Ringo Starr's Go-To Sandwich Proves That One Ingredient Is All You Need

The Beatles were known as the biggest music icons of the 1960s, and they quickly solidified themselves as one of the greatest bands in music history. But they were only humans and still had their share of favorite foods and drinks. While the group was known for coining the phrase "All you need is love," for Beatles drummer Ringo Starr, all you need is cheese. When it comes to the musician's favorite sandwich, cheese is the main ingredient. This doesn't mean you only have to put one type of cheese on the sandwich. A combination is fine, but Starr noted that it has to be goat cheese.

Back in 2021, Starr confirmed his love for cheese sandwiches in a Q&A on Stephen Colbert's show. When asked for his "best sandwich," Starr said, "I don't have a lot of them anymore, but cheese." Colbert questioned Starr's response: "Just [a] cheese sandwich?" But Starr doubled down. "Yeah, I love cheese." Once he added that it has to be goat cheese, Colbert questioned why. "Because I don't eat anything from the cow," Starr said, claiming that "the molecules are so big." Colbert didn't question the theory much more, although experts do claim that goat's milk is easier to digest than cow's milk. 

Once you've paired the right cheeses together, you'll realize that Ringo Starr has a point: cheese really is all you need. Although there are cheddars, blue cheeses, and Goudas made from goat's milk, you don't have to limit yourself to goat cheese. Cheddar and Gruyére, for example, make a perfect pairing of rich, nutty, subtly-sweet flavor (they're also perfect for an easy baked mac and cheese recipe). Place them between two pieces of bread for a cheddar-Gruyére grilled cheese, and you'll understand. Or, make a Starr-style sandwich and forgo melting the cheese.

You can get creative with multiple cheeses, too. One Reddit thread on r/Cooking asked people for their favorite cheese sandwich combinations, and the responses did not disappoint, with one particular four-cheese combination sounding hard to resist. "Gruyere [brings] the creaminess. Tillamook Cheddar brings the color and tang. Smoked Gouda adds an earthy smokiness for an extra rich bite. Low moisture whole milk mozzarella brings the stretchy fun to the table," one user wrote. Other combinations included mozzarella, sharp cheddar, and Asiago, as well as Gruyére, Gouda, and "good cheddar." Whether or not a cheese sandwich needs multiple cheeses comes down to personal preference, so go with whatever combination or single cheese you prefer, just like Ringo Starr.