The Best Cheeses to Elevate Your Grilled Cheese

These are off-the-beaten-path picks that melt well, from elevated cheddar to stinky gems to Alpine classics, proving that all it takes is one transcendent wedge to perk up your grilled cheese. 

This cheddar is like your favorite pair of jeans: an elevated everyday staple. Vault 5 gives you classic cheddar flavor with the meltability of an Alpine—an unbeatable combination. The salty-sweet notes make for a balanced bite. 

An extra dose of cream makes Appenzeller White incredibly smooth and rich, especially when melted. Meanwhile, this Alpine’s mellow flavor keeps it versatile. Expect a subtler bite than older, more robust Appenzeller.

Adapted from a recipe dating back to 9th century Italy, this classic washed-rind cheese is rich in history and flavor. Applying heat to washed rind cheeses like Taleggio amps up their meaty flavor (and makes them extra gooey). Keep the rind in for textural complexity! 

We make this buttery cow’s milk cheese in collaboration with Point Reyes Farmstead Creamery. Cornelia melts beautifully thanks to its ideal moisture content. The notes of roasted peanuts and buttered toast are a natural fit for a toasty sandwich. 

You know it, you love it. Murray’s Cave Aged Gruyère has a supple texture and a sweet aroma of hazelnut and brown butter due to the diverse diet of mountain grasses the cows graze. It’s a classic melter with a deep savory flavor and slight oniony funk, perfect for layering with ham and pickles. 

Murray’s Smoked Mozzarella is a pasta filata-style (stretched curd) cheese, which makes for a great cheese pull. This one has mozzarella’s ooey, gooey factor with a woodsy aroma that works so well with the darker, crunchier bits of toasted bread in a grilled cheese. 

Coming from a farm in Northern France, Murray’s Brie Fermier contains notes of mushrooms and fresh shucked oysters within its oozy paste. In a sandwich, it’s like baked brie for one, with those buttery, button mushroom flavors oozing into the crisp buttered bread. 

Feeling adventurous? Combine any of these cheeses to create your own desire flavor profile and figure out what cheeses go together. Layering cheeses can also help you nail the perfect grilled cheese texture, as different kinds of cheese behave differently when melted. 

Should you go grated or sliced? Softer cheeses like brie and Taleggio need to be sliced, as they’re too soft to grate. But for firmer cheeses like cheddar, gouda, or Gruyère, grating the cheese can create a more even melt.  

Looking for grilled cheese recipes? Check out some of our expert creations, from a classic melt to a deluxe version to grilled cheese croutons. You can also amp up your grilled cheese with a whole spread of toppings, like in our DIY Grilled Cheese Pairings Board.