How to make a grilled cheese sandwich with a hotel room iron

Eating out every day gets old quickly when you’re away from home. With some creativity, you can make warm and inviting foods like this grilled cheese sandwich using the ingredients around your hotel room or dorm room. The best part is the time you’ll save by avoiding the dreaded task of wandering around looking for appetizing meals in a foreign place.

A grilled cheese sandwich cut in half on a white plate next to packages of butter

Last November, Alex and I lived out of a hotel room for 3 weeks when he traveled back to California for work. We stayed in a modest motel with a mini-fridge, a microwave, and a coffee maker in our room. Eating out every meal got old quickly. That’s when I brainstormed simple recipes we can make in our room with no limited kitchen equipment.

That’s how this grilled cheese sandwich emerged. In this recipe, I’ve improved on the haphazard instructions littered around the Web and discovered tips for success to make the best grilled cheese sandwich your hotel room can offer. Let’s dive in!


Where can you make a grilled cheese sandwich with an iron?

This grilled cheese sandwich recipe works anywhere that you can find electricity and an iron while traveling. That includes AirBnBs, hostels, and dorm rooms. Maybe you could even recreate the hot iron over a campfire by using hot rocks. But that’s a post for another day.

Where do you find the equipment?

I found the iron and ironing board in the closet of our room. The motel served breakfast every morning with paper plates and plastic cutlery. I swiped a few plates for cooking on and reused the plastic cutlery after washing it with the hotel bar soap.

The aluminum/aluminium foil was the most challenging. We didn’t want to buy a roll of foil from the supermarket. Thankfully, Alex stumbled on some foil, which worked out well. If you don’t want to buy the smallest roll at the supermarket, you can ask the hotel reception if they have foil. Or pack a few sheets in your luggage, which should be easy to carry considering foil is extremely thin and light.

What kinds of cheese can you use?

Pick your favorite cheese or whatever is available.

Our motel offered bite-sized packages of Tillamook Cheddar and Babybel cheeses, which worked well. We walked to the closest grocery store and bought a wedge of P’tit Basque cheese. The Trader Joe’s sold sliced cheese too, which would save you the hassle of cutting it up.

A finger pressing down on a plastic knife to cut cheese
I didn’t like the sliced cheese options so we went with a wedge of P’tit Basque cheese (one of my favorites). I used a plastic knife to slice it as thinly as possible.

This wasn’t easy.

I found it worked best if you push down on the edge of the plastic knife with your index finger to stabilize the plastic knife. It’s OK to break the cheese. You just want to avoid snapping your knife if you have limited supplies of cutlery.

RELATED: Love melted cheese? Check out how to make raclette without special equipment.

What kinds of bread can you use?

You can use any kind of bread as long as it is thin or already sliced.

You want a thin slice of bread for grilled cheese or else the heat from the iron won’t reach the cheese to melt it. This means sandwich bread, sliced sourdough, flatbreads like pita bread, and any kind of flat or sliced bread work well.

I wouldn’t recommend dinner rolls, ciabatta, or a baguette unless they are already sliced because you probably don’t have a bread knife handy. Thick bread or rolls won’t easily melt the cheese under an iron.

Best Thing Since Sliced Brad cartoon with pun on bread and Brad
I drew this corny illustration for my friend, Brad.

What heat setting on the iron should you use?

I set the iron to its highest heat setting, which is usually the linen or cotton mode. Turn the dial until it won’t go any higher. Be careful not to burn yourself, which is surprisingly easy (for me) to do with an iron.

💡TIP: The most important part of successfully “grilling” your sandwich is to cover the bread with 1 layer of foil. If you wrap the sandwich in a secure parcel like a Christmas present, the overlapping layers create a thick barrier that prevents the hot iron from heating your sandwich adequately.

How do you know when the grilled cheese is ready?

The amount of time you need to press the sandwich depends on the strength of your iron and the thickness of the bread. That’s why this recipe’s timings are an estimate.

What’s worked for me is to check on the sandwich after a few minutes of pressing with the hot iron. I uncover the foil and see whether the bread is crispy and golden. If it’s still pale and cold to the touch, I cover the bread again and press for a few more minutes before flipping over to “grill” the other side.

How do you avoid making a mess?

If you’re not careful, you can end up with a disaster situation like this:

An ironing board with oily stains and an iron

Imagine hand washing the ironing board cover. What a sad use of time. These stains happened because I wasn’t careful with where I put the foil after I placed my buttered bread on it. I got distracted and accidentally turn over the foil which smeared grease on the board. The damage was exacerbated when my hot iron picked up the butter and spread it everywhere.

Here’s what you can do to avoid these greasy stains:

  • Add extra layers of foil beneath your workspace: This is the easiest and safest step to protect the covering and avoid leaks. Use paper towels or newspapers if you don’t have extra foil.
  • Add a towel under the foil to absorb any drips: This option is kind of bad etiquette. Nonetheless, a towel with one or two grease stains is easier to launder than the iron board covering.

️WARNING: Don’t attempt this recipe if you believe you are clumsy and therefore may damage the furniture or burn yourself with the iron. Get takeout instead!


Grilled Cheese Sandwich with a Hotel Room Iron

Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate Recipe
This simple grilled cheese sandwich is a great alternative to eating out everyday when you're away from home. Use your creativity to deploy the ingredients around your hotel or dorm room to whip up this sandwich. Serve it with a leafy salad dressed with garlic lemon vinaigrette for a complete meal.
Prep Time: 1 minute
Cook Time: 4 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes
Course: Breakfast, Brunch, Main Course, Snack
Cuisine: American
Keyword: 10 ingredients or less, 5-minute recipe, carbs, comfort, family-friendly, no-cook, vegetarian
Servings: 1 person
Calories: 590kcal
Author: Anna Rider
Cost: $1

Equipment

  • plates
  • iron
  • ironing board
  • aluminium foil
  • Knife

Ingredients

  • 2 slices (2 slices) bread
  • 3 slices (3 slices) cheese
  • 1 tablespoon (15 g) butter, whatever butter you can find, salted or unsalted

Instructions

  • Gather the ingredients.
    The ingredients and equipment needed to make a grilled cheese sandwich in a hotel room
  • Preheat the iron by plugging it in and turning it up to its highest heat setting.
    While waiting for the iron to heat, butter both sides of your bread. The butter on the outside of the sandwich will prevent the bread from sticking to the aluminium foil when you press it with the iron. The butter on the inside is optional. I like to butter the inside because it makes the sandwich taste richer.
    2 slices of buttered bread on a plate on top of tin foil
  • Place the sliced cheese on one of the slices of bread. If you have a microwave handy, zap the bread with the cheese for 30 seconds to melt the cheese. This gives your sandwich a head start so your iron can do less work. If you don't have a microwave handy, you can skip this step.
    Sliced cheese melted on bread on top of a white plate
  • Assemble the sandwich by bringing the two slices of bread together to close the sandwich. Lay the sandwich on one side of the aluminium foil and fold over the other side. Don't wrap the foil around the sandwich like a parcel because the heat from the iron won't be able to reach the sandwich if you have too many layers of foil in the way.
    A buttered cheese sandwich wrapped in aluminium foil
  • Carefully press the hot iron on top of your wrapped sandwich for 2 minutes. You should hear a sizzle. Keep your hand on the iron to supervise it. Don't leave the iron unattended.
    Remove the iron after a few minutes. Peek into the foil and check on the sandwich.
    If the bread looks grilled to your satisfaction, flip over the sandwich and grill the other side for 2 minutes.
    If you want to grill the sandwich for longer, fold over the foil and press the hot iron into the wrapped sandwich for another 2 minutes. Then turn over to grill the other side.
    An iron pressing down on a cheese sandwich wrapped in aluminium foil
  • When your sandwich is golden and crispy, it is ready to eat. Cut it in half. Enjoy your grilled cheese sandwich!
    A grilled cheese sandwich cut in half on aluminium foil

Notes

You can find most of these ingredients at the nearest grocery store. If you’re in a remote place without access to a car, you can plan ahead and pack these ingredients in your bag before leaving for travel. Store the butter and cheese in an air-tight plastic container to keep the ingredients fresh (with an ice pack if you have extra room).

Nutrition

Calories: 590kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 41g | Saturated Fat: 25g | Cholesterol: 118mg | Sodium: 912mg | Potassium: 184mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 1192IU | Calcium: 683mg | Iron: 3mg
Loved this recipe?Subscribe & get the Meal Plan System!

What to eat & drink with a grilled cheese sandwich

5-minute garlic lemon salad dressing
This must-try garlic salad dressing uses lemon juice to add a sparkle to your green leafy salads. Serve it with sliced carrots and cucumbers. Make extra for the busy weekdays.
Get the Recipe
A green salad with sliced carrots, tomatoes, and lettuce with garlic salad dressing on top
5-Minute Smoked Salmon Cream Cheese Dip With Lemon Zest
This simple and refreshing dip is perfect for no-cook summer days and fall picnics. Make a dip or spread and double or triple the recipe so you can freeze the leftovers.
Get the Recipe
Blended smoked salmon and cream cheese dip with lemon zest and cracked pepper in green bowl
5-Minute Homemade Hot Chocolate
This hot chocolate recipe takes 5 minutes or less, 2 ingredients, and a microwave. It's a no-cook recipe that's perfect for hotel travelers, tiny-house dwellers, students in dorm rooms, and busy working people who don't want to deal with a stove.
Get the Recipe
A pink cup of hot chocolate on a matching saucer sitting on top of snow for hot chocolate recipe

Similar recipes you will love

5-Minute Garlic Bread with Garlic Powder
This quick and easy garlic bread recipe scales up to serve four, six, or even eight people with the same amount of effort.
Get the Recipe
3 pieces of garlic bread stacked on top of each other with parmesan cheese on white plate with chopped cilantro
5-Minute Homemade Vegan Miso Soup With Silken Tofu and Seaweed
You'll love this belly-warming miso soup during cold wintery nights. It only takes 5 minutes and you can add any garnishes to tailor it to your tastebuds. Add a dash of sesame oil for extra indulgent miso soup.
Get the Recipe
A blue mug with miso soup and green onions for the 5-Minute Homemade Vegan Miso Soup recipe
Nhi’s Spring Rolls + Peanut Butter Dipping Sauce
Homemade spring rolls are a delicious summer treat. Make them when it's too hot to cook in your oven or stove top. You can make the peanut butter dipping sauce ahead of time. Perfect for picnics and easy weeknight dinners when you're too sweaty to make complex dishes.
Get the Recipe
A shrimp spring roll on the table next to a plate of 3 spring rolls with tofu and shrimp

READ NEXT: A scandalous guide to low-carb poutine without cheese curds

Anna looking down chopping vegetables
About Anna Rider

Hi! I'm Anna, a food writer who documents kitchen experiments on GarlicDelight.com with the help of my physicist and taste-testing husband, Alex. I have an insatiable appetite for noodles 🍜 and believe in "improv cooking".

4 thoughts on “How to make a grilled cheese sandwich with a hotel room iron”

  1. 5 stars
    Thank you! I also saw the movie Benny and Joon and wondered if ironing a grilled cheese sandwich worked. Next time I’m at a hotel with an iron I’m making ironed grilled cheese!

    Reply
  2. 5 stars
    Anna, this is hilarious! I never would have thought of it and probably won’t ever need to try it, but you never know.

    I love reading your recipes and appreciate all the thought that went into the tips you provide. Great website!

    Reply
  3. When I was in the Army overseas, I used my travel iron and canteen cup to make ramen noodles with dried fish, tea and boiled eggs and more. Thanks for expanding my horizons. I will say that I’ll probably brown the outside with a mayonnaise packet or such, not that I don’t like butter but mayo packets store more easily.
    Saw this in Benny and Joon, way back when but never tried it. Now I shall with your encouragement.

    Reply
5 from 3 votes (1 rating without comment)

Leave a Comment

Recipe Rating