Best Bites: Oven-Baked Cheese Sandwiches
By Donna Erickson
Entertaining Is Easy With Oven-Baked Cheese Sandwiches
Is there such a thing as "easy entertaining"? In spite of my intentions, parties always become a bit of a production, with my long to-do lists and shoutouts to kids to run last-minute trips to the store to pick up mushrooms for gravy -- or to our Scandinavian market for lingonberries and herring. By the time I light ice candles on our porch to welcome guests, I have to ask myself, "Could I have simplified this?"
Sometimes I want to keep our welcome candles burning for all but skip a bit of the fancy and go for the easy prep. After all, it's the get-together that matters, right? Spending time around the table eating, laughing and connecting with family and friends matters the most.
This is where making and serving oven-baked grilled cheese sandwiches for a crowd saves the day. Bake them in the oven all at once instead of the traditional way of grilling them in batches on your stovetop in a frying pan. They'll be evenly browned, done at the same time, and ready to be paired with a bowl of piping hot soup, such as fragrant basil tomato soup.
Slice the sandwiches in half diagonally and watch your guests enjoy dipping the pointed ends into the soup. Crispy, gooey and tasty -- you'll be creating fond food memories! Here is my basic oven-baked grilled cheese sandwich recipe. Feel free to embellish it with spicy mustard or mayo sauce spread inside and add additional varieties of cheese. Sometimes I include a pinch of kale or other fresh greens I have on hand.
EASY-PREP OVEN-BAKED GRILLED CHEESE SANDWICHES
Makes 6 sandwiches
12 slices white bread a half-inch thick, such as pre-sliced Texas toast
Butter, softened for spreading
6 thick slices cheddar cheese
Preheat oven to 450 F. Set parchment paper on a large baking sheet. Ask your child to count and place 6 slices of bread on the parchment-lined sheet. Butter each piece and flip over.
Lay a slice of cheese on the unbuttered side. Top with another slice of bread. Butter top side. Bake in the oven for 5-6 minutes until bread is toasted on exposed side.
Flip with a spatula and bake an additional 5 minutes until golden brown and cheese is just melted. Cool for 2 minutes. Slice in half diagonally and arrange on a platter. Serve with hot bowls of your favorite tomato soup!
Donna Erickson creates relationships and community through food and fun. Find more to nourish and delight you at www.donnaerickson.com.
(c) 2026 Donna Erickson
Distributed by King Features Synd.