How To Make Grilled Cheese Without Butter (9 Ways)

Simple and basic, grilled cheese sandwiches are the epitome of comfort food. Do you think it’s possible to prepare a tasty grilled cheese sandwich if you don’t have any butter in the fridge? Is there a way to make grilled cheese without using butter? Olive oil, coconut oil, egg whites, aioli, ghee, and avocado oil are all excellent alternatives to butter. Mayonnaise, bacon grease, and salad dressing are all savory alternatives that can be used to great effect. To learn some tricks and get some tasty recipes, please continue reading!

Best Butter Alternatives

Here are some substitutions you may use in place of butter if you’re craving a grilled cheese sandwich but are either out of it or want to avoid it.

1. Olive Oil

When constructing a grilled cheese sandwich, olive oil is a convenient and healthful substitute for butter. The flavor will be slightly different, so you won’t be able to appreciate the rich, savory flavor of butter – instead, the flavor will be muted, allowing other flavors in the sandwich to shine. Although olive oil has more calories than butter, it is also higher in nutrients.

Use a higher heat if you’re using olive oil instead of butter in your grilled cheese sandwich. Because olive oil does not burn as easily as butter, keep the heat on medium-high for the best results.

Coat the pan with olive oil and heat until it begins to crackle. This is the time to add your sandwich to the pan to achieve the perfect crispy texture! After 30 seconds, flip the pan over to coat the other side with oil. This manner, both sides will have a golden crust and the cheese will melt evenly!

2. Coconut Oil

Another great alternative to butter when cooking grilled cheese sandwiches is coconut oil. The oil doesn’t have a particularly strong flavor, but when it first emerges from the bottle, you can detect a faint coconut aroma. Like olive oil, covering the pan with coconut oil over medium-high heat is a fantastic technique to give the sandwich a crispy texture.

Keep in mind that if the temperature drops below 77°F, coconut oil has a tendency to harden. If so, you will need to melt it in the microwave for around 15 seconds before cooking.

3. Avocado Oil

Avocado oil is another oil that goes nicely with grilled cheese sandwiches. Avocado oil, unlike olive and coconut oil, has no discernible fragrance or flavor, making it an excellent substitute for butter. As with olive and coconut oil, coat the skillet with avocado oil over medium to high heat until it begins to sing, then fry your bread until golden brown.

4. Egg Whites

A grilled cheese sandwich can benefit from the moisture and crispiness that egg whites provide. They serve to keep the sandwich wet while yet allowing it to crisp up in the pan or on the grill when used in place of mayonnaise or butter. Because egg whites are so healthful and low in calories, your sandwich will be both savory and nourishing. They are the perfect option for anyone on a diet because they are a fantastic source of protein.

Instead of merely using egg whites, you may also use a full egg to coat your sandwich, but bear in mind that this will result in a higher calorie count. Egg whites can be used in place of butter by being beaten and then applied to sandwiches with a silicone brush.

Make certain that all of the bread’s surfaces are completely covered while covering a sandwich with egg white. This will lessen the likelihood of the bread drying out or overcooking. Afterward, griddle your cheese over medium-low heat. The bread will get crispy as the egg white cooks without drying up. The sandwich could turn mushy if you don’t cook it until the egg white is firm and set.

5. Aioli

Aioli is a versatile sauce that may be used to improve the flavor of a variety of dishes. Traditional aioli is an emulsion made from olive oil and garlic that originated in the Mediterranean. It has a deep, savory flavor and a smooth, creamy texture. Aioli is frequently served as a dip for bread or vegetables, but it can also be used to season other meals. Spread a small layer of aioli over your grilled cheese sandwich, for example, to enjoy the extra garlic flavor!

The aioli will provide moisture and a layer of flavor to your sandwich. Aioli is thicker than olive oil and has a viscosity more akin to egg whites than olive oil. Instead of frying the sandwich in aioli, apply it on the bread shortly before serving to preserve the aioli flavors. You may have a delicious sandwich that is both crispy and wet this way!

6. Ghee

Ghee, also known as clarified butter, is a creamy, fatty fluid with a faint nutty flavor that has been cooked down to eliminate any water and milk particles. Although ghee is a form of butter, it doesn’t taste exactly like butter, therefore it isn’t a great substitute. However, this is undoubtedly a terrific choice if you’re searching for a healthy addition to your grilled cheese sandwich that yet imparts a fatty flavor to your sandwich!

7. Mayonnaise

Every sandwich benefits from mayonnaise, and chances are you already have a bottle of it at home. When cooking grilled cheese sandwiches, mayo is a great alternative to butter because it mostly contains oil and eggs. It can also give the sandwich a fatty, savory flavor. Before grilling your sandwich, you don’t need to melt or boil the mayo because it is ready to use right out of the container.

Simply spread mayonnaise over the outside of the sandwich and cook it on medium heat with the mayonnaise side down if you want to attempt making a grilled cheese sandwich with it. After 30 seconds of grilling, flip the sandwich over, and you’ll discover that mayo does a fantastic job of turning the sandwich golden brown and giving it a crunchy exterior!

For the tastiest grilled cheese sandwich, we advise combining mayo with a mild cheese because it has a distinct, acidic flavor that may not go well with other types of cheese.

8. Bacon Grease

Many people keep bacon grease after cooking bacon since it may be used in a variety of meals, including grilled cheese! The bacon fat can act as a lubricant, adding moisture to the bread and assisting in the golden browning of the grilled cheese. It can also provide a little bacon flavor to your grilled cheese sandwich, making it even more delectable!

To cook a grilled cheese sandwich with bacon grease, follow the same steps as you would with oil. However, bacon fat burns faster than other types of oil, so use medium heat to keep the grilled cheese from burning.

9. Salad Dressing

Since most salad dressing contains some type of oil, it can also be used to make grilled cheese sandwiches. Ranch dressing, Caesar dressing, Italian dressing, or any other type of salad dressing that you have in your refrigerator can be used to make grilled cheese sandwiches as long as it can be put over bread. Use salad dressing to cover the sandwich’s exterior and cook it over medium to low heat to gradually toast the bread to a medium brown color.

The flavors may come out slightly differently depending on the sort of dressing you have. However, this is still a fantastic method to add flavor while keeping the sandwich crunchy and juicy.

Best Way To Make Grilled Cheese Without Butter

A cast iron skillet is the greatest tool for making the ultimate grilled cheese sandwich. The pan will help the heat distribute evenly while keeping the center from being too hot, and the nonstick surface is ideal for making a crispy crust. This ensures that your cheese melts evenly and that your sandwich has a uniformly colored and crispy crust!