I have been on a mission to create the best grilled cheese sandwiches possible.
It’s true that no grilled cheese recipe is the same, and that there are endless possibilities when it comes to what could go between those golden brown slices of bread.
But if there’s one thing that I’ve learned, besides the cardinal ingredient (cheese, obviously), there’s one meat that goes so well with any grilled cheese sandwich you could think of:
Thick slices of bacon.
Crispy bacon, to be exact.
It can be any bacon, apple bacon or strips of bacon infused with maple.
But if you want my opinion, the addition of bacon in a grilled cheese sandwich is just as important as the addition of cheese.
When it comes to grilled cheese sandwiches, I’ve also tried them out with tons of different kinds of cheeses.
And truth be told, I’m a fan of them all.
White cheddar, mozzarella cheese, gruyere cheese, even American cheese—they’re all delicious to me.
But there was one cheese I hadn’t really tried here:
Gouda.
A lot of people add gouda in to more of a mixture of cheeses when making this delicious sandwich, but when I was developing this recipe, I wanted to see how it would be with only gouda by itself.
And it was delicious.
In fact, it might be my new favorite cheese to use when making this classic sandwich.
Here’s how I made it!
What You’ll Need:
Bread Slices: I used scala bread, but you can also use sourdough bread or any other sliced bread you prefer.
Gouda: Always shred this yourself! Pre shredded cheese comes coated in cellulose and won’t melt as easily, and will taste slightly different than a regular block of shredded cheese once melted.
Bacon: I used regular bacon, but you can also use turkey bacon.
Arugula: This adds a whole new layer to this sandwich, and tastes really good on it.
Hot Honey: I used the kind from Trader Joe’s, but you can also use Mike’s Hot Honey.
Butter: If you don’t have butter, you can use mayonnaise!
How To Make This:
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In a large skillet over medium heat, melt some butter in a pan and dip one side of each slice of bread in the melted butter. (You can also use leftover bacon fat if you’d like)
Leave one piece of bread down, and pile gouda cheese and bacon on top of it.
Top with the side of the bread that didn’t get buttered, and periodically flip the sandwich so that the top side of each bread slice gets buttered and crispy.
Cover the pan with a lid toward the end, to make sure that the sandwich is full of gooey, melty cheese.
At the end, slowly and carefully pull apart the bread. Lay your arugula down in a single layer. and drizzle with a healthy amount of hot honey. Put your sandwich back together, and enjoy!
FAQs:
Q: If I don’t have gouda, what are some great types of cheese that I can use instead?
A: Monterey Jack cheese, cheddar cheese, havarti cheese, or really any sharp cheese would be wonderful with this. You can even use parmesan cheese, if you’d like.
Q: What’s the best kind of bread to use with this?
A: I always use scala bread, but slices of sourdough bread are wonderful, too. If you’re really feeling adventurous, cut a round deli roll in half and make your grilled cheese on one of these. It’ll taste delicious.
Side Dishes For This Sandwich:
- Tomato Soup
- Crispy French Fries
- Sliced Apples
- Minestrone Soup
Gouda Bacon Grilled Cheese Sandwich
Ingredients
- Two slices scala bread
- 1/3 cup gouda (or cheese of choice)
- 2 tbsp butter or mayonnaise
- 1 cup arugula
- 1 tbsp hot honey
- 3 slices crispy bacon
Instructions
- Assemble sandwich with gouda and bacon
- Spread butter on the outside of each bread slice
- Put your sandwich in a frying pan or cast-iron skillet over medium heat, flipping periodically to ensure a crispy golden brown crust on the bottom of your bread
- Cover and steam the sandwich to melt the cheese, if needed
- Remove from heat, carefully pull apart, and spread a layer of arugula and hot honey over the bottom slice of bread
