Nothing takes me back to my childhood like a grilled cheese sandwich! Those long hot summers shooting hoops in the cul-de-sac with the neighbor kids. It was great to come inside and find my mom making me a grilled cheese sandwich! They were magic because they tasted different every time she made them, and every time they were tasty-good! The magic of this grilled cheese is like that of a Disney grilled cheese, but way better.
Let me use this recipe to convey the magic of a grilled cheese sandwich—how you can spice up a plain classic to an absolute delight! Have you ever dreamt up a Havarti grilled cheese sandwich? I have, it is absolutely wonderful. Next, we have the bread choice. Sourdough is an ideal grilled cheese bread because it gives a zingy flavor that the cheese will mellow out.
Havarti cheese has a smooth yet tangy flavor that makes your grilled cheese open to a range of fillings you never thought possible. Grilled Havarti melting over the sides of sourdough bread and dripping down to sizzle on the pan is truly what dreams are made of. Have I got your tastebuds awake yet? Let’s take the next step and imagine the smooth flavor of Havarti paired with the brisk taste of Basil. YUM! That is what you will be crafting up today with this recipe! This homemade grilled cheese is nothing short of gourmet grilled cheese. You will be asking yourself, why you didn’t make this perfect grilled cheese earlier? I did.
Last year when I ventured to Disneyland, I had one of their famous Disneyland grilled cheese, and after my first bite I knew it wasn’t as good as my own homemade sourdough grilled cheese. Making grilled cheese is an art and the spectrum of the grilled cheese sandwich spans from basic to gourmet. Disneyland grilled cheese falls right above average. On the other hand, this customizable grilled cheese recipe takes us all the way to gourmet. Another secret grilled cheese tip I have is to coat your bread with mayonnaise instead of butter. Crazy, right? A mayonnaise grilled cheese takes us further up the spectrum towards gourmet because of the range of flavor it brings to the grilled cheese. Try it.
You can pair a Havarti grilled cheese with basil, thinly sliced Honeycrisp apples or cherry tomatoes, or just stick with just the cheese. The choice is yours and the possibilities are scrumptious. Let me share with you my best grilled cheese recipe.
Better Than Disneyland Grilled Cheese
Ingredients
- 2 slices sourdough bread
- Butter or Mayonnaise
- Havarti Cheese or whatever cheese you want
- 4-5 leaves basil
Instructions
- Smear butter OR mayonnaise on one side of each sourdough slice. Butter provides a mellower, smooth flavor to the grilled cheese. Mayonnaise provides a slight zing. I personally prefer mayonnaise, but butter is the classic grilled cheese smear.
- Slice your cheese into the desired thickness. Chop up basil.
- Place a sourdough slice (smeared side down) onto a pan over medium heat. Layer your cheese on the bread to your desired thickness and sprinkle on chopped basil. Cover the cheese with the other slice, leaving the smeared side up.
- Cook for about 2-3 minutes. Lift up the sandwich with a spatula and see if the bread is browned. If not, cook for an additional minute and check again. Cook until desired preference and flip.
- Repeat step 4 for the other side of the sandwich. When it reaches your desired brown level, remove from the pan and enjoy!
