How to make perfect grilled cheese in the oven

Whether you’re wanting to feed your hungry family, cooking for a crowd, or simply craving the melted goodness of a gourmet toastie, making the perfect grilled cheese may seem like a simple task. But there’s a knack to getting it right. And what’s a person to do when they don’t have a sandwich press, or want to make 6 or more? Well, that’s when this little trick to make grilled cheese in the oven will come in handy.

What makes an amazing grilled cheese sandwich?

There are a few different types of grilled cheese, including a single piece of bread with cheese melted over the top and those made in a frying pan. However, we believe the best grilled cheese sandwiches are pressed firmly between two slices of bread.

You should be aiming for a beautiful golden colour on the outside, which is best achieved by applying heat and even pressure like you would with a sandwich press. This will help to seal the edges, giving you a delicious bubbly and melted cheese core.

How to make grilled cheese in the oven

This method of making grilled cheese in the oven is the perfect solution if you’re needing to cater for a lot of hungry mouths at once.

To make grilled cheese in the oven, first start by collecting your ingredients. A grilled cheese toastie needs two slices of bread, a good helping of butter and (obviously) cheese. Varieties that are great for melting include a mild cheddar, manchego or gruyere. Then follow these steps:

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C CircoTherm® if you have a NEFF oven) and place one flat metal baking tray in the oven to heat up
2. Place a sheet of baking paper on a second inverted flat metal baking tray (sitting upside down so the rim of the tray is on your bench)
3. Lightly butter one – or both – sides of your bread and place it butter side down on the cookie tray
4. Place a thick slice of your preferred cheese on top of the bread
5. Cover with another slice of bread – if only buttering one side then place it on butter side up
6. Wearing oven mitts, remove your cookie tray from the preheated oven
7. Place your hot tray on top of your sandwiches and press down lightly
8. Holding both trays together, return to the hot oven
9. Bake for roughly 15 minutes, or until bread is browned and cheese has melted

This method for making perfect grilled cheese sandwiches in the oven should allow you to make approximately 6 at a time, depending on your choice of bread and the size of your cookie trays.

Before you leave, we have a question…Would you put mayonnaise on your grilled cheese?

 For some people, the thought of putting mayonnaise on their grilled cheese sandwiches would be breaking a cardinal rule of toasties. However, some people believe that mayonnaise is an essential ingredient.

If you’re keen to try this unusual suggestion, simply replace the spread of butter on the outside with a good quality mayonnaise. This is said to give it an even, golden colour and will stop the bread from drying out, keeping it soft and fluffy. Be warned, mayonnaise will give it a bit of a tangy taste, but if you’re up for an experiment, it is one to try!