Sandwiches & Burgers

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This sandwich is easy to make, but most people who've made it ran into the same issue: the bread browns before the cheese melts. The usual fix is to cook low and slow and cover the pan briefly so the cheese has time to get gooey without burning the outside. Also, people who toasted the inside of the bread before assembling it avoided a soggy center and liked the extra bite. If you care about even browning, some cooks flip the sandwich once during cooking, while others leave it face-down and cover, either approach works, it's a preference.

military_tech Why This Recipe Stands Out

• Reliable Results: It turns out well consistently, with few reported problems.
• Repeat Worthy: People who make this tend to come back and make it again.

grocery Ingredients

Kenji's grilled cheese

• 1 tsp butter (or salted butter)
• Salt, to taste
• Bread, sliced
• 1 slice American cheese, sliced
• Additional cheeses

Deb's Frico grilled cheese

• 1 tsp butter, room temperature (or salted butter)
• Sourdough bread, sliced (or other bread)
• 1 tbsp medium cheddar, shredded
• Salt, to taste

book_ribbon Instructions

Kenji's grilled cheese

1. Heat a pan over medium-low heat and aim to maintain about 320u00b0F if you have temperature control; add butter and let it melt in the pan.
2. Sprinkle a little salt into the melted butter in the pan.
3. Place the bread (interior side down) in the melted butter to toast the inside until lightly golden; you do not need to brown it deeplyu2014just warm and lightly toasted.
4. Assemble the sandwich: lay one slice of American cheese in the center of one slice of toasted bread and fill the rest of the sandwich with your chosen additional cheeses.
5. Salt the pan again, move the butter around to coat the pan, then put the assembled sandwich into the pan.
6. Spread butter on the second side of the sandwich before it finishes cooking if needed.
7. Cook the sandwich about 3 minutes per side over medium-low heat; place a chef's press on top with light weight (Kenji uses a 13 ounce press here and notes he normally uses an 8 ounce press) to ensure good contact.
8. Flip and cook the other side until evenly golden brown and the cheese is melted throughout.
9. Remove the sandwich from the pan, cut in half, then (optional) cut and reassemble and squeeze the sides together to help the cheese rebind for a larger cheese pull when you separate the halves.

Deb's Frico grilled cheese

1. Soften butter to room temperature and spread about a teaspoon of butter on the interior side of each slice of sourdough bread.
2. Heat the pan over medium-low heat (aim for around 320u00b0F if possible) and, when hot, sprinkle about a tablespoon of shredded medium cheddar directly onto the hot pan where you will place the sandwich.
3. Lay the prepared, cheese-filled slice of bread on top of the melted-shredded-cheese patch to form a frico (cheese) crust on the outside.
4. Spread butter on the second side of the bread when you flip it over and, if you have more shredded cheese, place the remaining tablespoon or so of shredded cheddar in the pan before cooking the second sandwich.
5. Use a fish spatula or another flexible metal spatula to loosen and remove the crispy cheese crust so none of the frico is left stuck to the pan.
6. Cook each sandwich about 3 minutes per side over medium-low heat until the exterior cheese crust is crisp (on the frico side) and the interior cheese is melted.
7. Remove from the pan, cut, and (optional) press the cut halves back together and squeeze the sides to rebind the cheese for a larger cheese pull when separating the halves.

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This recipe comes together fast, and people who made it found three small moves that make it turn out reliably. Grill the cheese side of the bread before you add any cheese, those who did that were happier with the result. Cook on medium and flip after about 3 minutes; leaving it alone for 7 minutes tended to overcook. When it’s done, set the hot sandwich on a grate instead of a flat surface, people who did that liked how it finished. Follow those three tips and you’ll dodge the common missteps most cooks ran into.

military_tech Why This Recipe Stands Out

• Reliable Results: It turns out well consistently, with few reported problems.
• Repeat Worthy: People who make this tend to come back and make it again.

grocery Ingredients

• 8 slice Texas toast style bread, thick-sliced (or any sandwich bread)
• 4 tbsp butter, softened (or unsalted butter, salted butter)
• 4 slice medium Cheddar cheese, sliced
• 4 slice Gouda cheese, sliced
• 4 slice Havarti cheese, sliced

book_ribbon Instructions

1. Spread 0.5 tablespoon softened butter on one side of each slice of bread.
2. Place a skillet over medium-low heat.
3. Add the bread to the skillet butter-side down; you do not have to wait for the skillet to get hot before adding the bread.
4. Stack one slice each of medium Cheddar, Havarti, and Gouda on top of one bread slice in the skillet.
5. When the toasts are lightly browned on one side, close the sandwich and flip it over.
6. Continue cooking until the toast is a rich golden brown and the cheese is melted, flipping once; total cooking time is about six to seven minutes over lower heat.
7. Press down on the sandwich while cooking if desired to help the bread stick to the cheese.
8. Cut the sandwich in half and serve.

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This one tends to come out great, but there are a few things people who made it want you to know. The biggest trip-up was sharpening a knife over the food, folks who did that ran into trouble, so keep any sharpening away from the prep. Most people who smashed the patties stuck with the recommended pressing method, and those who tried to smash on the grill wished they hadn't, so avoid smashing on the grill. People who grated the onion said it makes a clear difference, so don't underestimate doing that.

military_tech Why This Recipe Stands Out

• Low Effort: Comes together with minimal time or effort.
• Reliable Results: It turns out well consistently, with few reported problems.
• Repeat Worthy: People who make this tend to come back and make it again.

grocery Ingredients

• 1 1/2 lb (680g) Certified Angus Beef ground beef, 80/20 lean
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1 tbsp yellow mustard
• 1 tbsp yellow onion, finely grated
• 2 tsp hot sauce
• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 4 white hamburger buns
• 2 tbsp butter, room temperature
• 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 4 slice American cheese, sliced
• 2 cup iceberg lettuce, finely shredded
• 8 slice vine-ripe tomatoes, thinly sliced

book_ribbon Instructions

1. Portion the ground beef into eight loose balls for four double-patty burgers: divide the 1 1/2 pounds of ground beef in half, then continue dividing each portion in half. If you have a kitchen scale, weigh each portion to 3 ounces each.
2. Loosely form the portions into balls and refrigerate while preparing the rest of the ingredients.
3. Finely grate the yellow onion on a box grater.
4. Mix 1/2 cup mayonnaise, 1 tablespoon yellow mustard, 1 tablespoon grated yellow onion, 2 teaspoons hot sauce, and 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce to make the special sauce.
5. Remove any wilted leaves from the iceberg lettuce and finely shred it.
6. Thinly slice the tomatoes relatively thin so slices are not thicker than the patties.
7. Butter the hamburger buns with the room-temperature butter and toast them over medium heat on a clean griddle before cooking the patties.
8. Preheat the griddle to high for cooking the patties.
9. Place the beef balls on the hot griddle with plenty of room between them because they will spread when smashed.
10. Use a piece of parchment paper between the spatula and each beef ball to prevent sticking, and press firmly with the spatula (using a meat mallet on the spatula if desired) to smash the patties as thin as possible.
11. Season only one side of the smashed patties with kosher salt and black pepper (1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper total for the recipe) while the patties are on the griddle.
12. Cook the patties until a crust forms, using the spatula to scrape up the crust into the pan as you work.
13. Before flipping, spread a little bit of the uncooked special sauce onto the side of each patty that hasn't cooked yet; the mayonnaise-based sauce will help caramelize the onion and add flavor.
14. After flipping and scraping up crust, top half of the cooked patties with slices of American cheese, then place a plain cooked patty on top of each cheesy patty so the hot patty melts the cheese and the cheese acts as a glue between the two patties.
15. Construct each burger immediately: spread special sauce on the heel (bottom) of the toasted bun, add the shredded iceberg lettuce, add a couple tomato slices, then add the double-patty stack and top with the crown (top) of the bun.
16. For a fast-foodu2013style presentation, wrap each assembled burger in a parchment paper square by folding and tucking the corners to contain the burger while eating.

military_tech Why This Recipe Stands Out

• Reliable Results: It turns out well consistently, with few reported problems.
• Repeat Worthy: People who make this tend to come back and make it again.

grocery Ingredients

• 2 sliced bread, sliced 1 to 1.5 centimeters thick (or white bread, white sourdough, sandwich bread)
• Butter
• Mozzarella cheese, grated (or Swiss cheese)
• Salt, to taste
• Black pepper
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 white onion
• Mushrooms, sliced (or shiitake mushrooms, portobello mushrooms)
• Ham
• Egg

book_ribbon Instructions

1. Choose sandwich bread about 1 to 1.5 centimeters thick per slice; use bakery sandwich bread, white bread, or white sourdough as desired.
2. Grate the cheese with a grater or microplane so it melts easily.
3. Smear the exterior sides of both slices of bread evenly with butter.
4. Assemble the basic grilled-cheese: place grated cheese between the two buttered exterior sides so the buttered sides will hit the pan.
5. Heat a frying pan over low to medium heat; do not add additional oil, butter, or grease to the pan.
6. Place the sandwich in the pan, cover with a lid that is smaller than the pan to provide some weight, and cook for a couple minutes.
7. Check the bottom for a golden, crusty brown; when achieved, flip the sandwich, cover again, and cook until the second side is golden and the cheese inside is meltedu2014peek inside slightly to confirm melt.
8. If using square bread, cut the finished sandwich diagonally before serving.
9. Mushroom toastie variant: heat a pan over medium heat and fry 1 clove minced garlic and half a white onion for about three minutes.
10. Add sliced mushrooms (for example shiitake or portobello), season with a little salt and black pepper, and slowly cook down until the mushrooms are about one third of their original volume.
11. Butter the exterior sides of two bread slices, assemble with the cooked mushrooms and a generous amount of grated cheese, then toast using the same covered, low-to-medium-heat method described above until the bread is golden and the cheese holds the filling together.
12. Egg, ham, and cheese variant: spread melted butter on the exterior of the bread, layer ham, add a large amount of grated cheese, and form a high well in the center of the cheese to hold an egg.
13. Reduce the heat a little for the egg-and-ham sandwich because it will take slightly longer to cook; toast covered until the bottom is golden and the egg has cooked to your liking, checking by peeking inside.

military_tech Why This Recipe Stands Out

• Reliable Results: It turns out well consistently, with few reported problems.
• Repeat Worthy: People who make this tend to come back and make it again.

grocery Ingredients

Burgers

• 80 percent ground beef, 80/20 mix of brisket and chuck (or store-bought pre-ground beef)
• American cheese
• Hamburger buns (or pre-made buns)
• Salt, to taste
• Ranch seasoning powder, to taste
• French onion dip powder, to taste

Sauce

• Mayonnaise
• Ketchup
• Mustard
• Worcestershire sauce

book_ribbon Instructions

1. If possible, grind your own beef from brisket and chuck and combine to an 80/20 fat ratio.
2. Portion the ground beef into balls measuring 3 ounces each.
3. Preheat a cast iron griddle until hot.
4. Place the beef balls on the griddle, put a sheet of parchment paper over each ball, and smash them down to a thickness of a quarter inch.
5. When juices start to appear on the top of the patties, season them: use salt for the control burgers, or sprinkle ranch seasoning powder or French onion dip powder for the two variant burgers.
6. Use a paint scraper to scrape under the patties and preserve the crust, then flip each patty once the crust has formed.
7. Lay American cheese on each flipped patty, cover the patties, and allow the cheese to melt for about 30 seconds.
8. Place one patty on top of another to stack if desired, and assemble on hamburger buns.
9. Make the sauce by mixing a good amount of mayonnaise, ketchup, a tiny bit of mustard, and some Worcestershire sauce; mix until combined and use on the finished burgers.

crowdsource Community Insights

People who made this found the biggest difference comes from how you cook it: a panini press gave the most consistent, even result, while people who tried a pan ran into issues. If you want richer bread, some cooks melted a stick of butter and brushed it on before pressing, the ones who added butter into the pan after flipping usually regretted that. Also, people who used American cheese called that a mistake (the same complaint came up about grated parmesan, cheddar, and imitation American gouda), so be cautious with your cheese choice.

military_tech Why This Recipe Stands Out

• Reliable Results: It turns out well consistently, with few reported problems.
• Repeat Worthy: People who make this tend to come back and make it again.

grocery Ingredients

Tomato soup

• Tomatoes, on the vine (or vineless tomatoes)
• Yellow onion, quartered
• 1 clove garlic, smashed
• Olive oil
• Salt, to taste
• Black pepper, freshly cracked
• Water
• Cream
• 2 leaf parsley

Grilled cheese

• Fontina, grated
• Gouda, grated
• Cheddar, grated (or sliced cheese)
• Sourdough bread, sliced (or pre-sliced sourdough)
• Butter, softened
• Mayonnaise
• Parmesan cheese, grated (or omit parmesan)

book_ribbon Instructions

Tomato soup

1. Layer a bunch of tomatoes on a sheet tray, preferably tomatoes still on the vine.
2. Quarter a yellow onion and wedge the pieces evenly throughout the tray.
3. Smash one whole garlic clove with the palm of your hand and a knife and spread it across the tray.
4. Drizzle the tray with olive oil and coat everything evenly with salt and freshly cracked black pepper.
5. Roast the sheet tray in the oven at 425 Fahrenheit until the tomatoes and onion are nice and softened.
6. When the tray is out of the oven, remove the tomato vines and scrape all the roasted tomatoes, onion, garlic, and browned bits into a blender.
7. Start blending on low, then increase the speed and blend until silky; if the soup is too thick, pour a bit of boiling water from a saucepan onto the tray, mix to deglaze, then add that liquid to the blender and blend again.
8. Blend until the mixture becomes light and slightly foamy, then add a little splash of cream, a touch more freshly cracked black pepper, and the tiniest pinch of salt and give one final gentle blend with a touch more liquid as needed.
9. Keep the finished soup on low heat without boiling until ready to serve.
10. To serve, ladle soup into bowls, add a couple of parsley leaves if desired, drizzle with olive oil, and finish with fresh cracked black pepper.

Grilled cheese

1. Grate cheddar, fontina, and Gouda along their long side to produce long strands and toss the grated cheeses together gently in a bowl until evenly mixed.
2. Prepare sourdough slices and spread softened butter across the outsides of each slice, then lightly paint mayonnaise over the butter.
3. Optionally sprinkle a little grated Parmesan onto the outside of the sandwiches for extra umami on the crust, then place the assembled sandwiches on a wire rack while finishing the soup.
4. Heat a pan over medium heat with a bit of butter, then place a sandwich in the pan and gently press down across the sandwich to ensure even contact with the pan.
5. Cook until the bottom is golden, adjusting heat and rotating the sandwich in the pan as needed, then flip when the bottom is golden brown.
6. After flipping, place a lid on the pan to trap steam and help melt the cheese; if desired, tilt the pan and add a little water away from the sandwich (making sure it doesn't touch the sandwich) then cover to create more steam.
7. When the cheese is melted, quickly clean the center of the pan and grate Parmesan across the center in the footprint of the sandwich, place the sandwich down onto the grated Parmesan, cover with the lid to melt and set the Parmesan into a thin crispy crust, and let it set (the video notes this extra crust takes about 90 seconds).
8. When the Parmesan crust is crisp and the sandwich is golden and smoky at the edges, remove from the pan, tear the sandwich open by hand if desired, and serve with the tomato soup for dipping.

military_tech Why This Recipe Stands Out

• Reliable Results: It turns out well consistently, with few reported problems.
• Repeat Worthy: People who make this tend to come back and make it again.

grocery Ingredients

Burgers

• 1 1/2 lb (680g) ground beef, divided into 8 portions, loosely rolled into balls
• 2 tbsp butter, melted
• Salt, to taste
• Black pepper
• Garlic powder
• 4 slice medium cheddar cheese, thick-sliced

Burger Sauce

• 1/3 cup mayonnaise
• 1 tsp yellow mustard

Toppings

• 4 brioche buns, toasted, buttered on cut side
• 2 cup iceberg lettuce, shredded
• 1 tomato, large, sliced
• 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced into rings
• 2 dill pickles, sliced

book_ribbon Instructions

1. Divide 1.5 pounds of 80/20 ground beef into eight equal portions (about 3 ounces each) and loosely roll each portion into a ball.
2. Cover the meatballs with plastic wrap and refrigerate until the meat is cold.
3. Make the burger sauce by stirring together 1/3 cup mayonnaise and 1 teaspoon yellow mustard; set aside.
4. Thinly slice 1/2 red onion into rings, thinly slice 1 large tomato, shred and crisp 2 cups iceberg lettuce (remove outer soft leaves), and transfer the pickles to a bowl; arrange toppings and 4 thick slices of medium cheddar cheese on a serving platter.
5. Preheat the cooktop to medium. Butter the cut sides of the buns with softened or melted butter (about 2 tablespoons total) and toast cut-side down on the preheated griddle or skillet for 1 to 2 minutes, until lightly golden underneath; transfer toasted buns to a wire rack.
6. Crank the griddle to medium-high heat.
7. Place the chilled meatballs on the preheated griddle, top each with a piece of parchment paper, and smash each ball as thin as you can using a spatula and a meat mallet or a burger press so the patty makes maximum contact with the cooktop.
8. Cook the smashed patties about 2 minutes on the first side; during this time season with salt, black pepper, and garlic powder (optional) and add a dab of the prepared sauce to the patty. Flip when juices collect on the surface, scraping firmly under each patty to preserve the browning.
9. After flipping, cover one patty with a thick slice of cheddar, top it with a second cooked patty to make a double-stack, and cook about 1 minute on the second side, then remove from the griddle.
10. Assemble each burger: spread a generous amount of burger sauce on the bottom toasted bun, add three pickle slices, shredded lettuce, two slices of tomato, a little red onion, then the double-stacked patty with cheese; top with the toasted top bun.
11. If desired, wrap burgers restaurant-style by folding a square of parchment paper in half into a triangle, placing it halfway over the burger, tucking under two corners, and bringing the bottom corner up and over to enclose the burger.

crowdsource Community Insights

This one comes together quickly and people who made it loved the flavor, but a few practical things kept coming up. What trips people up is touching raw meat and then other items, people who kept a separate plate and utensils for raw and cooked meat avoided cross-contamination. Also, people who added pickles usually regretted it; instead, many mixed their own burger sauce from mayo, tomato sauce, mustard, and a splash of pickle juice and skipped dressing. Finally, if you want a heartier bite, people who went with two patties liked the result.

military_tech Why This Recipe Stands Out

• Reliable Results: It turns out well consistently, with few reported problems.
• Repeat Worthy: People who make this tend to come back and make it again.

We couldn't confidently pull the full ingredient list and instructions from this video yet — watch it above for the complete recipe.

military_tech Why This Recipe Stands Out

• Reliable Results: It turns out well consistently, with few reported problems.
• Repeat Worthy: People who make this tend to come back and make it again.

crowdsource Community Insights

This one really lives or dies on the smash step and the patty thickness. Most people who've made this found that laying a square of parchment under the meat before you smash keeps the burger from sticking and gives a cleaner, more even press. What trips people up is overthick patties and pressing during cooking, thinner patties turn out better, and pushing down on a burger while it cooks just squeezes out the juices and leaves it drier, so shape them thinner from the start. If you want, some cooks add thin-sliced onions on with the patties as they cook for a quick browned-onion boost.

military_tech Why This Recipe Stands Out

• Easy To Customize: Home cooks often adapt it to what they have without issue.
• Reliable Results: It turns out well consistently, with few reported problems.
• Repeat Worthy: People who make this tend to come back and make it again.

grocery Ingredients

Burgers

• 1 1/2 lb (680g) ground beef, 80/20 mix
• Salt, to taste
• Black pepper

Toppings & Cheese

• Red onion, very thinly sliced
• Tomato, thinly sliced
• 1 slice cheddar cheese, thinly sliced (or American cheese, any of your favorite cheeses)
• Iceberg lettuce
• Pickles

Sauce

• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1 tbsp ketchup
• 1 tsp mustard
• 1 tsp relish

Buns & Finishing

• Brioche buns
• Butter, melted

book_ribbon Instructions

1. Divide the ground beef into eight equal portions and roll each portion into a ball with clean hands.
2. Place the balls on a plate or small baking sheet, cover, and chill for 20 minutes or up to 6 hours.
3. While the patties chill, prepare toppings: very thinly slice red onion, thinly slice tomato, prepare thinly sliced cheddar, and get iceberg lettuce and pickles ready.
4. Make the burger sauce in a small bowl by mixing 1/4 cup mayonnaise, about 1 tablespoon ketchup, 1 teaspoon mustard, and 1 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon relish; stir to combine. This amount makes enough sauce for about four burgers.
5. Preheat a cast iron skillet or griddle over medium-high heat.
6. If toasting buns, cut the brioche buns, brush the cut sides with melted butter, and toast face-down in the hot pan for about 1 minute; transfer toasted buns to a baking sheet.
7. Work 2–4 patties at a time depending on pan size. Place a beef ball on the hot pan, smash it flat immediately with a spatula (use a can or other heavy object if needed), then season the top with salt and pepper.
8. Cook the smashed patty for 1 to 2 minutes, then flip it, season the cooked side with salt and pepper, and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes until cooked through.
9. If adding cheese, place one slice for a double-decker or two slices (if using single slices) on the patty after flipping so it melts while the second side cooks.
10. Repeat the smashing, seasoning, and cooking process with the remaining patties.
11. Spread about a tablespoon of sauce on each toasted bun bottom.
12. Assemble burgers by placing the cooked patties on the sauced buns and piling on toppings: thinly sliced onion, thinly sliced tomato (seasoned with salt and pepper), pickles if using, and shredded or torn lettuce.
13. Give the assembled burger one last press and serve.