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23 Grilled Cheese Ideas That Will Seriously Upgrade Your Lunch

Oh, grilled cheese. We’ll never get over you. While it’s still appropriate for a 6-year-old (no crust, please), it can also be a pretty sophisticated treat for us grown-ups. Here, 23 grilled cheese ideas that go beyond white bread and American singles.

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1. Blackberry-peach Grilled Cheese

Not only does a triple-dose of fontina, goat and Emmentaler make this sammy salty and creamy, but the fresh fruit gives it a burst of tart, juicy sweetness too.

2. Grilled Cheese And Tomato Soup Casserole

A match made in heaven that’s ready to devour in an hour.

3. Grilled Goat Cheese Sandwiches With Balsamic Beets

Fancy enough to have for dinner with a side salad and glass of Sauv Blanc.

4. Cheesy Roasted Mushroom Melts

Crusty Italian bread, Portobello mushrooms, mozz, ricotta and cream cheese. And the crowd goes wild.

5. Triple-decker Grilled Cheese

The easiest way to level up the classic dish? Extra cheese (and bread).

6. Tomato Soup With Grilled Cheese Bites

You should probably make a double batch—your kids won’t be able to control themselves.

7. Rainbow Grilled Cheese

A few drops of food coloring give this basic sandwich a magical spin.

8. Hummus Grilled Cheese

Roasted garlic hummus is just the pairing for spicy arugula and sharp cheddar.

9. Tomato Soup In Grilled Cheese Bread Bowls

Panera who? We turned the bread bowl topper into a mini handheld that was born to be dunked.

10. Kennebunkport Lobster Grilled Cheese

Oh, you fancy, huh? This gem stars mascarpone and provolone cheeses, as well as hearty chunks of meaty Maine lobster.

11. Crispy Kale Grilled Cheese With Fried Eggs

And this, ladies and gentlemen, is how you eat grilled cheese for breakfast.

12. Blueberry, Brie And Lemon Curd Grilled Cheese

Honey and store-bought lemon curd make this lunch almost decadent enough to eat for dessert.

13. Turkey Grilled Cheese Sandwich With Cranberry Mustard

Holiday leftovers never looked so good.

14. Spicy Mini Meatball Grilled Cheese

Sorry, spaghetti. No hard feelings?

15. Recovery Cherry Basil Provolone Gluten-free Grilled Cheese

You’re looking at the ultimate post-workout meal, loaded with anti-inflammatory cherries, restorative chia seed bread and immunity-boosting basil.

16. Reuben Grilled Cheese

We weren’t sure it was possible but pressing the sandwich in a waffle iron will make it even more golden-brown and crispy.

17. Avocado Grilled Cheese

So simple it’s foolproof. The goat cheese and mozzarella are mixed right into the avocado filling.

18. Patty Melt Grilled Cheese

Traditional rye bread, ground beef and sautéed onions meet mayo, sharp cheddar and Swiss.

19. Peach Bacon Brie Grilled Cheese

The recipe calls for store-bought preserves, but we won’t blame you for throwing in a few fresh peach slices too.

20. Breakfast Grilled Cheese

Because there’s no better home for cheesy scrambled eggs and crumbled sausage than between two slices of toast.

21. Chicken Parmesan Grilled Cheese

Sure, you can use grilled chicken breast if you insist. But we’ll take ours breaded and fried.

22. Easy Air-fryer Bacon Grilled Cheese

There’s officially nothing your air fryer can’t do. Toss a few shoestring fries in there while you’re at it to round out your meal.

23. Grown-up Guacamole Bacon Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Salty bacon, creamy guac and gooey grilled cheese? The gang’s all here!


taryn pire

Food Editor

  • Spearheads PureWow's food vertical
  • Manages PureWow's recipe vertical and newsletter
  • Studied English and writing at Ithaca College

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