Forget spongy processed bread and rubbery American cheese. My Brie Grilled Cheese is built on rustic rye bread and a custom blend of melting cheeses, taken to the next level with thick slices of brie. It is crispy on the outside, incredibly gooey, and absolutely luxurious on the inside. Let's get cooking!
Tom the Chef Founder
Let’s talk about important parts of the recipe before you start…
Hello everyone, I am so excited to share my absolute favorite sandwich with you today. Creating the perfect Brie Grilled Cheese is a true passion of mine because it elevates a classic comfort food into a gourmet experience right in your own kitchen. In this recipe, I will walk you through exactly how I use a combination of pan frying and a brief oven finish to get the most beautifully melted cheese without ever burning the delicate crust. By combining a hearty rustic loaf with my personal favorite shredded cheese blend and luxurious thick slices of brie, we achieve a texture and flavor profile that is truly unforgettable. Make sure you have your baking sheet and grilled cheese press ready, because we are about to make the ultimate meal that is best served alongside a fresh side salad.
When I start making my Brie Grilled Cheese, the very first crucial step is dealing with the bread. You will want to take eight slices of high-quality rye bread or another kind you prefer, and spread a fine layer of softened butter on one side of each slice. You need about one teaspoon per slice. This step is essential for the pan frying process, ensuring that when you place the bread butter-side down in the pan, it crisps up beautifully without absorbing too much frying oil.
The foundation of the gooey interior in this Brie Grilled Cheese relies heavily on the shredded cheese. I personally use a combination of cheddar, mozzarella, Swiss, and parmesan. This specific blend offers the perfect balance of sharp flavor and stretching quality. When creating the sandwich, you will use one half cup of this shredded cheese per sandwich, divided evenly, making sure every bite is perfectly balanced before the melted cheese finish.
No Brie Grilled Cheese would be complete without its namesake. I use four slices of Brie cheese, specifically cut into thick slices of brie that are about four to five inches long. Alternatively, you can use an equal amount of shorter slices. Placing this luxurious cheese right on top of the shredded cheese, along with a pinch of salt and a pinch of freshly ground pepper, guarantees an incredibly rich, creamy center that contrasts beautifully with the crispy rye bread.
If you want a flawless Brie Grilled Cheese, using a grilled cheese press is an absolute game changer. After placing your un-topped bread slice as a lid, you press down firmly with the grilled cheese press and hold it for about ten seconds in the pan. If you do not have a press, I recommend using a turner to press the top by hand, using a towel to avoid burns. This technique compresses the layers, ensuring the thick slices of brie and the shredded cheese meld perfectly during the pan frying stage.
One of the biggest secrets I share for a perfect Brie Grilled Cheese is the oven finish. Melting the inside of grilled cheese often takes so long that the bread burns. To prevent this, after pan frying, I transfer the pressed sandwiches to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone mat. Finishing them in an oven preheated to 350 degrees Fahrenheit for three to four minutes ensures the melted cheese is thoroughly heated and gooey all the way through, without scorching the rye bread.
Once you pull that baking sheet out of the oven, the presentation is key. I always cut each Brie Grilled Cheese in half for easier eating and a much nicer presentation, allowing that gorgeous melted cheese to cascade out. While you can certainly enjoy it on its own, I find that it is best served with a crisp side salad to cut through the richness of the butter, frying oil, and cheeses. You can also add some crispy bacon or sliced apples inside the sandwich before cooking; however, always remember that it is a modification that is not part of the recipe.
Make my ultimate Brie Grilled Cheese! Crispy rye bread, pan frying, an oven finish, and a rich shredded cheese blend for perfectly melted cheese.
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