Cheese Lover’s Fontina and Mozzarella Grilled Cheese Sandwich – Warm, gooey comfort food at its finest! Best & cheesiest grilled cheese ever!
This is the cheesiest grilled cheese I’ve ever had. And the best.
If you like a little bread with your cheese, this is the sandwich for you.
Growing up, I ate more than my fair share of grilled cheese. They were made with one Kraft Single, a little Velveeta, or maybe if we were lucky, some colby.
But my thoughts are that if you’re going to eat a grilled cheese, don’t forget about the cheese. It’s the star of the show. Otherwise why bother and just have toasted bread with butter.
I used sliced fontina and grated mozzarella on a sliced French baguette. I love fontina for it’s supremely awesome melting powers. It melts so smoothly, evenly, and perfectly and I want to use it on everything. However, it’s about three times the price ounce for ounce of mozzarella so I use mozz when possible and save fontina for when it really counts and can shine.
The two cheeses melt together and form a giant, oozing, hot beautiful mess. Other cheeses that melt nicely and offer great flavor include brie, Havarti, smoked gouda, or pepper Jack.
The French baguette I used was fairly small and depending on your bread of choice, you may need more cheese than I did in order to achieve cheese lover’s status.
Make sure that every inch of bread is covered with sliced fontina and top with a loose pile about 1 to 2 inches high of grated mozzarella.
Some will inevitably fall onto the bottom of the frying pan, but that’s okay. A little burnt cheese never hurt anyone.
I always cook my grilled cheese over medium heat and cover the pan. Low and slow.
I’d rather take my time and get a golden brown sear than blacken it.
Covering the pan helps the cheese melt more swiftly so it melts completely before the sandwich becomes too dark on either side.
Fontina and mozzarella melt very easily, but if you’re using say cheddar and American, covering is insurance to promote melting.
It’s warm, gooey comfort food at it’s finest.
Warm, white bread that stays fluffy and soft in the middle with lightly crisped edges, the slight saltiness from the cheese make it a total winner.
It would taste especially good after a late night out, for a lazy brunch, or dinner when you just can’t deal with anything more complicated.
It would definitely help with a case of the Mondays.
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Cheese Lover's Fontina and Mozzarella Grilled Cheese Sandwich
Ingredients
- 2 slices bread, I used a soft, small French baguette; use your favorite
- 1 to 2 tablespoons butter, softened for generous spreading (I use unsalted butter)
- about 1 to 2 ounces sliced fontina cheese, or enough to cover every inch of bread
- about 1 to 2 ounces grated mozzarella cheese, enough to loosely pile 1 to 2 inches high
Instructions
- Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium heat.
- Generously butter one side of 1 piece of bread and place it buttered side down in skillet.
- Quickly add the fontina, completely covering the surface of the bread with cheese.
- Generously sprinkle on the mozzarella, completely covering the fontina, so it’s loosely piled 1 to 2 inches high, mounded up and puffy. Some will inevitably fall off and it’s okay, but watch the fallen cheese while cooking so it doesn’t burn.
- Butter the other slice of bread on 1 side and place it on top the cheese, buttered side up.
- Cover the pan (helps to melt the cheese more quickly so either side doesn’t become too browned before cheese melts) and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or as necessary, until bottom of bread is golden browned.
- When golden, flip sandwich over and cook covered for about 2 minutes, or as necessary, until second piece of bread is golden browned. If necessary, reduce heat to medium-low to ensure cheese melts fully before bread gets too dark. Top of sandwich may slide off a bit from all the cheese. Reposition as necessary or embrace the rustic look.
- Slice, if desired, and serve immediately. Sandwich is best warm and fresh.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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I haven’t had grilled cheese in a long time but always used to eat grilled cheese with Kraft singles. I bet it’s so much better with Fontina cheese and that’s a great idea to cover the pan to help with the melting. Gorgeous bright photos. Was disappointed when I saw Saveur finalists so I hope you make it next year! :)
Oh my gosh you’re so sweet! Saveur finalists…well, there’s always pipe dreams, right! lol I’m sure they have no idea who I am and my food isn’t dark and moody or high brow enough. It’s just normal stuff that normal people make :)
Wow, I don’t know. I love cheese. I love grilled cheese. I love the cheeses used. But these look so
decadent, I am not sure I could eat one. BUT I bet I could share one!!!
Trust me, it’s hard to STOP at just one. They are.so.good. :) You’ll have no problems polishing one off!
I’ve never tried fontina on a grilled cheese. Since it’s super melty, I definitely need to try it!
You’re going to LOVE it!
These look insanely good! Mozzarella is my absolute favourite cheese, definitely need to give these a go! Thank you!
I can’t think of a better reason to buy fontina (and I should have leftovers to try on that egg-sweet potato skillet recipe)! Grilled cheese gets dressed up and goes gourmet. Looks delicious for any occasion!
This was, without a doubt, the best grilled cheese of my life. Omg so.so.good. Worth extra cardio for :) Normally I’d reserve that for sweets but this was a savory worth having! And yes to the fontina plan you have!
OMG I’m dying. The gooey factor alone! We live on grilled cheese in this house and I would eat way too many of these.
I purposely only made a few, on small baguette slices, for that very reason :) Best grilled cheese of my life!
Grilled cheese is the best! It was definitely a favorite of mine growing up. I love that you used fontina as one of your cheeses, it has such magical melting powers. Oh and those little bits of cheese that fall on to the bottom of the pan and get extra crispy, they are the best!
They’re totally the best…yes!
Bread + cheese = 1 happy gal!
Great recipe!
I just saw your bean salad on FG today and it looked delish!
Grilled cheese for grownups. Yum. My dad always liked grilled onions on his grilled cheese (with Velveeta and Miracle Whip, of course) and I think maybe he had a good idea.
Nothing wrong with Velveeta and Miracle Whip :) I grew up on it. And loved every processed-food bite!
I cannot handle how cheesy these grilled cheeses are! It reminds me of the best grilled cheese sandwich I’ve ever had, which was at a tiny little coffee shop here where I live. I will definitely be making some of these soon. :)
Those little cafes and places like that are hidden gems! This was the best GC I’ve ever had since I don’t have any of those little cafe gems handy!
Oh my gosh, these little grilled cheese sammies look too good! All the cheese! I’m drooling!
Dang dairy allergies! I always loved a little cheese with my bread, because really, who can resist gooey melty cheese?
Gorgeous grilled cheese! I love how melty and gooey all the cheese looks, and yes totally agree with you about loving a little bread with your cheese. LOL. Stunning pictures— Totally want this for lunch today. pinned.
Thanks for pinning :)
Melty cheese always gets me! Love this sandwich! Pinned!
Thanks for pinning :) And that smoothie I was talking about https://www.averiecooks.com/2013/03/pineapple-mango-vitamin-c-booster-smoothie.html Great minds :)
LOVE it! Pinned it as well. :)
Thanks for pinning, Anna :)
I love grilled cheese, that fontina and mozzarella combo is killer. Pinned!
haha, I certainly like a little bread with my cheese!! This recipe looks PERFECT!