5 Steps to the Ultimate Grilled Cheese

by Julia Bainbridge, Bon Appétit

Here are five ofBon AppetitTest Kitchen wunderkind Sarah Tenaglia's tried-and-true tips for making the perfect grilled cheese sandwich.

1.Work with the right ingredients. "A toothsome, country-style bread works best, and it can support a range of cheeses," says Tenaglia. "Make sure to use cheeses that melt well, like cheddar, mozzarella, fontina, or jack. Goat cheese has a nice tang, and blue cheese adds sharpness, but neither does that gooey thing you want for a grilled cheese. If you want to use one, just combine it with a 'melty cheese.'"

Related: 16 Amazing Grilled Cheeses

2.Use a non-stick skillet. "You won't have to use as much fat, so you won't run the risk of a soggy sandwich."

3.Moderate heat is the key. "A good grilled cheese sandwich is brown on the outside and gooey on the inside. This is hard to achieve without burning the bread; make sure to use medium heat. Also, using a mixture of oil and butter prevents the butter from browning too quickly."

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4.Add greens later. "I don't like greens wilted ahead of time; there's something about the freshness of certain elements that are not heated through. Split open the sandwich and add the arugula or lettuce right at the end."

5.Finish it off in the oven. "For me, the worst thing is not to have the cheese melted all the way through. If the bread is browning on the stovetop but the cheese isn't gooey yet, stick the sandwich in a 400-degree oven for a couple of minutes."

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