterey Jack or American cheese.
- Butter - I'm from Wisconsin, so we use butter for our grilled cheese. But you could use mayo to coat the bread. I'll forgive you!
Variations
- Add-ins - some of the best ingredients to add to a grilled cheese are: bacon, sliced tomato, caramelized onions, spinach, arugula and basil pesto.
Equipment
A pan with a flat bottom is needed to make grilled cheese on the stove. I prefer to make grilled cheese on a flat cast iron griddle pan, but you can use any type of pan with a flat bottom for grilled cheese.
Storage
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To reheat the grilled cheese, heat on the stove over medium heat for about 4-5 minutes, flipping halfway, or until all the cheese has melted. You can also reheat in the air fryer at 350 degrees for 5 minutes.
Next Level Tips
- I highly recommend using the oven method if you're making grilled cheese for a crowd. So if you're making more grilled cheese sandwiches than can fit in your pan at one time, see my post on grilled cheese appetizers for instructions on baking grilled cheese. It's a game changer.
- Don't be afraid to try new cheeses! There are endless combinations of four cheeses that will make great grilled cheese sandwiches. The key is to use a variety of cheeses that balance each other. And, if you like goat cheese, don't skip it. It takes grilled cheese to a whole new level.
- You can use all grated cheese or all sliced cheese, but I prefer a combination. Cheese that you grate yourself tastes better, melts better and has fewer additives like anti-caking agents. But, sliced cheese is easier and less messy. That's why we start with the grated cheese on the bottom and the sliced cheese on top. Then, once you're ready to flip the sandwich, the grated cheese has melted.
FAQ
I am a fan of the uncovered, low and slow method of making grilled cheese. It might go quicker with a cover, but the bread is crisper without the cover. If not done properly, steam can cause the bread to be less toasty. If you choose to cover the grilled cheese while cooking, also take into account that it may cook faster than the times listed.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Four Cheese Grilled Cheese
Ingredients
- 4 slices thick bread of choice ex. sourdough
- 2 or more tablespoons salted butter
- 1 cup gruyere cheese grated
- 4 tablespoons goat cheese crumbled
- ½ cup gouda cheese grated
- 4-6 slices medium cheddar cheese
Instructions
- On a cutting or prep board, butter each slice of bread and grate all the cheeses.
- Place one slice of bread, buttered side down, on the board for each sandwich and sprinkle ½ cup of grated gruyere evenly on top of the non-buttered side of the bread.
- Add 2 tablespoons of crumbled goat cheese on top of the gruyere.
- Sprinkle ¼ cup of grated gouda over the goat cheese, filling in any gaps.
- Add 1 to 1 ½ slices of cheddar cheese on top of the gouda. Tear the slices, if needed, to cover the entire sandwich without going over the sides. Place the top slice of bread on top, buttered side up.
- Preheat a cast iron or other skillet over medium low heat. (No oil or spray is needed.)
- Once the pan is hot, place the sandwich on the pan, leaving the grated gruyere cheese on the bottom. Cook 4-5 minutes until golden brown and the gruyere has melted. Flip and cook another 4-5 minutes until the second side is golden brown and all the cheese has fully melted.
Notes
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Sandi says
Wow. This looks so delicious. I love this kind of sandwich. Thank you so much!
Tracy @ Next Level Baker says
Thank you! A great grilled cheese sandwich is one of the best comfort foods!