Toasted Cheese Vs Grilled Cheese

Introduction

Half of the American people make grilled cheese for their breakfast. The rest argue whether it should be called toasted cheese or not.

But guess what? That argument has never had a winner. So we thought we could take a step forward and settle the feud. Clearly, grilled cheese and toasted cheese are not the same.

So, toasted cheese vs grilled cheese: which team are you on?

The ingredients for making toasted cheese and grilled cheese are the same. But they differ in a lot of ways. Toasted cheese is an open-faced toast. And grilled cheese is made with two pieces of bread. Grilled cheese is made in a grilling pan. Whereas toasted cheese is made in an oven/broiler. Apart from these, their varieties, buttering, cheese factor, texture, calories, etc make them different.

These are the differences between toasted cheese and grilled cheese in a nutshell. But there’s more. To find out if you’re wrong, spare a minute and read along!

Let’s start toasting-

A Quick Comparison: Not Just Bread And Cheese

Yes! What you are about to see is true. No matter how many times you read it, toasted cheese and grilled cheese will never be the same. These two popular sandwiches have a lot of differences no one knows about. I bet you didn’t know the comparison between onion granules and powder as well!

We admit there are lots of speculations out there on the internet regarding these two sandwiches. And we’ve carefully handpicked the differences that matter [thanks to the arguments], just for you! So, we are going to dissect each and every detail of these two American favorites!

But before we dissect the details, here’s a quick overview. This overview presents the differences between toasted cheese and grilled cheese-

And now that your confusions are clear, let’s dive deeper into their differences-

Toasted Cheese Vs Grilled Cheese: Head To Head

Getting confused between cheese toast and grilled cheese is super easy. I mean it’s just toasted bread and cheese.

However, several factors make them apart. And that is exactly what we are going to let you know. So, here we go-

Of Course, They Don’t Look The Same

You might be wondering why does their appearance matter? They are literally bread and cheese. I mean, they are going to end up in my stomach anyway.

But think about it, you don’t call a burrito a sandwich, do you?

The fact that they don’t look the same will help you identify which is which. The ingredients of the toasted cheese and grilled cheese are the same. However, you can’t prepare them the same way.

Grilled cheese is a sandwich made with two pieces of bread and cheese. Which is later grilled in a pan. This is how a typical sandwich would look like two pieces of bread with melted cheese in between.   

On the other hand, toasted cheese is made with open one-sided toasted bread with cheese toppings. This is more like a typical morning breakfast: cheese on top of a piece of bread.

Oh, Wait! They Are Not Made The Same Way

Yes! They are not! This is another common assumption people make about grilled cheese and toasted cheese. But can we blame them? You can go ahead and google ‘how to make toasted cheese’. The results will show you some recipes for grilled cheese. This confuses people even more. That’s why finding the true difference would require some extensive research.

And our research tells us-

Grilled cheese is made with two pieces of bread. You take the bread and butter them up nicely. Put your favorite cheese between them. Finally, fire up the stove and grill the sandwich. Heat them until the cheese melts. The bread will turn a beautiful golden brown.

For toasted cheese, you can either toast the bread in the oven. Or you can heat them in a broiler. While your toast is getting ready, go ahead and melt some cheese in your pan. Make sure to butter the cheese before frying. After the toast is golden and crunchy, put the melted cheese on top. That’s it! You have toasted cheese!

Where Do I Make Them?

This is another tricky question people ask about toasted and grilled cheese. This question cannot be answered simply with yes/no. But one thing is sure; they are not made with the same kitchen utensils.

Grilled cheese is made using a frying/grilling pan, with 3-5 minutes per side. Hence the name grilled cheese.                    

That’s just one side of the story-

Unlike grilled cheese, toasted cheese is usually made in the oven or the broiler for 10 minutes at 450 degrees F (230 degrees C) until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Toasted cheese is the easiest to make if you don’t feel like cooking anything. Although it’s the easiest, it does have some drawbacks. Which will be discussed later in this article.

I Bet You Didn’t See Their Varieties Coming

You probably already have your favorite toast. Almost everyone loves to add their touch to make things more enjoyable. I mean who doesn’t love bacon or avocado slices with their grilled cheese?

Grilled cheese has more varieties than toasted cheese. The reason is that people tend to make grilled cheese a proper meal, either for lunch or breakfast. They can customize it any way they want. There are lots of add-ons that pair up well with grilled cheese. The most popular ones are-

• Avocado slices
• Tomatoes
• Chopped carrot
• Caramelized onions
• Spinach
• Arugula
• Mushrooms
• Zucchini
• Pepper and many more.

Surprisingly enough, grilled cheese is also popular with fruits. You can add a slice of apple or strawberries for some sweetness.

On the contrary, toasted cheese does not have that much variation. Since this is more like a snack, people don’t require a variation. However, if you do want to add anything, try adding an egg yolk, and black pepper.

But of course, it’s your sandwich, you can do whatever you want. So put on your MasterChef apron and get creative.

Did the team toast Cheese Or Grilled Cheese?

Now that you know which one is which, how will you choose?

There are a number of factors that make both sandwiches different. However, choosing any one of these toasts depends on you. Here are some of the factors that will help you choose: team toasted cheese or team grilled cheese.

You’re Right! The Buttering Is Different

Buttering is an important aspect of grilled cheese and toasted cheese. Both of them are buttered differently. But a lot of people are unaware of it.

In a grilled cheese sandwich, both pieces of bread are buttered. That too on both sides. On the other hand, toasted cheese is only buttered on one side. And it’s toasted in the oven with the buttered side up.

Buttering makes a huge difference when toasted or grilled with bread. That is also another reason grilled cheese is cheesier and juicier than toasted cheese. More on this later. 

Say Cheese

Grilled cheese and toasted cheese are so loved around the world only because of cheese. You don’t even need any add-ons if you’re a cheese lover at heart. You can have your toast with your favorite cheese.

The cheese of grilled cheese or toasted cheese is the most important ingredient ever. How else would we make a sandwich? However, you cannot use just any cheese to make toasted cheese and grilled cheese. Because not all cheeses melt. Some cheese doesn’t even melt in hot soup. 

That’s why, for making these sandwiches, you at least need to learn the types of cheese best for grilled and toasted cheese-

• American Cheese
• Swiss
• Cheddar 
• Brie
• Gruyere
• Manchego
• Colby
• Monterey Jack
• Mozzarella
• Provolone

Now, you can add this cheese to any of your favorite toast. However, the cheese factor of both the toasts is not the same. As grilled cheese is made in a frying pan, the cheese completely melts. But when you toast the cheese in the oven, the melted cheese will become solid again after cooling. This is the reason grilled cheese sandwiches are cheesier and oozy than toasted cheese. 

Don’t Forget The Texture

When you’re taking a bite of any of the cheese toast you might be getting two types of textures. One is slightly dry and the other is creamy. It’s up to you which one you want. But, this texture makes a huge difference when identifying toasted cheese and grilled cheese.

If you love gooey cheese, then grilled cheese is probably the best for you. As it’s made in the frying pan, the cheese completely melts into a thick creamy filling. You might have to bear with the mess you make in the kitchen. Due to the dripping cheese.

On the other hand, the scenario for toasted cheese is different. All you’ll get is the cheese on top of toasted bread. Now if you think, the oven will completely melt the cheese. You’re wrong! As soon as you take it out, the cheese will start to become solid again.

This will give you a dry texture when you take a bite. But will create less of a mess in your kitchen or oven.

They Don’t Have The Same Calories, Do They?

You tell me. You have bread, cheese, and butter. Of course, the calories will be high. However, as we said before, the calories of toasted cheese and grilled cheese will also be different. 

The reason is that, when you’re making grilled cheese, you’re putting in more butter. And grilling it with a little amount of cooking oil.

And in the case of toasted cheese, minus the oil and a fraction of the butter. Both of them have fat which takes the calories way up-

These will definitely be out of your list if you were on a diet.

Not Good For Gums

Do not think about having the toasted cheese, if you have gum issues. That’s because toasted cheese becomes very hard to chew after cooling. And that might hurt your gums afterward.

On the other hand, grilled cheese is hard outside and soft inside. So having grilled cheese will not be an issue for gum problems. I mean, if you don’t want a $200 dentist appointment, you better stick with team grilled cheese.

FAQs

The Verdict

We hope you’re not too shocked after knowing and comparing the toasted cheese vs grilled cheese drama. If you want a winner, it’s up to you and your preferences. You don’t like a creamy texture? You can go for toasted cheese. 

If you don’t have an oven, make yourself a grilled cheese. They are easy to make and can be customized [add a little paprika on top!].

Let us know what you think about toasted cheese and grilled cheese in the comments!

Till then, a toast to life!