Does Provolone Make a Good Grilled Cheese Sandwich

This provolone grilled cheese sandwich takes the classic grilled cheese and takes it up several notches. Melty provolone and mozzarella cheeses are sandwiched between two slices of toasted crusty bread along with parsley, oregano, and black pepper to create one of the most flavorful grilled cheese recipes you'll ever make! Sure, you can use provolone and swiss or cheddar cheeses too. Made perfectly inside your skillet or air fryer.

What's a great snack or meal that you remember as a kid? If you're like me, grilled cheese sandwiches are probably somewhere on your list. There's nothing more classically childhood than a grilled cheese sandwich, is there? I grew up having them regularly.

From after-school snacks to quick weekend lunches, grilled cheese sandwiches were always a part of my life.

I never lost my love of grilled cheese sandwiches as I got older. For a long time, I simply kept making them the old-fashioned way – a slice of cheese in between two slices of bread.

However, as I got better and better at cooking, I became more and more creative. One day, I realized that grilled cheese sandwiches are the ultimate canvas of delicious creativity for cheese lovers like me, which is when I started to branch out.

These days, I make all kinds of grilled cheese sandwiches from the standard – albeit more sophisticated – cheese and bread affairs to grilled cheese sandwiches with meats in them and so much more.

I use everything from leftover meat of any kind to beef, chicken, sandwich meats and I'll even fry a sunny side up or over easy egg and add it to the top for serving. Oh so good.

Today, I'm sharing this delicious provolone grilled cheese sandwich with all of you. With at least two kinds of cheeses melted between two slices of crusty bread, it's the grilled cheese sandwich you loved as a kid but made for grown-up tastebuds with an Italian flare.

Honestly, get ready to meet your new favorite grilled cheese sandwich.

All About Provolone

Provolone is one of my absolute favorite cheeses. It has a lovely flavor, and it is quite good in a variety of recipes, from grilled cheese sandwiches like the one we're talking about today to subs, melts, and more!

Provolone cheese is made from cow's milk and is one of the three most popular Italian cheeses worldwide, up there with soft, mild mozzarella and the harder, nutty parmesan.

It's a staple in many households and popular in famous sandwiches like the Philly cheesesteak, stromboli, and pasta salads.

There are two types of provolone cheese, dolce (sweet) and piccante (spicy). The main difference is the length of time the cheese has aged. Dolce provolone is considered a milder, soft cheese that has been aged for months whereas piccante has a stronger taste and a harder texture and aged for as much as a few years.

American and Italian-made provolone cheese also differ slightly in taste and texture. American provolone cheeses are generally milder, creamier, and softer than Italian. Less flavorful and a paler color overall too than Italian provolone cheeses.

Provolone also takes longer than mozzarella to melt so when making this provolone grilled cheese you must do it at a lower temperature than you would a regular or traditional grilled cheese to get the ideal result.

Provolone Grilled Cheese Sandwich

This provolone grilled cheese is made using only a couple of main ingredients – namely bread and cheese. When it comes to a recipe this simple with such limited ingredients, believe me when I say you don't want to cut any corners. I encourage you to grab a nice, hearty loaf of good fresh bread or make one yourself for this recipe. It really makes such a difference.

And take a chance on some new cheeses. Maybe try an Italian brand of provolone or parmesan or mozzarella. Gone are the days where we use processed whole grain white bread and the processed orange cheese that I grew up with.

This recipe was created with a certain bread slice size in mind so you may have to adjust exact ingredient amounts depending on the size of your bread and to suit your personal tastes.

At the end of the day, the goal is to create a crisp outer layer that surrounds the soft bread and all of the melted cheese.

Ingredients

Like any grilled cheese sandwich, the ingredient list for this recipe is limited. It only takes a few ingredients to create this toasted on the outside, melty in the middle grilled cheese sandwich. Here's what you'll need.

Shredded provolone cheese or thinly sliced provolone deli cheese
Shredded mozzarella cheese or thinly sliced mozzarella deli cheese (swiss or cheddar cheese will work with provolone too)
¼ cup parmesan cheese, shredded
8 slices hearty white sandwich bread, ½ inch thick cut crusty style country bread, sour dough bread, french, challah or Italian
Unsalted butter, melted
Dried oregano leaves
Italian parsley, fresh, chopped
Fresh ground black pepper

See? There's not much to these provolone grilled cheese sandwiches. When it comes to this recipe, it's all about the flavor, not how fancy it is. And speaking of not being fancy…

Making the Provolone Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

Making these delicious grilled cheese sandwiches is as simple as the ingredient list. It only takes a few steps and a few minutes to put these sandwiches together and toast them up in the skillet. You'll be on your way to enjoying delicious toasted, melty goodness in no time flat!

You'll find the complete recipe with amounts and times in the recipe card at the end of the post, but these highlights are a great roadmap to what you'll be doing. You'll see almost immediately how easy it is to make this sandwich.

Directions for Air Fryer

Combine the grated or shredded parmesan or mozzarella, provolone, black pepper, parsley, and oregano in a small bowl, if not using slices.
Preheat air fryer to 375 degrees F.
Brush one side of the bread generously with butter mixture. Repeat with all remaining sides.
If using slices, place a 2 slices of provolone and a slice of mozzarella on each slice of bread, on the non-buttered side, then top with 1 heaping tablespoon shredded parmesan, if desired. Otherwise layer each slice of bread with about ¼ of your cheese mixture.
Make four sandwiches.
Place liner or a coating of cooking spray in air fryer basket for easy cleanup.
Place sandwiches in basket in a single layer, then cook in air fryer for 6-7 minutes on each side, flipping halfway through. Repeat with remaining sandwiches.
Remove from air fryer, slice, and serve!

Steps for Pan Frying

There are three options to getting your provolone grilled cheese sandwich made in a skillet and I usually use the brush method.

Melt a few tablespoons of butter and add seasonings to skillet over medium-low heat. Stir in and add your bread slices to the skillet. Wiping up butter with bread slices as you place each inside your skillet. Start your provolone grilled cheese sandwiches from there.
Brush one side of each slice of bread with melted butter mixture and place in skillet.
Using a butter knife, spread butter or mayo on the outside of each slice of bread and then put it in the skillet.

Combine the grated or shredded parmesan or mozzarella, provolone, black pepper, parsley, and oregano in a small bowl, if not using slices.
Brush one side of each loaf generously with butter mixture.
Place a 2 slices of provolone and a slice of mozzarella on each slice of bread, on the non-buttered side, then top with 1 heaping tablespoon shredded parmesan, if desired. Otherwise layer each slice of bread with about ¼ of your cheese mixture.
Make four sandwiches, then heat pan over medium heat on stove.
Butter pan, then place sandwich in pan.
Heat on one side for 3 minutes or until golden brown, then flip, cover, and heat for an additional 3-4 minutes.
Repeat with remaining sandwiches. Slice, transfer to plates and serve immediately.

That's all there is to it! These provolone grilled cheese sandwiches may taste fancy, but they're just as easy to make as the grilled cheese sandwiches we grew up with as kids.

Variations

Grilled cheese sandwiches are so easy, they lend themselves perfectly to experimentation. You can make almost any kind of grilled cheese sandwich that you can think of.

Experiment with different kinds of cheese including parmesan, swiss and/or cheddar cheeses. Add vegetables. You can even add cheese to the outside of your grilled cheese sandwiches.

The sky's the limit!

Add Veggies

Sautéed onions and peppers work very well with this recipe. In addition, adding chopped scallions or green onions to your cheese mixture is a great way to add a kick of flavor.

So Much More than Butter

You can spread all kinds of things on the outside of your grilled cheese sandwiches to get different flavors and textures. Try garlic butter or compound butter to add more flavor.

You can also use mayo instead of butter on the outside of your sandwiches. A little goes a long way, and it toasts up super crispy. Mayo also has a higher smoking point, so you can cook your sandwiches longer to get them extra melty without burning them.

For the inside, you can add a thin layer of yellow or Dijon mustard to add an extra kick of flavor.

Try ALL the Cheeses

Provolone and mozzarella are great, but they're just the start. There are all kinds of wonderful cheese that work so well with this recipe. Try combining the provolone with cheddar or swiss cheeses. Out of this world good.

Some of my favorites are:

Cheddar
Swiss
Gruyere
Mozzarella
Fontina
Gouda
Havarti
Pepper Jack

All of these cheese are generally mild, pair well with herbs, and melt up absolutely wonderfully. Also, I wasn't kidding about trying a provolone and swiss grilled cheese or provolone and cheddar grilled cheese. Both are bucket list kind of good too.

So many options. So little time. 😉

Cheese on the Outside? You Bet!

Try sprinkling some shredded cheese directly onto your buttered skillet and then placing the bread right on top of it. Once the sizzling stops your cheese is melted on to your bread.

You'll get an extra crispy, cheesy crust that is absolutely the best thing you'll ever eat! Don't worry, as long as you cook the sandwiches on a lower heat, the cheese won't burn.

My Favorite Provolone Grilled Cheese Variations

As we're talking about provolone grilled cheese sandwiches today, I'm including some of my favorite ways to mix things up when making this grilled cheese recipe. Simply add these to your cheese mixture or top the mixture with them after you've added the cheese to your bread!

Pesto Salami Grilled Cheese –Add 4 tablespoons pesto and 8 slices of salami
Sundried Tomato Pesto Grilled Cheese –Add 4 tablespoons pesto and 4 tablespoons drained chopped sun-dried tomatoes
Caprese Grilled Cheese –Add 4 tablespoons fresh chopped basil and 3 or 4 sliced Roma tomatoes
Prosciutto and Salami Grilled Cheese – Add 8 thin slices of prosciutto and 8 thin slices of hard salami
Hot and Sweet Pepper Grilled Cheese –Add 1 cup chopped jarred roasted red peppers and ¼ cup drained and minced hot peppers
Bacon Garlic Grilled Cheese –Add cooked bacon, back bacon, prosciutto or pancetta, minced fresh garlic, chopped fresh basil, black paper, and Roma tomatoes

Of course, these are just some of the ways you can mix things up. Feel free to get as creative as you like with your grilled cheese. See what happens!

Grilled Cheese Tips

Making these provolone grilled cheese sandwiches is a super easy affair. That being said, this recipe, as with all grilled cheese recipes, can be even better if you keep some things in mind.

This tips section is quite a bit longer than many of my other posts, but that's because it covers just about everything you'll ever need to know when making any sort of grilled cheese sandwich. That makes this an extremely important section, indeed!

General Tips

Cook your sandwiches over low heat so your bread doesn't brown before the cheese melts.
Italian, French, crusty white, country, and sourdough bread from the bakery are the best options. Cut them to ½″ slices at home or ask the bakery to do it.
Try to get bread that hasn't been wrapped in plastic so that the crust isn't soft.
Use gluten-free bread if serving to a crowd
If you're using mayo, make sure you coat the entire piece of bread from crust to crust to ensure an even, crispy exterior.
Sliced cheese is easier to work with, but shredded cheese can hold various ingredients like herbs and diced green onions or scallions.
Buy blocks of cheese from the deli and grate them yourself. Pre-packaged grated cheese has additives to keep the cheese from sticking. However, this also keeps it from melting properly.
Cover your pan while the grilled cheese sandwich is cooking to hold heat and melt the cheese faster and more evenly.
If you're making several sandwiches, keep them warm in a 225-degree oven while you finish making all the sandwiches and then serve.
When adding meats like bacon, prosciutto, or pepperoni, place them in a single layer on a paper towel, top with another paper towel, and then microwave the meat until the fat has rendered to reduce the grease. A few minutes for bacon and 30 to 40 second for pepperoni.

Cook Sandwiches in a Panini or in the Oven

Place a rimmed baking sheet on the middle rack of an oven pre-heated to 450 degrees. Prepare the grilled cheese sandwiches and place them on the hot baking sheet. Bake for 5 minutes or until cheese melts, flip, and bake until the top is golden brown.
Preheat a panini press to medium heat and place prepared grilled cheese sandwiches inside it. Close and cook until browned. About 5 or 6 minutes.
Use a homemade panini to cook your grilled cheese. Heat two skillets. Place your prepared sandwiches in one skillet and then place the other heated skilled on top of the sandwich and press down to simulate a panini press. Let the pan rest on the sandwich for 3 to 4 minutes or until browned and then flip and repeat.

Try This Provolone Grilled Cheese Recipe for Yourself

This provolone grilled cheese sandwich has all the sensibilities of that great snack that we grew up with but with a grownup flair. Whether you use butter, compound butter, or mayo; provolone, mozzarella, cheddar, swiss, or something else, this provolone grilled cheese recipe is the best grilled cheese you'll ever make. I guarantee it!

Other Grilled Cheese Recipes to Try

Buffalo Chicken Grilled Cheese
Uncrustables Grilled Cheese
Pizza Grilled Cheese
Air fryer Grilled Cheese with Avocado and Bacon
Inside Out Grilled Cheese

Provolone Grilled Cheese Sandwich Video

Provolone Grilled Cheese

This provolone grilled cheese sandwich is the classic treat from our childhood but refined for adults. It's meltly, toasty, and oh, so good.

Course brunch, lunch, Main Course

Cuisine American, Italian

skillet
Air Fryer

1 ⅓ cups provolone cheese, shredded or 8 thinly sliced provolone deli cheese
⅔ cup mozzarella cheese, shredded or 8 thinly sliced mozzarella deli cheese or swiss or cheddar work in a pinch too
¼ cup parmesan, shredded
8 slices fresh bread ½ inch thick cut crusty style French, Italian, Sourdough, challah or country bread
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted or ½ stick
1 teaspoon oregano leaves, dried
4 tablespoons Italian parsley fresh, chopped
⅛-1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

Get out and measure your ingredients.

If Using Shredded Cheese

Combine the grated or shredded mozzarella, provolone, shredded parmesan, swiss or cheddar cheese, black pepper, parsley, and oregano in a small bowl.
Melt your butter.

If Using Sliced Cheese

Get your slices ready. You'll need 2 provolone and at least one mozzarella slice. I also recommend a heaping tablespoon of shredded or grated fresh parmesan to cover the top of the cheeses. Right before you add the remaining slice of bread.
Prepare the butter. Add oregano, parsley and pepper and stir until blended.
Stir until blended.

Making your sandwich

Slice and then place an even number of bread slices at your work station.
Brush one side of each slice of bread generously with butter or butter mixture. Repeat with all remaining sides.
On the non-buttered side place a generous heaping of cheese mixture (about ¾ cup of shredded cheese total or ¼ of your cheese mixture) or add 2 slices of provolone and a slice of mozzarella on each slice of bread.
Next, top with a heaping tablespoon of shredded parmesan, if desired.
Top with remaining buttered bread slices, buttered side up.

Air Fryer

Preheat air fryer to 375 degrees F.
Coat basket surface with cooking spray.
Place sandwiches in basket in a single layer, then cook in air fryer for 6-7 minutes on each side.
Flip halfway through.
Repeat with remaining sandwiches.
Remove from air fryer, slice, and serve!

Skillet

Preheat a large skillet over medium-low heat.
You now have three options, with or without the oregano, parsley and pepper, and I usually use 2 but all work beautifully.
1)Melt a few tablespoons butter inside your skillet over medium-low heat. Add bread slices to the skillet and build your sandwiches from there.

2)Brush one side of each slice of bread with your melted butter and place in skillet.

3)Using a butter knife, smear butter, or mayo, on the outside of each slice before putting in your skillet.
Layer each sandwich with roughly ¾ cup of cheese or ¼ of your prepared cheese mixture if you're not using cheese slices.
Cover with remaining bread slices, butter or mayo side up, and press down gently with spatula. Cook sandwiches for 3 to 4 minutes per side.
Lift edge of grilled cheese to check if browning on bottom of sandwich is to your liking before flipping.
Consider sprinkling a little cheese on to your buttery skillet before flipping your grilled cheese on top of it for a minute or so or it stops sizzling. Adds a wonderful cheesy crisp to the outside of the bread. Any kind of cheese will work and I urge you to try it at least once.
Flip back on to serving plate once cheese is melted and bread is golden brown.
Slice and serve immediately.

Keyword provolone grilled cheese

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Does Provolone Make a Good Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Source: https://kitchendivas.com/provolone-grilled-cheese/

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