How To Create A Perfect Diner-Style Grilled Cheese At Home

There's nothing quite like a diner-style grilled cheese. While we all love a loaded grilled cheese full of delicious ingredients, this classic American version is all about simple white bread, melty cheese, and a crisp exterior. And luckily, recreating it at home isn't even hard. There's no need for fancy condiments or a load of artisanal cheese — it's just about getting those three basic ingredients to behave in the right way.

First, it's all about the bread; for a proper diner-style grilled cheese, grab a loaf of regular white sandwich bread. Those slices have the perfectly soft texture and almost sweet flavor that balances out salty cheese, plus they are thin enough to really crisp up as the cheese is melting. Next, the cheese should be regular American slices for a real all-American diner experience, they melt smoothly and will give your grilled cheese a gooey center that aged cheeses would struggle to achieve. Stick to one to three slices, depending on their thickness and the size of your bread. 

Buttering the bread is the final crucial step, although spreading mayonnaise on each slice is another popular diner move; some people even combine the two. Either way, you want to spread the butter or mayo all the way to the edges of the bread to achieve the crispiest grilled cheese possible.

Once you have your three basic ingredients assembled, it's all about the grilling process. Tempted as you may be to simply throw it on a hot skillet and walk away, there is a craft here. Heat a skillet over medium-low heat — grilling it over a high heat may be faster but it also runs the risk of overcooking the bread before the cheese inside has had a chance to melt. Cook it low and slow, grilling it for about three minutes then flipping to the other side. The bread should be a deep and even amber-brown with no pale or really dark patches. 

And then this next step is one of the most foolproof hacks for the gooiest grilled cheese: putting a lid on top of the sandwich even for just a minute. This will trap the steam which helps the cheese melt with ease. And then, once the sandwich is done, we know you're tempted to cut right into it but again, patience is a virtue here. Let your sandwich sit for a moment once off the pan to allow the molten cheese to settle, that's how you keep it inside the sandwich instead of spilling out onto your plate. Finally, cut it diagonally corner to corner, serve it hot with some pickles and coleslaw, fries, or tomato soup on the side, and enjoy — you've earned it.