6 Incredible Vegan Grilled Cheese Recipes

This might sound cliché, but grilled cheese is probably one of my most nostalgic childhood foods. For us, it was a treat. Always served with ketchup! Funny thinking about that now, but honestly? I could still eat grilled cheese for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Decades have passed, and I've since gone dairy-free. However, I haven't let that stop me. I've come up with 6 amazing versions of vegan grilled cheese that I think you're going to love! There's the classic option, of course, but I've also included delicious variations to take your grilled cheese to the next level.

What You'll Need to Make a Grilled Cheese

These are your classic grilled cheese ingredients, made vegan. I'll show you how to adapt this recipe with add-ins like veggies further in the post. Scroll down to the printable recipe card for a full list and detailed instructions for each vegan grilled cheese variation.

• Bread – This can be any bread you'd like, including sandwich bread, whole wheat, ciabatta, or sourdough. Ensure the bread is dairy-free and gluten-free as necessary.
• Cheese – Our star ingredient! I elaborate on my vegan cheese choices below.
• Mayonnaise – Or vegan butter, but mayonnaise adds lots of flavor and golden color to the bread.
• Add-ins – I love adapting my grilled cheese with add-ons like pesto, veggies, avocado, and mushrooms.

Best Vegan Cheese Brands

Before we dive into the recipes, the most important part of our vegan grilled cheese sandwich is the cheese! Luckily, there are TONS of vegan cheese options these days. I personally like to choose shredded cheese because I can mix it with other ingredients. Here are my favorite vegan cheese brands:

• Violife
• Parmela Creamery
• Daiya
• Good Planet

Pesto and Tomato Grilled Cheese

This sandwich reminds me of a pesto pizza, but in grilled cheese form. It's got the lovely flavor of the vegan pesto, the juiciness from the tomatoes, and of course, the creamy cheese.

1. Prep the bread. Spread mayo on the outside of the bread like you would for a traditional grilled cheese. Spread the inside of the bread with your favorite vegan pesto (try my homemade sun-dried tomato pesto recipe).
2. Assemble. Top one side with cheese, then place sliced tomatoes on top. Close the sandwich with the second bread slice, pesto facing inward.
3. Cook. Cook your pesto tomato grilled cheese following the same method as above.

Broccoli Cheddar Grilled Cheese

Third on our list is one of my favorite soup combinations in sandwich form: broccoli and cheddar! We've got steamed broccoli pieces mixed with some vegan cheddar slices, and it's pure heaven.

1. Steam the broccoli. I like to do this by cooking my broccoli pieces in a skillet with a little water for 2 minutes. Afterward, let the broccoli cool before combining it with shredded cheddar cheese.
2. Assemble the sandwich. Spread the bread with mayo. Top the first half with the broccoli-cheese mixture. Place the second slice on top.
3. Cook. Grill the sandwich as directed.

Sautéed Mushroom Grilled Cheese

Sautéed mushrooms and cheese have always been a perfect combination. And it works SO well in this sandwich! You can use any type of sliced mushrooms, including brown, white, or portobello. I like to season the mushrooms generously with salt and lots of fresh pepper. It adds a nice little punch to the flavor.

1. Sauté the mushrooms. Add sliced mushrooms to a lightly greased pan. Season with salt and pepper, and then sauté the mushrooms for 2-3 minutes, until they're golden brown. Cool the mushrooms before mixing them with the vegan cheese.
2. Assemble. Spread the bread slices with mayo, and top one side with the mushroom-cheese mixture. Place the second slice on top.
3. Cook. Cook the grilled cheese as directed.

Avocado Grilled Cheese

I was actually inspired to create this sandwich from Pinterest. I love everything avocado, and it's delicious in a grilled cheese, too!

1. Prepare the bread. Mash the avocado, and spread both slices of bread with mayo.
2. Assemble and cook. Spread the mashed avocado on the inside of each slice. Top one side with cheese, and place the second slice on top, avocado side down. Grill the cheese as usual.

Spinach and Artichoke Grilled Cheese

Our last grilled cheese combo is inspired by my homemade vegan spinach artichoke dip. Spinach and artichokes are great for a few reasons. Firstly, you get in your greens (yay!), secondly, you get the brineyness from the artichokes, and thirdly, the flavors pair so perfectly with melty cheese!

1. Start by sautéeing the spinach. Add the baby spinach leaves to a skillet with a splash of water. Cook for a minute or so, just enough to wilt the leaves. Afterward, combine the spinach in a bowl with quartered artichoke hearts and cheese.
2. Assemble. Spread the bread with mayo, and top one half with the cheese mixture. Close the sandwich.
3. Cook. Follow the same directions to cook your grilled cheese until it's browned and crispy.

Use the Air Fryer

If you have an air fryer, you can use it to cook any of the vegan grilled cheese variations above. See my air fryer grilled cheese recipe for detailed directions.

Vegan Grilled Cheese Tips & Tricks

So you're setting out to make the perfect vegan grilled cheese, right? Right! After making my fair share of sandwiches, I do have some tips and tricks up my sleeve to help you nail them! Here's what I recommend starting with:

• Use mayo for extra flavor and texture. Spread mayo on the outside of your bread – it will help the sandwiches get super crispy!
• Add a spread. I like to put something spreadable on the inside of each slice to hold the cheese in place. You'll see this in a few of my options below.
• Cover the grilled cheese while it cooks. Since vegan cheese doesn't melt quite the same way, I like to cover it as it cooks to trap in some of the steam and encourage the meltiness.

What to Serve With a Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Turn these vegan grilled cheese recipes into a meal with some of these easy serving ideas.

• Soups. Dunk your grilled cheese into a cozy bowlful of creamy tomato soup, roasted red pepper soup, or vegetarian minestrone. I love this roasted pumpkin soup in the fall.
• Salads. Pair a vegan grilled cheese with a massaged kale salad, this quinoa Caprese salad, or a vegan Caesar salad.