What Are The Differences Between Toasted Cheese and Grilled Cheese?

Toasted cheese and grilled cheese are both fantastic ways to combine bread with cheese and both taste wonderfully delicious. There are some minor differences between toasted cheese and grilled cheese but both of them have a unique taste to them.

Toasted cheese usually contains less cheese and bread than grilled cheese sandwiches which also creates differences between the taste of toasted cheese and grilled cheese. There are also differences in the preparation and construction between these two dishes.

In this article, we will discuss thoroughly these two food items, how they are made, how they taste, and the major differences between them so that you can easily make the decision of which one to make when you crave the superb combination of melted cheese on crispy toasted bread.

What Is Toasted Cheese?

Toasted cheese or cheese on toast is a food made by melting cheese and spreading it on a piece of toast. The melted cheese can be melted and spread on the toast separately or the cheese can be melted on top of the bread in the oven under heat. Toasted cheese is open-faced meaning the cheese is not sandwiched between two pieces of toast.

How to Make Toasted Cheese?

The best method of making toasted cheese is toasting a slice of bread on the pan or in the toaster, grading the cheese to cover the top of the toasted bread with the grated cheese, and putting it in the oven with the side containing the grated cheese facing upwards at 200 C or 390 F.

Take the toast out of the oven after the cheese is completely melted and you can see the brown spots forming on top of the toast.

What Is Grilled Cheese?

Grilled cheese or grilled cheese sandwich is made with stuffing melted cheese between two slices of bread. Grilled cheese can be made on the pan or in the oven but the pan method is more popular.

How to Make Grilled Cheese?

Heat a pan on medium-high and put a nob of butter in it. After the butter is sufficiently hot, put two slices of bread in the pan. Grate some cheese, put it on top of one of the bread slices, and sandwich it with the other slice.

Cover the pan, turn the heat to low, and keep the heat on until the outer layer of the sandwich is toasted to a crispy golden brown and the cheese in the middle is melted.

What’s the Difference Between Toasted Cheese and Grilled Cheese?

The major differences between toasted cheese and grilled cheese are listed below.

Method of Preparation

Grilled cheese is usually made in a non-stick frying pan or a regular pan while toasted cheese is made in a oven. This is because, in a grilled cheese sandwich, the cheese is sandwiched between two slices of bread. This means that the cheese can never come into contact with the pan and so it never sticks.

On the other hand, on toasted cheese, the cheese is open-faced on a toast, so it needs to be prepared in a toaster oven.

Construction 

A grilled cheese sandwich has two slices of bread with a layer of cheese sandwiched between the bread and a toasted cheese has one slice of bread with a layer of cheese on top of the bread.

Popularity

Grilled cheese sandwiches are very popular in North America and are enjoyed for breakfast, dinner, and lunch. It is often served as the main dish with tomato soup at restaurants in North America. It has less popularity in other parts of the world but generally, grilled cheese is more popular than toasted cheese.

Meal Type

Grilled cheese can be served during breakfast, lunch, and even dinner as it suits all occasions but toasted cheese is usually served as an appetizer before the main course.

Taste

Grilled cheese sandwiches contain more bread than toasted cheese which is why you can taste the cheese more in toasted cheese. Taste differs from person to person but generally, more people would say that they enjoy the taste of grilled cheese more than toasted cheese.

Is a Grilled Cheese Healthy?

Grilled cheese is not a very healthy meal. It is dense in calories and lacks fiber and vitamins. This makes grilled cheese sandwiches very delicious, mouth-watering, and tasty but it also makes grilled cheese sandwiches a relatively unhealthy food. It is not that unhealthy that eating it will cause instant problems but you have to have a diverse diet to get all the nutrients and cannot eat grilled cheese all day.

So, therefore, grilled cheese sandwiches are healthy in small doses but not that healthy when eaten too frequently. So have a grilled cheese sandwich occasionally but avoid eating it every day as it will otherwise have negative consequences on your health.

Is a Toasted Cheese Healthy?

Toasted cheese contains less cheese and bread which means that it has fewer calories than grilled cheese sandwiches. This makes a toasted cheese relatively healthier than grilled cheese sandwiches. But toasted cheese still contains a lot of fat, protein, and carbs so it can also cause health issues if eaten without moderation. 

Frequently Asked Questions

What Kind of Cheese Makes a Good Grilled Cheese?

There are numerous options to choose from to prepare a flavorsome grilled cheese sandwich. Some of the best cheese options include mozzarella, vintage cheddar or gruyere, brie, gouda, fontina, havarti, Monterey Jack, and classic American cheese. 

These cheeses make fantastic grilled cheese sandwiches. You can use any one of these cheeses to make a grilled cheese sandwich or you can combine two or three by grating them on the sandwich. Combining multiple types of cheese gives a fantastic result.

What Kind of Cheese Is Best for Each?

Grilled cheese and toasted cheese both require stretchy, stringy, and easy-melting cheeses. American cheese is the simplest option for a grilled cheese sandwich as it is easy to put in between bread slices. Other good options for cheese while making a grilled cheese sandwich include Cheddar, Mozzarella, Gouda, Fontina, Gruyere, Havarti, Provolone, Swiss Cheese, and blue Cheese.

Cheese toastie or toasted cheese can also be made with the cheeses mentioned above such as Cheddar, Mozzarella, Gouda, Fontina, Gruyere, Havarti, American Cheese, etc.

What Goes Well With Grilled Cheese?

Grilled cheese is usually served with hot tomato soup. Hot tomato soup and grilled cheese are popular in North America as numerous restaurants serve this delicious combo meal. Tomato soup’s sweet, spicy, and tangy flavor goes very well with the crispy, salty, grilled cheese sandwich. Sometimes it is served with french fries and various types of dipping sauces.

Are Grilled Cheese and Toasted Cheese Vegetarian-Friendly?

Yes, grilled cheese and toasted cheese are vegetarian-friendly food items as they do not include meat from any animal source. But cheese is an animal product which means that grilled cheese and toasted cheese are not vegan-friendly as vegans cannot eat any meal containing any animal product.

So, grilled cheese and toasted cheese are vegetarian-friendly but not vegan-friendly.