5 Untraditional Grilled Cheese Recipes in Honor of National Grilled Cheese Day

If you don't already know, National Grilled Cheese Day is on April 12 every year, and it's a great excuse to show off your culinary skills.

Well, there's a lot more to grilled cheese sandwiches than meets the eye. Don't think of them as a complete recipe, but rather a blank slate that you can fill with savory, or even sweet, goodness.

In honor of National Grilled Cheese Day, let's talk about some unique and delicious recipes to impress your loved ones!

1. Roasted Strawberry, Brie, & Chocolate

We know this sounds strange, but bear with us. This is an excellent sweet treat, and the brie works so perfectly with the chocolate and strawberries. We highly recommend you try it before skipping over this idea, as it could be an excellent dessert treat to enjoy your new favorite holiday.

Grab four to six strawberries and cut them into quarters. For larger strawberries, you may want more pieces or to thinly slice them. This is entirely up to you.

From there, grab a couple of pieces of your favorite bread (we'd recommend a multi-grain sourdough), two to three ounces of brie (sliced), and one to two ounces of high-quality chocolate. We'd recommend semi-sweet chocolate, but any will do just fine.

Now, preheat your oven to 375^F and toss your strawberries on a baking sheet for around 20 minutes. Once they're ready, put a little oil into your pan (preferably butter or canola oil), lay down your bread and brie, add your fillings, and cook until golden brown. Serve immediately.

If you really, really want to make this into something unique and special, feel free to dip your bread into a French toast batter first.

2. Beet, Arugula, & Goat Cheese

Start by roasting some beets however you prefer. You can do this in the oven, but we'd recommend roasting them in a pan with some sherry. Otherwise, bake them with some oil and salt at 375^F for 20 to 30 minutes.

Test their tenderness by poking them with a fork and, when you think they're ready, take them out and fry them with some oil to get a nice crisp on the outside. You can add sherry, red wine, vinegar, or anything you like to the pan.

From there, toss these beets between two pieces of high-quality, bakery-fresh bread with some goat cheese and arugula and toss them in the pan, butter-side down. Cook until golden brown and serve almost immediately, as it should only need a minute to cool.

3. Mac and Cheese

Believe it or not, mac and cheese is the 4th most popular Italian dish and the 7th most popular dish in the United States. Well, the grilled cheese version has been around for a long time, but there are too many variations to choose from.

We recommend making some mac and cheese in the oven (however you prefer) and taking some out to caramelize it on the stove, adding panko breadcrumbs if you choose. The caramelized cheese will add a delicious, crispy layer to the inside of your sandwich, so don't skip this step!

From there, it's entirely up to you. Pre-packaged or homemade, melting more cheese in your sandwich, white bread or whole wheat, you really can't go wrong with this recipe. Our only tip would be to add some salt and pepper to the fillings before serving.

Of course, this is the perfect recipe if you happen to have leftover mac & cheese in your refrigerator, but consider making a big batch if you're entertaining. When choosing a cheese, make sure it's paired with the right wine.

If you really want to step up your mac and cheese grilled cheese game, feel free to add some bacon (pork, turkey, veggie, your choice!). You can chop up pieces and make it with the mac and cheese, or you can just add a couple of slices into the finished product.

4. The Mediterranean

Now, there is a lot you can do to add more delicious Mediterranean content to your grilled cheese, and every flavor will work to complement the others. Feel free to get as creative as you'd like.

However, for this one, we're going to recommend:

• Sourdough bread
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Whole milk mozzarella & feta
• Spinach
• Roma tomato slices
• Chopped garlic
• Olives of your choice
• Freshly cracked black pepper

Now, if that list of ingredients didn't make your mouth water, we don't know what will. We recommend roasting the spinach with some garlic separately before adding it to your sandwich, and feel free to add some red onions if you choose.

5. Avocado Grilled Cheese

This may sound as straightforward as it gets, but there are plenty of ways to jazz this up.

First, start by slicing a quarter of an avocado to your desired thickness. Then, put these slices into a bowl and toss them with some fresh lime juice and a little salt.

From there, toss these slices between two pieces of your favorite bread with some pepper jack cheese for some extra flavor. If you don't want pepper jack, then any Mexican blend, Monterey Jack, or cheddar will perform admirably.

For any heat lovers who want to add a kick to their Mexican-style grilled cheese, you can always try roasting some peppers in a pan or tossing your avocado slices with a little hot sauce. As always, feel free to get creative.

Enjoy National Grilled Cheese Day

Now that you know some excellent, nontraditional ways to celebrate, make some delicious sandwiches for your family and friends and enjoy National Grilled Cheese Day. Invite your loved ones and show them that grilled cheeses can be a lot more than three simple ingredients!

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