Pan-Fried Macaroni Cheese Sandwich

Who doesn't love Macaroni Cheese and then mop up the remaining sauce with a thick slice of fresh bread. So, why not put the two together. Yes, a Macaroni Cheese sandwich, with extra cheese of course, to lift this traditional comfort food to another level. 

Pan-Fried Macaroni Cheese Sandwich

You can of course make your macaroni cheese from scratch, and there are any number of recipes available to do so, but here I'm all about quick and easy snacks, and so a good quality shop bought tin of macaroni cheese is perfect for this sandwich. 

However, if you had made a macaroni cheese tray bake for example and you had too much, then leftovers would work just as well as the filling.  

What you will need for the perfect Pan-Fried Macaroni Cheese Sandwich

My preference for any pan-fried sandwich is always for thick sliced bread. White sliced, or a 50/50 white/wholemeal combination always works well, but for this sandwich I have chosen a thick sliced white bloomer for that rustic taste and texture.  

A good quality tin of Macaroni Cheese is a must, such as one labelled with a "rich creamy cheese sauce". A normal 400g tin of shop bought Macaroni Cheese will make at least 4 of these delicious sandwiches.   

And now, to elevate the cheese level to eleven! Slices of gloriously coloured mature Cheddar covering the inner surfaces of the bread that gently melts as the sandwich is pan-fried. 

 

Season with some freshly ground blackpepper to taste.

Making the perfect Pan-Fried Macaroni Cheese Sandwich

To pan-fry anything well I start with a dry pan over a medium heat. No oil is necessary as the butter  on the bread cooks the sandwich slowly (don't be afraid to turn down the heat as you don't want the butter to burn) and you can always add a little more butter to the pan if the bread is drying out.   

To start with, heat your Macaroni Cheese through in a small saucepan and set aside. Butter one side of each of the 2 slices of bread. These will be the sides that come into contact with the pan, and help to achieve the beautiful golden brown colour on the outer surfaces of the bread during the cooking process.  

To start assembling your sandwich, turn one slice over so that the buttered side is face down, and cover the dry side with slices of the Cheddar cheese. Then spoon on the Macaroni Cheese trying to keep in from the edges. This is where a good quality thick Macaroni Cheese works better than one which is thinner and runny.  

Now carefully place more of the sliced Cheddar on top of the filling before placing the top slice (buttered side up) to complete the sandwich.

With your sandwich now assembled, once the hob is up to a medium temperature, carefully place the completed sandwich onto the pan (taking great care as this is very hot and will sizzle noticeably upon contact). 

Now cook gently for 1 to 2 minutes before turning over and doing the same on the other side. I find it easier to press gently with a fish slice while cooking, and the fish slice is perfect for turning the sandwich too (as well as lifting from the pan to ensure it is not browning too quickly). The timings here are purely dependent on the heat of the pan, so be careful not to have this too hot so that the bread starts to burn. You can always add a little more butter to the pan if required. Cook as slowly as possible to your own preference. 

Once your grilled sandwich is ready, switch off the heat. NEVER lift your finished sandwich out with your fingers as the pan will still be extremely hot! Always use wood or plastic tools to lift your sandwich out of the pan as soon as possible as, even with the heat off, it will continue to cook.  Allow to cool for at least one minute before cutting and serving as the cheese will be extremely hot.

The Recipe

Pan-Fried Macaroni Cheese Sandwich

EQUIPMENT

• Good quality non-stick frying pan

PREPARATION TIME : 6 minutes

COOKING TIME : 3 to 4 minutes (approx.)

SERVINGS : 1

INGREDIENTS

• 2 slices of thick white bloomer
• 8g butter or similar
• 40g approx.of  coloured mature Cheddar (sliced)
• 100g Macaroni Cheese

 For more information on weights, measures and simple conversions in both metric, imperial (and US) read ... DO SPOONS, MILLILITRES AND CUPS ACTUALLY MEASURE UP?

STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS

1. Heat the Macaroni Cheese in a small saucepan
2. Butter one side of each of the 2 slices of bread
3. Turn one slice over (buttered side down) and cover with the sliced Cheddar cheese
4. Spoon the pre-cooked Macaroni Cheese over the Cheddar
5. Cover with the remainder of the sliced Cheddar cheese
6. Place the remaing slice of bread on top with the buttered side uppermost
7. Place the dry frying pan over a medium heat
8. Carefully place the completed sandwich onto the pan
9. Cook for approximately 1 to 2 minutes on each side or until golden and the cheese is melting

Or you could try...

If you prefer to add another layer of flavour to your sandwich, why not try spreading a teaspoon of American mustard (the mild type you would use in hot dogs, etc.) on to the inner surface of the top slice.  However, do not over use, as a strong mustard can overpower the flavour if you are not careful.

Perfect with...

The Pan-Fried Macaroni Cheese Sandwich is perfect on it's own as a snack at any time of the day, or whenever the fancy takes you.

Or simply add some fresh baby salad leaves with a light dressing, to create a quick and tasty lunch.

How does your sandwich maker compare?

For most of the recipes shared here I use my trusty Tower Deep Fill 3-in-1 Sandwich Maker, so obviously you may need to adjust your ingredients slightly if you are using a different appliance. Having said that, most sandwich makers are very similar in design and size, and the amount of each filling is a guide only and you can increase or decrease, add or subtract, according to your personal taste.

Never be afraid to experiment, and remember you won't always get the perfect result first time, so if at first you don't succeed try, try and try again. It's great fun!

If you want to check out some of the alternative 3-in-1 machines available check out our guide...

More than just cheese toasties  -  The best reasonably priced 3-in-1 sandwich makers