Justin Chapple, the test kitchen pro behind Food & Wine's Mad Genius Tips, is joining TODAY Food to share 3 of his brilliant hacks for making the greatest grilled cheese sandwiches. He shows us how to make cheesy sheet-pan sandwiches to feed a crowd, waffled grilled cheese with bacon and tomato and Parmesan-coated grilled cheese with an amazingly crispy crust.
Parmesan-Crusted Grilled Cheese
This hack yields the BEST crust on a grill cheese sandwich you've ever had!
Swap option: Make a vegan version by using vegan cheese on the inside, vegan mayo on the outside and nutritional yeast instead of Parmesan cheese.
Ingredients
Sliced bread
Cheese slices
Mayonnaise
Grated Parmesan cheese
Method
Layer your choice of cheese between two slices of bread. Brush the outside of the sandwich with mayo and then dust with grated Parmesan.
Heat a sate pan over medium heat, then place the sandwich in the pan. Cook for about 2-3 minutes on each side until golden brown and cheese is melted.
Waffled Grilled Cheese
Waffle irons aren't just for breakfast foods. Use this great griddle to make crunchy, textured grilled cheese sandwiches any time of day.
Ingredients
Sliced bread
Butter, softened
Cheddar cheese slices
Tomato, seeded and finely diced
Cooked bacon, chopped
Method
1. Preheat waffle iron.
2. Brush sandwich bread with butter and then fill with cheddar cheese, tomato and bacon.
3. Place an assembled sandwich on the waffle iron, close the lid and cook until golden on the outside and the cheese is melted, about 5 minutes.
Sheet-Pan Grilled Cheese
Use two preheated sheet pans to mimic a giant press. This allows you to make several sandwiches at once, perfect for feeding a crowd!
Ingredients
Cheese slices
Sliced bread
Butter, softened
Method
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Place two sheet pans in the oven to heat.
2. Assemble the sandwiches and butter each side of the sandwich.
3. Carefully remove the heated pans from the oven. Place the sandwiches on one sheet pan. Place the second sheet pan on top of the sandwiches and press down lightly. Place in the oven and bake for about 10 minutes, until the outsides are golden brown and the cheese is melted.