Meet the ultimate grilled cheese: garlic bread grilled cheese. Roasted garlic butter spread on sourdough with gooey fontina creates a crunchy, golden, melty sandwich that elevates the classic grilled cheese.
Yes—we’re doing this. Garlic bread grilled cheese is here to stay.
Imagine deeply roasted garlic mashed into butter, spread on sourdough, layered with fontina, and toasted slowly until crisp, buttery and perfectly melted. It’s rich, savory, and utterly irresistible.
This grilled cheese feels indulgent but still familiar—comfort food with a flavor upgrade. It’s a favorite for garlic lovers and anyone who wants more depth from a sandwich. I first tested these at a gathering, cut into sticks, and they vanished immediately. Buttered, melty, crispy—yes, please.
This sandwich pairs wonderfully with a creamy tomato soup if you want a classic combination. It also works great served as sticks or bite-sized appetizers for parties.
How I make it
I start by making the garlic butter. Roasted garlic cloves are excellent here—if you have garlic confit, even better. The roasted cloves get mashed into softened butter along with grated parmesan, a pinch of kosher salt, and chopped fresh herbs like parsley, basil or rosemary. The result is a savory, aromatic spread that’s terrific on bread, vegetables, or grilled proteins.
Spread the garlic butter on the outside of sourdough slices. For the filling, freshly grated fontina is my top pick because it melts beautifully, but use whatever melty cheese you prefer. Sandwich the cheese between buttered slices and cook low and slow in a skillet or griddle until the bread is deep golden and the cheese is totally melted.
The slow, gentle heat ensures the bread crisps without burning and the cheese becomes lusciously gooey. When both sides are golden, remove, optionally sprinkle with extra parmesan and herbs, slice, and serve.
This version is decadent enough to be party food or a comforting weeknight dinner. It also adapts well to grilled cheese sticks or smaller bites for appetizers.
No one can resist this one!
This recipe makes a fantastic appetizer or pair for soups. It’s also a great way to use leftover garlic butter from other dishes—spread it on veggies, chicken, or bread.
Below is the recipe as I prepare it. It yields two sandwiches and includes instructions for roasting garlic, making the butter, and building and toasting the sandwiches.
Garlic Bread Grilled Cheese
Garlic Bread Grilled Cheese
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Ingredients
- 2 whole heads of garlic
- olive oil for drizzling
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh herbs, like parsley, basil, or rosemary
- kosher salt
- 4 slices sourdough bread
- 6 ounces fontina cheese, freshly grated
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 350°F.
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To roast the garlic, slice off the top of each head to expose the cloves, peel any loose paper, drizzle with olive oil, wrap in foil, and roast for 45–60 minutes until the cloves are caramelized and golden. Let cool slightly.
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Squeeze the roasted cloves onto a plate. Combine with softened butter, grated parmesan, chopped herbs, and a pinch of kosher salt. Mash with a fork until well blended.
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Spread the garlic butter on the outside of each bread slice. Heat a large skillet or griddle over medium-low. Place two slices butter-side down in the skillet, add the grated fontina, then top with the remaining slices butter-side up.
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Cook slowly over low to medium-low heat until the cheese melts and the bottom is golden. Flip carefully and cook until the other side is golden.
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Remove from the pan, sprinkle with extra parmesan and herbs if desired, slice, and serve warm.
Did you make this recipe?
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This might be the new favorite way to eat grilled cheese.