Inside-Out Grilled Cheese
Cheese inside AND crispy griddled cheese on the outside — a mind-blowing twist on a comfort classic.
Prep: 5 min · Cook: 10 min · Total: 15 min · Serves: 2 · Difficulty: Easy · Rating: 5/5 (208 reviews)
INSPIRED BY
Herm's Inn — Logan, UT
Inspired by Herm's Inn in Logan, UT — a tiny, magical restaurant where even a grilled cheese becomes an unforgettable experience.
Story
The first time I had a grilled cheese with cheese fried onto the outside was at Herm's Inn in Logan, Utah, back when we drove through on a road trip in 2018. I thought about it for years. Then one rainy Tuesday in March, with both kids home from school and the gray sky making everyone cranky, I finally tried to make it myself instead of just romanticizing it. The whole trick is the Parmesan crust, and I botched it the first two attempts. I used pre-grated Parmesan from the green can, and it just sort of sat there and refused to crisp. You need actual shredded Parmesan, the kind from a bag in the dairy case or grated off a block, packed onto the buttered outside of the bread so it has something to grab. It forms a lacy, brittle shell that crackles when you bite it. Heat control matters more than I expected. I had my burner too high the first round and the Parmesan went from pale to scorched in about forty seconds while the cheddar inside was still cold. Medium heat, three to four minutes a side, and you let the crust do its thing slowly. I mix a teaspoon of garlic powder into the softened butter, which is a small touch but it carries. Sourdough is what the recipe calls for and I'd stick with it. I tried it once on regular sandwich bread and it collapsed under its own greasy weight. The sourdough has the structure to hold up. Two slices of cheddar inside is plenty. My 4-year-old declared it "too crunchy on the outside," which is exactly the point, so I made her a plain one and ate the crunchy one myself with zero regret. My older kid dunked his in tomato soup and said it was better than the regular kind, which from a 7-year-old is basically a Michelin star. This isn't health food and it's not subtle, but on a cold day with soup it does the job. Just have a paper towel ready, because the Parmesan crust sheds little golden flakes all over the cutting board and you will want to eat those too.
By Casey
Ingredients
- 4 slices sourdough bread
- 4 slices cheddar cheese
- 1 cup shredded Parmesan
- 3 tbsp butter, softened
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- Pinch of smoked paprika
Instructions
- Butter one side of each bread slice. Mix garlic powder into the butter.
- Place 2 slices of cheddar between 2 bread slices (butter side out).
- Press shredded Parmesan onto the buttered outside of the sandwich — really pack it on.
- Cook on medium heat in a skillet until the Parmesan forms a golden, crispy crust — about 3-4 minutes per side.
- The outside cheese should be lacy and crunchy while the inside is perfectly melted. Dust with smoked paprika and serve hot.
Chef Tips
- Low and slow is the secret. Medium heat gives the outside cheese time to get crispy without burning while the inside melts completely. Use freshly grated Parmesan — the pre-shredded stuff has anti-clumping agents that prevent proper crisping.
Cook's Notes
- **Cheese selection:** Use a blend of low-moisture mozzarella (for melt) and sharp cheddar or Gruyère (for flavor). Single-cheese grilled cheese works but the combination is better.
- **Bread tip:** Day-old white bread or sourdough works best — very fresh bread has too much moisture and the exterior crust gets soggy before the cheese melts.
- **Make-ahead:** Grilled cheese is one dish where make-ahead doesn't work well. The bread loses its crisp quickly. Cook to order.
- **Storage:** Can be held warm in a 200°F oven on a rack for 20 minutes without losing too much crunch.
- **Butter vs mayo:** Spreading the outside of the bread with mayonnaise (not butter) produces a more even, golden-brown crust because of the higher smoke point of the oil. Many professional chefs use this trick.
- **Common mistake:** Using too high heat. The outside should brown while the cheese melts — medium-low heat for 3-4 minutes per side is the right pace. High heat browns the bread before the cheese has melted.
- **Doneness cue:** Lift the edge of the sandwich and look for a deep, evenly golden-brown exterior. Gently press the top — if the cheese has melted, it will give slightly. No resistance means the cheese is still cold.