Alex Guarnaschelli’s Tip for the Best Grilled Cheese (It’s In Your Fridge)

In this modern era of TikTok, Instagram Reels, Reddit, and everything in between, expert information is always at our fingertips. Everyone has a hack for all of life’s woes, some obvious, some genius, and lots somewhere in between.

In 2025, at the ripe old age of 40, with almost 30 years of experience with making grilled cheese sandwiches, I never thought I’d learn a trick that would completely change the game. 

This is the type of trick so completely obvious that it never even crossed my mind, and it comes from the one and only Alex Guarnaschelli. I love Guarnaschelli because she has a way of teaching home cooks tips that comes from her decades of experience working and running restaurant kitchens, in a very clear and straightforward way. Her advice does not overwhelm; it empowers. Her most recent bit of culinary wisdom? The art of the grilled cheese.

Now, at this point, I’ve tried a lot of grilled cheese tips. Adding a little Dijon to the inside of the bread can cut through richness, mayo can give you a perfect crust, a little steam can encourage melting, and hot honey can take things to the next level, but nothing prepared me for this.

How To Make Alex Guarnaschelli’s Grilled Cheese

In her recent Instagram reel, Guarnaschelli shared not one but two groundbreaking tips for making the perfect grilled cheese. First, she adds a thin layer of softened butter on the inside of the sandwich. It goes without saying that more butter is better, but this clever little trick adds flavor and richness beyond just that.

The butter also helps with melting, too. The fat in the butter works somewhat like a heat conductor, ensuring the heat from the pan is transferred evenly throughout the cheese, allowing it to melt more evenly. It also keeps the bread from drying out, so you get the best of both worlds: a crisp, golden-brown exterior with a soft, gooey interior. 

The butter doesn’t stop between the bread; Guarnaschelli also uses a generous pat of butter to pan-fry her sandwiches, too. However, what blew me away while watching the video was the way she finished the sandwich in the oven. A subtle chef flex, but it makes all the difference in a grilled cheese. I can’t believe I haven’t been doing it for the last 30 years!

This allows you to get the perfect golden brown crust, then finish melting the cheese in the oven. No more burnt bread in pursuit of the perfect cheese pull, or a picture-perfect exterior hiding the shame of cold cheese in the center!

If you are going to try this tip at home, make sure you use an oven-safe pan and pop it in when the second side is almost golden brown. That side will get a little darker in the oven. A moderate oven—375°F—is all you need to melt the cheese; it should take about three minutes.