Grilled Cheese Recipe: Cheddar, Colby, Pepper Jack

Three Ways to Rediscover the Grilled Cheese

There's something about a grilled cheese that takes you back — maybe to after-school snacks at your grandmother's table or rainy Saturday lunches when you didn't feel like doing much of anything. It's simple food done right. And when you start with real cheese from small Ohio Amish farms where cows graze on pasture and never see hormones or antibiotics, that simple sandwich becomes something you actually want to eat again and again.

We work directly with these farming families, and the cheese they make the old way — slow, small-batch, nothing rushed — tastes like what your grandparents would recognize. It melts differently. It has flavor that doesn't need a lot of help. And when you're making something as straightforward as grilled cheese, that difference matters.

Here are three ways to make it, each one with a cheese that does its own thing.

Classic Cheddar Grilled Cheese

This is where most of us start, and for good reason. A good sharp cheddar has tang and depth. It melts smooth and holds its own against butter and bread without disappearing.

What You Need:

• Two slices of sturdy white or sourdough bread
• 2–3 ounces of sharp cheddar, sliced or shredded
• Butter, softened

Butter the outside of both slices. Layer the cheddar between them. Cook in a cast iron skillet or heavy pan over medium-low heat, pressing gently with a spatula. Flip when the first side is golden and the cheese starts to soften. Give it another few minutes. The key is low and slow — it's not a race.

Our cheddar comes from milk that's never been ultra-pasteurized or processed into oblivion. You'll notice it doesn't turn rubbery or separate when it melts. That's what happens when you keep things simple from the start.

Colby for a Mellow, Creamy Melt

Colby is the quiet one. It's mild, a little sweet, and melts into this creamy, stretchy layer that kids and adults both love. If sharp cheddar feels too bold for your mood or your crowd, colby is your answer.

What You Need:

• Two slices of soft white bread or potato bread
• 2–3 ounces of colby, sliced
• Butter

Same method as the cheddar version. Butter, layer, cook slow. The colby will get soft and gooey fast, so keep your heat gentle. This one's perfect with tomato soup or just on its own when you want comfort without complexity.

Because our colby is made from milk from cows raised on pasture without vaccines or antibiotics, it has a clean, sweet flavor that doesn't need anything fancy to shine.

Pepper Jack for a Little Kick

When you want the same creamy melt but with a little heat, pepper jack is where it's at. The peppers are mild enough not to overwhelm, but they wake everything up.

What You Need:

• Two slices of sourdough or whole grain bread
• 2–3 ounces of pepper jack, sliced
• Butter
• Optional: a smear of mustard or a few pickled jalapeños if you want more heat

Same slow-and-steady approach. Let the cheese melt all the way through before you pull it off the heat. The pepper jack has enough personality to stand up to heartier breads and bolder add-ins if you're feeling creative.

This cheese, like all of ours, comes from small farms where the milk is handled with care and nothing unnecessary is added. You taste the difference in every bite.

Get It From the Source

We bring you cheese straight from small Amish farms in Ohio — the kind of farms where animals are raised the way they should be, on pasture, without hormones, vaccines, or antibiotics. Every block of Simply Cheese cheddar, colby, and pepper jack is made using traditional methods that honor the land, the animals, and the families who've been doing this for generations.

We also offer free shipping on all orders over $99, so stocking up on real cheese is easier than ever. If you're tired of grocery store blocks that don't melt right and don't taste like much, this is your way back to something better.