Grilled cheese vs. cast - What's the difference?

Grilled and melted cheese are two very popular hot sandwiches. Since both are made with cheese, people often confuse that they are the same thing.

What are the differences between grilled and melted cheese?

The main difference between these two sandwiches is that the grilled cheese is made with bread and cheese, while the melted sandwich also contains other ingredients, such as tuna, turkey, chicken, vegetables, etc. 

What is a grilled cheese and what is a sandwich?

Grilled cheese is one of the most popular sandwiches in the US. Made with just two simple ingredients, this sandwich is a favorite for many people. It is made by heating the cheese between two slices of bread.

A melt is another hot sandwich that contains cheese. However, unlike grilled cheese, it also contains other ingredients. In fact, some people consider a melt to be a variation on the grilled cheese sandwich.

What are the differences between grilled and melted cheese?

As you can see, grilled and melted cheese are quite similar. Let’s do a thorough comparison of these two sandwiches to see how they differ.

Sandwich type

Sandwiches can be classified according to different criteria. Depending on how they are served, the sandwiches can be hot or cold. Both grilled and melt cheese sandwiches are hot sandwiches.

Another classification of sandwiches is based on how they are constructed. In general, sandwiches can be open or closed.

Open sandwiches consist of a slice of bread with toppings, while closed sandwiches consist of putting the ingredients between two slices of bread.

Both grilled cheese and melted cheese sandwiches are closed sandwiches, since melting the cheese between two slices of bread is much more comfortable.

That said, grilled and melted cheese can also be served as open-face sandwiches. Although the open version of grilled cheese is not as popular, it even has a name.

Cheese dream is the name of the open version of grilled cheese. It originated during the Great Depression in the 1930s and contains a few simple ingredients.

The simplest version of the cheese dream sandwich is made with a slice of bread and American cheese. 

Although the closed variants of grilled and melted cheese are very popular, you can make them with a single slice of bread if you want to reduce bread consumption. You can make open-faced cheese sandwiches in the oven or on the stove.

When making an open grilled or melted cheese sandwich in the skillet, be sure to cover the skillet with the lid to create steam in the skillet and melt the cheese.

Ingredients

Grilled cheese and melted cheese have many ingredients in common.  In fact, everything you need to make grilled cheese is part of any melt sandwich recipe: cheese, bread, and a spread like butter and mayonnaise. 

You can add other ingredients to your grilled cheese sandwich. As long as you keep the focus on the cheese, your sandwich will be considered a grilled cheese sandwich.

A melted sandwich, on the other hand, must contain added ingredients to be considered a melted sandwich.

The most common ingredients used in melt sandwiches are tuna, ham, roast beef, chicken, turkey, various vegetables, pickles, mustard, etc.

Taste and texture

Grilled cheese is more like cheese and bread. Therefore, it is easy to imagine what it tastes like.

But melting the cheese and toasting the bread with butter surely turns this combination of simple ingredients into something decadent and tasty.

You can enrich the flavor of your grilled cheese sandwich by using a few varieties of cheese.

As for the texture, it is key to get it for grilled cheese. The perfect grilled cheese sandwich should be evenly cooked and browned on the outside.

Crusty bread and fully melted cheese – here’s what to look for for the perfect grilled cheese sandwich.

As for the melted sandwich, its texture and flavor largely depend on the ingredients you put in it.

That being said, just like grilled cheese, you want to get the melted sandwich bread toasty and crisp and make sure the cheese is melted.

Cooking and preparation methods

The preparation of grilled cheese sandwiches and melted sandwiches is very similar. In both cases, you have to butter one side of the bread slices to get a nice golden color when cooking the sandwich.

Another similarity is that the same cooking methods can be used for both sandwiches. This is what you can use to cook grilled cheese sandwiches and roast beef sandwiches.

• Frying pan or frying pan 
• Oven
• air fryer 
• Toaster 

Regardless of the cooking method you use, whether you’re making a grilled cheese sandwich or a melted cheese sandwich, your goal is to melt the cheese and get the top and bottom slices of bread to brown.

How to make a grilled cheese sandwich

There are endless grilled cheese recipes and multiple cooking methods. If this classic sandwich is one of your favorites, surely you have found your favorite way to prepare it, including the type of bread and cheese that you like to use.

But in case you haven’t already, we recommend that you first decide the type of bread and cheese that you are going to use for the sandwich. If you don’t have any favorites, choose a hearty bread and a variety of cheese that melts well.

Here are step-by-step instructions for making grilled cheese on the stove.

1. Take two slices of your favorite bread and spread a tablespoon of butter on each of them. 
2. Place a skillet over low to medium heat and place the bread slices butter side down. 
3. Put the grated cheese on the slices. You can use cheddar, gouda, American, or any cheese of your choice that melts well. 
4. Cook until the bread is golden brown and the cheese begins to melt. After 2 minutes, flip one slice of bread over the other. 
5. Continue flipping and cooking the sandwich until the cheese is melted and the bread is well toasted. 
6. Cut the sandwich in half diagonally and serve hot. 

How to make a grilled cheese sandwich

As mentioned earlier in this article, melt sandwiches always contain added ingredients. If it wasn’t, it would be a simple grilled cheese sandwich.

The tuna melt sandwich is one of the most popular variations on this sandwich. Of course, you can use turkey, chicken, ham and other ingredients instead of tuna. You can even make it vegan.

Here’s how to make a melt sandwich in a skillet:

1. Prepare the sandwich filling. If you’re making a tuna melt sandwich, first combine the canned tuna with some mayonnaise, mustard, chopped celery and onion, herbs, and salt and pepper. 
2. Next, prepare two slices of bread for the sandwich. Similar to making a grilled cheese sandwich, you’ll butter one side of each slice. 
3. Place the ingredients between the slices of bread, making sure to keep the buttered side on the outside. You can use sliced lettuce and tomato along with the tuna mixture. And don’t forget the cheese. Any cheese that melts well will do. 
4. Put the sandwich in a preheated pan. Cook for about 2 minutes on each side until the bread is toasted and the cheese inside is melted. 

Pairing and service

Since grilled and melted cheeses are hot sandwiches, it’s always best to serve them hot while the cheese is sticky and soft.

You can serve grilled and melted cheese sandwiches as an accompaniment to soups. We all know the combination of tomato soup and grilled cheese.

However, there are cases where these sandwiches are the star of the show and you need something to go with the sandwich.

Here are some garnishes that will go well with both sandwiches.

• fresh green salad
• Cabbage salad
• Chips
• Fruit salad
• Fried eggs
• Pickles

As for the garnishes, you have more options for grilled cheese, since you can combine it with dishes that contain various proteins.

In the case of a cast sandwich, it all depends on the ingredients. If your melt sandwich already contains protein, such as tuna, chicken, and turkey, you may be better off opting for a side dish that isn’t as high in protein.

What is healthier? The grilled cheese or the melted sandwich?

Grilled cheese is not the healthiest sandwich. It is high in calories, fat, and sodium.

However, keep in mind that depending on the type of cheese you use, a grilled cheese sandwich can also be a source of protein and calcium.

You can also choose a healthy bread to make your grilled cheese sandwich as healthy as possible.

A grilled cheese sandwich, on the other hand, may offer better nutritional value compared to grilled cheese.

You can add healthy ingredients to your melt sandwiches, such as greens and vegetables, as well as a healthy source of protein, such as tuna, beef, chicken or turkey.