How To Make Keto Grilled Cheese

Keto grilled cheese?! Yep, it's possible. Cauliflower grilled cheese is also gluten-free — in fact, it's just vegetables and cheese!

WHAT IS KETO GRILLED CHEESE?

Keto grilled cheese is made with cauliflower, eggs and cheese (no bread). Senior Culinary Producer Jeanette Donnarumma tested this recipe on our "Does This Work?" YouTube series. Plus, she worked out the kinks so you don't have to — check out her pro tips throughout the prep below. Watch the entire keto grilled cheese how-to adventure in the video above.

HOW TO MAKE KETO GRILLED CHEESE

Ingredients

• 1 large head cauliflower
• 2 eggs
• 1 ½ cups grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
• ¾ cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• Olive oil cooking spray

The first step is to make cauliflower rice. Learn how to make cauliflower rice here or get the instructions below.

WHAT IS CAULIFLOWER RICE?

Many better-for-you recipes substitute cauliflower rice for traditional carbohydrates. Cauliflower rice is kid-friendly — it's a sneaky way to get your little ones to eat their veggies, because they can't really tell the difference once it's baked, fried or coated in sauce.

Seriously, try serving Buffalo Cauliflower Wings at your next game-day party, or using Cauliflower Pizza Dough to make your own pizzas.

To make cauliflower rice, you'll first need to cut the cauliflower. 

HOW TO CUT CAULIFLOWER

Remove the stems and leaves from the head of the cauliflower (save them in a freezer bag for the next time you make stock!), and using a paring knife, cut out the core. Remove the florets with the knife or your fingers.

HOW TO MAKE CAULIFLOWER RICE

Place half of the florets into a food processor and pulse until the cauliflower resembles rice. Scoop cauliflower rice into a large, microwave safe mixing bowl. Repeat with remaining cauliflower.

Jeanette's Tip: Splitting the florets into two batches prevents your food processor from getting jammed. Alternatively, you can buy premade cauliflower rice at the grocery store.

HOW TO MAKE CAULIFLOWER PATTIES FOR KETO GRILLED CHEESE

Place the bowl of cauliflower rice into the microwave for six minutes. Remove and carefully pour the cauliflower rice onto a clean kitchen towel and allow it to cool for about 5-6 minutes. Once cool, fold the corners of the towel up to a point and wring the towel over a sink or a garbage bowl to release the moisture from the cauliflower. Wring until almost all the moisture is gone. Place the wrung out cauliflower back into the mixing bowl. 

Jeanette's Tip: The above steps help remove excess moisture so that your patties will stick together and flip more easily without falling apart. Be aware that because wringing out the rice shrinks it down significantly, this will decrease the yield of how many cauliflower grilled cheeses you can make using one head of cauliflower.

Add eggs, parm, oregano, salt and pepper and mix well to combine.

"Eggs are a pretty standard step in making any kind of cauliflower product that you want to stay together. Eggs bind things," Jeanette says. 

Preheat a large, nonstick pan or griddle pan over medium heat. Once warm, spray with cooking spray. Using an ice cream scoop, scoop six balls of cauliflower mixture onto the pan and pat it down to form a patty using your fingers or a spatula.

"I am taking a Rachael Ray tip right here. I am using an ice cream scoop to get nice even scoops. It'll definitely regulate the size of these — we are going to build a sandwich at the end, so you want them to be even in size," Jeanette says.

Monitor the heat so they do not burn. After about four minutes, carefully flip the patties to cook the other side. Allow the other side to cook for 3-4 minutes.

HOW TO MAKE CAULIFLOWER GRILLED CHEESE SANDWICHES

Top three cauliflower patties with ¼ cup of shredded cheese each and top the cheese with remaining cauliflower patties. Cook for 1-2 minutes or until cheese begins to melt. Carefully flip over and let the cheese continue to melt, about one more minute. Remove to plates and serve.

MORE KETO RECIPES TO TRY

Keto Casserole: Buffalo Chicken, Cauliflower & Bacon
Keto Lasagna-Style Stuffed Zucchini
Chicken Paillard, Muffaletta-Style
Keto Turkey Sliders With Avocado "Buns"