Better Than Cheddar: Step Up Grilled Cheese The Right Way With These 2 Slices

It's harder to make a truly bad grilled cheese than it is a good one, but everyone has their own personal tricks for making sure the hot sandwich comes out perfect. Some claim to have discovered the perfect cheese to bread ration, others add cheese outside the bread to create a delicious crust, and a third group think the secret is pre-toasting the bread. The real way to step up your grilled cheese might be even more simple: Just use the right blend of cheeses!

According to Chef Isaac Bernal, executive chef of the Representation of Spain to the United Nations, two of the best cheeses for a well-balanced grilled cheese are gouda and havarti. Elaborating on why they work so well, Bernal says, "Havarti melts beautifully and gives you that rich, creamy texture, while gouda brings a deeper, slightly sweet flavor."  

The qualities of these two cheeses compliment one another, which is why Bernal says, "Honestly, combining the two is hard to beat." Havarti works well because it has a high moisture content; leading to smooth, even melt and a cheese pull that might be better described as a drip. Gouda is a cousin of havarti, with a flavor that can range from sweet and creamy to nutty depending on how long the cheese has been aged for. You can play with exact ratios and try an aged or smoked gouda if you like stronger cheeses, but as long as you stick to these two classics you can't go wrong.

Bernal likes to add sweetness or earthiness to his grilled cheeses. "If I want to add something extra, I like caramelized onions, whole-grain mustard, or a few thin slices of sautéed apple." If you don't have whole grain, other mild mustards would probably work too, while pear would make a delicious substitute for apple as it pairs well with cheese. It might take a surprising number of onions to get a cup of the finished product, but caramelized onions are harder to swap out. They're worth making if you want to impress with your grilled cheese as they quickly add class to many sandwiches, burgers, charcuterie boards, and more. 

It's notable that none of the additional ingredients Bernal suggests would be out of place on a charcuterie board or in a fancy fromage-based dish like a tart or souffle. That's because they're comfortable bedfellows with cheese. As the chef puts it, "They complement the cheese without overpowering it."

Bernal doesn't specify the kind of bread he likes to use, but sourdough would be a great choice for a grilled cheese, especially with these flavor profiles. If you're a traditionalist, though, you could stick to sliced white farmhouse. Just remember to rest your grilled cheese for a few moments before eating it — if you don't, that havarti might just be too gooey to be contained (not to mention too hot to eat).