Make Grilled Cheese Melt Faster Without Cranking Up The Heat Or Waiting Around

The only thing better than having a grilled cheese sandwich right now is having one 60 seconds ago. But the last thing you want to do is rush the process by cranking up the heat —  you'll only be left with burnt bread with unmelted cheese in the middle. Instead, add a bit of water to your pan and cover it with a lid to speed up the cook time.

You may have seen a cook at a diner do this by sprinkling water on a flat top, then covering with a cloche. If you do it at home in a frying pan, don't use too much water. The shape of the pan could cause it to pool under the bread. Once you've browned the sandwich on one side and completed the first flip, add 1 teaspoon of water, starting with about a ½ teaspoon, just to be safe. 

You could also try the grilled cheese ice cube trick if you don't want to measure anything. Just be sure to put the water (or cube) next to, but not on, the sandwich. You're not trying to make the sandwich wet; you're trying to create steam. The steam method works with any grilled cheese recipe. You can also follow our tips for the ultimate grilled cheese sandwich to make it even better.

Normally, steam is anathema to a grilled cheese sandwich — but in this case, it's actually helpful. A tiny bit of steam melts the cheese without making the bread soggy. Steam transfers heat efficiently, which is why it's a reliable cooking method all on its own. While bread often browns faster than cheese melts — especially if you use thick slices or a harder cheese — it should be much closer to fully melted, and the sandwich should cook faster than it would without the steam.

If you find the cheese still isn't melty enough, try adding the water before you flip the sandwich so it has more time to steam. As long as you keep an eye on it and ensure it doesn't burn or get soggy, either method should work fine. You could also try using something other than water to generate steam. A little bit of chicken broth can add flavor, or even pickle juice if you want a hint of briny flavor in your sandwich.

Another pro is that this method is especially useful if you want to use hard-to-melt cheeses in your sandwich. Older cheeses like aged cheddar and aged Gouda, as well as crumbly cheeses like Gorgonzola or feta, can soften with the steam and make for a more unique grilled cheese.