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    4 Kid-Friendly Gourmet Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

    December 18, 2020 by Jana Leave a Comment

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    This website contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate and participant in other programs, I may earn a small commission from qualifying purchases.

    This post has been sponsored by Sara Lee® and its affiliates. All opinions are my own.

    These grilled cheese sandwiches are super easy to create. From classic to gourmet recipes, they are also kid-friendly so the whole family can enjoy them for lunch or dinner!

    Who doesn’t love a gooey, velvety, grilled cheese sandwich?

    Eating grilled cheese as the days get colder, while enjoying a good movie on the couch with the family is what I live for during the holidays!

    And this year, the comfort foods are in high demand and well deserved. That is why I have taken the traditional grilled cheese sammie up a notch to make it gourmet, but still keep it kid-friendly.

    The ingredients can be substituted to whatever your family prefers, but I’ve laid out some ideas below that you might enjoy.

    How to Make the Best Grilled Cheese Sandwich

    First, let’s start with the base. For these recipes, I partnered with Sara Lee® to use my son’s favorite bread – the Sara Lee® Artesano™ Potato Bakery Bread.

    This bread is thick and has a touch of sea salt and butter, which makes it perfect for grilled cheese sandwiches. For kiddos, the crust is soft enough so that it doesn’t need to be cut off.

    Then to make it super melty, I combined a variety of cheeses that can easily be found at the grocery store. The trick is to get a 3-4 cheeses of different melting points and also different cuts – shredded, slices, blocks.

    Soft, young cheeses tend to melt better and cheeses like shredded mozzarella and cheddar provide the “cheese pull”.

    Here are some options:

    • Shredded Mozzarela
    • Shredded Colby
    • Havarti
    • Monterrey Jack
    • White and Yellow Cheddar
    • Provolone
    • Gruyere
    • Raclette
    • Brie

    While I love Gruyere, Raclette and Brie cheeses and they melt gloriously, I know these products are sometimes hard to find, so I left them out of these recipes.

    However, if you want to make a more grownup version of these sandwiches, I’d recommend trying it.

    Lastly, to make the grilled cheese sandwiches variations, I added sliced deli meats, preserves and sauces. These additions make a traditional sandwich turn into gourmet heaven.

    Feel free to substitute these for your family’s favorites and have fun creating your own grilled cheese gourmet sandwiches.

    The 4 Cheese

    Why settle for for one cheese when you can get 4?

    This classic 4 cheese grilled sandwich can be enjoyed on its own, with a great tomato soup or salad.

    It is the base for any gourmet creation your heart desires. Add tomato bacon jam, chutneys, caramelized onions, apple, etc. for a grown up version.

    Print Recipe

    Grilled Cheese

    This recipe is for a classic grilled cheese sandwich, made with a mix of 4 cheeses. The best pairing for tomato soup!
    Cook Time20 mins
    Total Time20 mins
    Course: Sandwiches
    Cuisine: American
    Keyword: best grilled cheese, gourmet, grilled cheese, kid friendly, melt, sandwich
    Servings: 4 people
    Calories: 622kcal

    Ingredients

    • 8 slices Sara Lee Artesano Potato Bakery Bread
    • 4 oz sliced Havarti Cheese
    • 4 oz White Cheddar Cheese (block)
    • 4 oz Monterey Jack Cheese (block)
    • 4 oz shredded Mozzarella cheese
    • 1 package Irish butter

    Instructions

    • Melt butter on a large and flat frying pan or griddle on medium low heat.
    • Spread the butter around to coat the bottom of the pan. Melt more if necessary. Place 4 slices of bread or as many as it will fit on your pan. Grill it for 2-3 minutes or until medium golden color is achieved.
    • Stack the bread to one side of the pan while you add more butter and melt it. Place ungrilled side down to toast. Proceed to the next step immediately.
    • Add the cheese to 2 slices of the bread in the pan, starting with the Havarti, then cheddar, monterrey jack and finally the shredded mozzarella. Cover the pan and reduce heat to low setting. Make sure that the steam can vent and doesn't fall in the pan.
    • When the cheese has melted and the bread has toasted on the underside, flip the two slices without cheese on top of the slices with cheese. Push the bread down gently to connect the bread with the cheese.
    • Remove from heat and serve immediately.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 622kcal | Carbohydrates: 40g | Protein: 37g | Fat: 35g | Saturated Fat: 20g | Cholesterol: 103mg | Sodium: 1029mg | Potassium: 680mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 992IU | Calcium: 885mg | Iron: 2mg

    Pizza Grilled Cheese

    What kiddo does not like pizza? I have yet to meet one.

    So in this version of a grilled cheese I kept it simple and authentic. Pizza sauce, mozzarella and pepperoni. I added Havarti for extra melt.

    The best part of this sandwich is that you can make a batch in the oven to feed several people at once.

    Print Recipe

    Pizza Grilled Cheese

    This kid-friendly pizza grilled cheese recipe is perfect choice when you want a quick and easy meal the whole family will love!
    Cook Time20 mins
    Total Time20 mins
    Course: Sandwiches
    Cuisine: American
    Keyword: best grilled cheese, gourmet, grilled cheese, kid friendly, melt, pepperoni, pizza, sandwich
    Servings: 4 people
    Calories: 617kcal

    Ingredients

    • 8 slices Sara Lee Artesano Potato Bakery Bread
    • 4 oz sliced Havarti Cheese
    • 4 oz shredded Mozzarella cheese
    • 1 package sliced pepperoni
    • 1 can pizza sauce
    • 1 package Irish butter

    Instructions

    • Melt butter on a large and flat frying pan or griddle on medium low heat.
    • Spread the butter around to coat the bottom of the pan. Melt more if necessary. Place 4 slices of bread or as many as it will fit on your pan. Grill it for 2-3 minutes or until medium golden color is achieved.
    • Stack the bread to one side of the pan while you add more butter and melt it. Place ungrilled side down to toast. Proceed to the next step immediately.
    • Add the mozzarella cheese to all slices of the bread in the pan. Add a spoonfull of pizza sauce and several slices of pepperoni to half of the bread in the pan and 1 slice of havarti to the remaining slices of bread.
    • Cover the pan and reduce heat to low setting. Cook until the cheese is melted 5-7 minutes, and make sure that the steam can vent and doesn't fall in the pan.
    • Join the slices of bread that only have cheese to the ones that have pepperoni and push it gently down to create a bond. Remove from heat and serve immediately.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 617kcal | Carbohydrates: 49g | Protein: 34g | Fat: 33g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Cholesterol: 85mg | Sodium: 2213mg | Potassium: 1290mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 18g | Vitamin A: 1226IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 499mg | Iron: 4mg

    Turkey and Blackberry Jam

    Now for kids who are foodies, this one is a hit! The sweetness of the blackberry jam cuts through the richness of cheese and makes it an amazing sandwich.

    For a holiday version, use cranberry jam!

    Another version of this sandwich is ham with orange preserves.

    Print Recipe

    Turkey and Blackberry Grilled Cheese

    This gourmet grilled cheese recipe combines the sweetness of blackberry jam, with the saltiness of cheddar and the savory of turkey. A grown up combination that kids will approve!
    Cook Time20 mins
    Total Time20 mins
    Course: Sandwiches
    Cuisine: American
    Keyword: best grilled cheese, blackberry, gourmet, grilled cheese, kid friendly, melt, roasted turkey, sandwich
    Servings: 4 people
    Calories: 530kcal

    Ingredients

    • 8 slices Sara Lee Artesano Potato Bakery Bread
    • 8 slices roasted turkey deli meat
    • 4 oz sliced Havarti Cheese
    • 4 oz shredded Mozzarella cheese
    • 4 oz white cheddar cheese
    • 1 jar blackberry jam
    • 1 package Irish butter

    Instructions

    • Melt butter on a large and flat frying pan or griddle on medium low heat.
    • Spread the butter around to coat the bottom of the pan. Melt more if necessary. Place 4 slices of bread or as many as it will fit on your pan. Grill it for 2-3 minutes or until medium golden color is achieved.
    • Stack the bread to one side of the pan while you add more butter and melt it. Place ungrilled side down to toast. Proceed to the next step immediately.
    • Layer the ingredients on top of half of the bread. Add the havarti cheese, a spoonfull of blackberry jam, 1-2 slices of turkey deli meat, white cheddar and mozzarella cheese.
    • Cover the pan and reduce heat to low setting. Cook until the cheese is melted 5-7 minutes, and make sure that the steam can vent and doesn't fall in the pan.
    • Join the slices of bread that don't have any cheese to the ones that do and push it gently down to create a bond. Remove from heat and serve immediately.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 530kcal | Carbohydrates: 41g | Protein: 33g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Cholesterol: 83mg | Sodium: 1068mg | Potassium: 690mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 773IU | Calcium: 674mg | Iron: 2mg

    Tomato and Bacon

    My kiddo loves tomatoes and bacon, so this grilled cheese variation is right up his alley. It’s also my attempt to include a vegetable to his meal.

    If your kiddo loves another veggie better, feel free to substitute it and pair it with their favorite meat or a fried egg.

    Print Recipe

    Tomato and Bacon Grilled Cheese

    Skip the tomato soup with this tomato and bacon grilled cheese sandwich. The freshness of tomato and saltiness of bacon create a perfect balance to this cheesy melt.
    Cook Time20 mins
    Total Time20 mins
    Course: Sandwiches
    Cuisine: American
    Keyword: bacon, best grilled cheese, cheddar, gourmet, grilled cheese, kid friendly, melt, sandwich, tomatoes
    Servings: 4 people
    Calories: 753kcal

    Ingredients

    • 8 slices Sara Lee Artesano Potato Bakery Bread
    • 8 slices cooked bacon
    • 8 oz Cheddar Cheese
    • 8 oz Colby Jack Cheese
    • 2 roma tomatoes
    • 1 package Irish butter

    Instructions

    • Melt butter on a large and flat frying pan or griddle on medium low heat.
    • Spread the butter around to coat the bottom of the pan. Melt more if necessary. Place 4 slices of bread or as many as it will fit on your pan. Grill it for 2-3 minutes or until medium golden color is achieved.
    • Stack the bread to one side of the pan while you add more butter and melt it. Place ungrilled side down to toast. Proceed to the next step immediately.
    • Add the ingredients on half of the bread in this order: colby jack cheese, bacon strips, cheddar cheese, tomato slices, cheddar cheese and colby jack.
    • Cover the pan and reduce heat to low setting. Make sure that the steam can vent and doesn't fall in the pan.
    • When the cheese has melted and the bread has toasted on the underside, flip the two slices without cheese on top of the slices with cheese. Push the bread down gently to connect the bread with the cheese.
    • Remove from heat and serve immediately.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 753kcal | Carbohydrates: 42g | Protein: 44g | Fat: 45g | Saturated Fat: 26g | Cholesterol: 130mg | Sodium: 1280mg | Potassium: 870mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 1463IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 954mg | Iron: 3mg

    If you enjoyed this recipe, you might also enjoy these:

    • Carne Asada Recipe
    • Grilled Korean Pork Chops
    • Philly Cheesesteak
    • Best Tuna Salad
    • Korean Fried Chicken
    • Oven Baked Salmon with Honey, Ginger, Wasabi Glaze

    If you liked this recipe, you might also like Beef Gyudon!

    What recipe should I make next?


    For more recipes, click here or follow my Recipe Board on Pinterest.

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    This website contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate and participant in other programs, I may earn a small commission from qualifying purchases.

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    I’m Jana. I am fueled by travel and everything good about life. If you are infected by wanderlust, love good food and the outdoors, let’s be friends!

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