Andy Montoya
Grilled cheese is a simple dish to make, but it can be time-consuming if you're cooking for a large group. Cooking grilled cheese in the oven is a quick and easy way to make lots of sandwiches at once. This method is perfect for a family meal and can be adapted to suit your tastes. You can use different types of bread, cheese, and fillings to make a grilled cheese sandwich that's just right for you.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Oven temperature | 400°F-450°F (230°C) |
| Baking time | 10-20 minutes |
| Bread | Thick white bread, sourdough, wheat bread, crostini bread, tortillas |
| Bread preparation | Butter one side of each slice |
| Cheese | American sliced cheese, cheddar, mozzarella, Gruyère, Colby, sharp cheddar |
| Add-ons | Blueberries, lemon curd, ham, tomatoes, mustard, bacon |
| Sheet pan | Thin, stainless steel, natural aluminum |
| Rack position | Middle |
| Number of sandwiches | 1-6 |
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What You'll Learn
Use a thin sheet pan to cook multiple sandwiches at once
Using a thin sheet pan is a great way to cook multiple grilled cheese sandwiches in the oven at once. This method is perfect for feeding a large group or family, saving you time and effort. It's a hands-off approach that eliminates the need to flip each sandwich individually on a stovetop.
To get started, preheat your oven to 400-450°F (230°C). While the oven is heating up, prepare your sandwiches. Butter one side of each slice of bread, and place the slices butter-side down on a thin sheet pan. You can use a variety of breads, but thicker slices or white bread will give you that classic grilled cheese taste and a beautiful golden colour.
For the cheese, you can use sliced American cheese or any other variety you prefer, such as cheddar, mozzarella, or gruyere. Layer one or two slices of cheese on each slice of bread. You can also add other ingredients like meat, tomatoes, or mustard to customise your sandwiches.
Once your sandwiches are assembled on the thin sheet pan, place them in the lowest part of the oven, especially if your oven has a heat source at the bottom. This positioning helps achieve an even golden colour on your bread. Set a timer for 5 minutes and start checking your sandwiches. The cooking time may vary depending on your oven and the type of bread used, so keep a close eye on them to prevent burning.
Your grilled cheese sandwiches are likely done when the cheese has puffed or bubbled and the bread is golden brown. Remove them from the oven and carefully use a spatula to sandwich the bread slices together. Serve immediately, and enjoy the melty goodness of your oven-baked grilled cheese!
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Bake at 450°F for 10 minutes, flipping halfway
To cook grilled cheese sandwiches in the oven, you'll want to preheat your oven to 450°F. Lightly butter one side of each slice of bread and place the slices buttered-side down on a baking sheet. Add your cheese—you can use American sliced cheese or any other kind you prefer, such as sharp cheddar, gruyere, or shredded colby. You can also add extra ingredients like ham, tomatoes, or mustard. Then, place the other slices of bread on top, with the buttered-side facing up.
Now you're ready to bake your sandwiches. Place the baking sheet in the lowest part of the oven, as this will help achieve that nice golden colour on your bread. Bake for approximately 5 minutes, and then flip each sandwich over. Bake for another 3 to 6 minutes, keeping a close eye on your sandwiches to make sure they don't burn. You'll know they're done when the cheese has puffed or bubbled and the bread is golden brown.
The total baking time should be around 10 minutes, and flipping halfway through ensures even cooking and browning. This method is a great way to make grilled cheese sandwiches for a group without having to cook them one or two at a time on the stovetop. It's quick, easy, and delicious!
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Use thick white bread for a golden colour
For a delicious grilled cheese sandwich with a beautiful golden colour, it's best to use thick white bread. Nature's Own thick-sliced white bread is a great option, yielding a beautiful golden colour when grilled in the oven. Sourdough is another tasty choice, although it may not brown as well as white bread.
White bread also cooks faster than other types of bread, such as French bread, due to its higher sugar content. This is an important consideration when making grilled cheese sandwiches in the oven, as you want to achieve that perfect golden colour without burning the bread.
To get that nice, even golden colour on your grilled cheese, it's recommended to use a thin sheet pan. Thinner pans transmit heat more quickly, and since the bread only cooks for a few minutes in the oven, rapid heat transfer is essential. A larger sheet pan, measuring around 13" by 18" or more, is ideal for fitting multiple slices of bread.
It's also crucial to cook the sandwiches in the lowest part of the oven, directly above the heat source. This ensures that the bread gets that attractive golden colour from the direct heat. However, this tip only applies if your oven emits heat from the bottom.
By following these tips and using thick white bread, you can achieve that desirable golden colour for your grilled cheese sandwiches. Enjoy the melting cheese and crunchy golden bread straight from your oven!
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Cook in the lowest part of the oven for a golden colour
To achieve a golden colour on your grilled cheese, it is recommended to cook in the lowest part of the oven. This is because the heat source is located at the bottom of the oven, so placing the sandwiches in the lowest part of the oven ensures that they are directly above the heat source, maximising the heat transmitted to the bread.
Using a thin sheet pan also helps to achieve the desired golden colour. Thinner pans transmit heat more quickly than thicker or heavier pans, so using a thin pan will help to achieve the golden colour more efficiently. Additionally, the type of bread used can affect the colour. Breads with a higher sugar content, such as white bread, will cook faster and brown more easily than breads with little to no sugar, like sourdough or French bread.
It is important to monitor the cooking time closely, especially when trying this method for the first time. The grilled cheese sandwiches should be checked at the 5-minute mark and will likely be done in about 10 minutes, depending on the type of bread used. The sandwiches are likely done when the cheese has puffed or bubbled up and the bread is golden brown.
By following these instructions and cooking in the lowest part of the oven, you can achieve a nice golden colour on your grilled cheese sandwiches.
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Use a butter spreader knife to grate cold butter
Grilled cheese sandwiches are a classic, comforting meal, and baking them in the oven is an easy way to make a big batch for the whole family. A key step in the grilled cheese-making process is buttering the bread. Butter adds a delicious, savoury flavour to the sandwich and helps the bread achieve that sought-after golden brown colour.
When making grilled cheese, it's important to use cold butter. This is because cold butter will melt more slowly than room-temperature or warm butter. This means that the bread will have more time to toast and brown before the butter melts and permeates the bread, making it soggy.
However, cold butter can be difficult to spread. This is where a butter spreader knife comes in. Butter spreaders are designed to make it easy to spread cold butter. A butter spreader knife has holes in it that grate cold butter into long strands. These strands will quickly soften into a spreadable consistency, making it easy to coat the bread with a thin, even layer of butter.
To use a butter spreader knife effectively, hold it at a slight angle to the bread and use a gentle, graceful grating motion. This will create those long strands of butter that will quickly soften and become easy to spread. This technique will ensure that your grilled cheese sandwiches have just the right amount of butter and will help you avoid ending up with soggy sandwiches.
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Frequently asked questions
Preheat your oven to around 450°F (230°C).
Thick-sliced white bread is a good option for that classic grilled cheese taste and colour. Sourdough is another delicious choice, although it may not brown as nicely.
You can use any type of cheese you prefer. Some popular options include American sliced cheese, sharp cheddar, mozzarella, and shredded colby.
Bake for approximately 5 minutes, then flip each sandwich over and bake for an additional 3-6 minutes, until golden brown. The total baking time will depend on the type of bread and cheese you use, as well as your oven's performance.
It is not necessary to cover the sandwiches, but some people use a second sheet pan to speed up the cooking time. However, this may result in uneven browning and more equipment to clean.
