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A grilled cheese sandwich is a simple sandwich that consists of two pieces of sliced bread and at least one slice of cheese in between. Some methods call for buttering the outside of the bread first, while others melt the butter in the pan. Another variation calls for spreading the outside of the bread with mayonnaise instead of butter.

Traditionally, cheddar is used, although in the United States American cheese or processed cheese are also quite popular. In the Netherlands Gouda cheese is used most often and ham is added to it. Other kinds of cheese can be used, such as Swiss cheese, but these are mostly regional variants.

Meat or pickles and/or mustard added to the grilled cheese are other variations. It is also not unheard of for fresh sliced tomato to be added. There are also some who prefer a triple-decker grilled cheese sandwich, where the middle slice is put in a toaster before adding cheese and two other slices of bread, and cooking it like a normal grilled cheese sandwich. Another popular American variation is the "tuna melt", made by simply adding tuna (often canned) or tuna salad to the traditional grilled cheese sandwich.

The assembled sandwich is then placed on a griddle, pan, or dedicated sandwich maker to be heated. Once the bread on the bottom half of the sandwich has reached a toast-like texture, the sandwich is flipped, and continues cooking until the other side has toasted or the cheese has melted.

In Britain, Ireland and Australia a similar dish is often referred to as "cheese on toast", "toasted cheese", Welsh rabbit or "roasted cheese", and is normally made with one slice of bread or toast (an open sandwich), topped with cheddar, and broiled (grilled) until the cheese has melted. (In South Africa "toasted cheese" refers to a toasted cheese sandwich while "cheese on toast" refers to unmelted cheese on a slice of toast.) Some people like to sprinkle condiments over the cheese; the possibilities are limited only by the imagination, but especially popular variations include Worcestershire sauce, powdered oregano, powdered paprika, or cayenne pepper. A Triple-Decker version was also introduced in Canada, which involves 3 slices of bread with cheese melted in between.

Compare the French Croque-monsieur, the Italian Tost and the Dutch Tosti.

It is often enjoyed as a side-dish to tomato soup. Others (mostly Canadian) prefer to dip their grilled cheese sandwiches into ketchup or apple sauce.

Also, there is some debate over what is the correct way to slice this type of sandwich. Some prefer horizontally along the middle, as with traditional sandwiches. Others prefer diagonally, from corner to corner, to make it easier to dip and to eliminate two arguably less desirable breadcrust corners.

See also

• Religious pareidolia#Virgin Mary grilled cheese sandwich - A grilled cheese sandwich contained a supposed likeness to the Virgin Mary
• Grilled Cheese Aspiration - An Aspiration in The Sims 2: Nightlife

• Sandwiches