This Mac ‘n Cheese Grilled Cheese is the Best Way to Celebrate National Grilled Cheese Day

National Grilled Cheese Day is coming up (April 12, for those of you keeping score at home), and that means it’s time to indulge in a new take on an old favorite.

Now, we have to state up front: There is absolutely nothing wrong with a regular ol’ grilled cheese sandwich made with American cheese, served up with a steaming cup of tomato soup. This pairing is a classic and one that should be revered for its use of carbs, cheese, and liquid elements.

That being said, the grilled cheese is one of the best sandwiches when you want to kick things up a notch. With so many different kinds of cheese out there, you have almost infinite possibilities for what goes inside your sandwich. Want something extra-salty? Throw some feta in there. Want your sandwich a little creamier? You better brie-lieve that’s a possibility.

Then, outside of cheese, there are all of the other things you could put in there. Tomatoes, for example, or bacon. Pickles? Sure, why not? Basically, the world is your sandwich (unless you want to put either of these vile creations on, then maybe you should start rethinking your choices).

That line of reasoning brings us to our next question: What’s better than a grilled cheese sandwich with one type of cheese and one type of carbs? A grilled cheese sandwich with two types of cheese and two types of carbs. That’s right, mac and cheese-stuffed grilled cheese is a thing and we think it’s the perfect way to celebrate National Grilled Cheese Day.

Below, you can find a recipe for mac and cheese-stuffed grilled cheese, courtesy of Thumbtack chef Niko Paranomos. Below the recipe, we even added our own twist to take this sandwich to the next level.

Mac and Cheese Grilled Cheese

(Yields two sandwiches)

Ingredients: 

• 4 slices thick-sliced sourdough bread
• 4 slices cheddar cheese
• 1 cup leftover macaroni and cheese 
• 2 tbsp butter

Instructions:

1. Butter 2 slices of bread and place both slices butter side down in another skillet over medium heat.
2. Top one of the bread slices with 2 slices cheese. When lightly browned turn off heat. Use a spoon to transfer room temp mac and cheese onto cheese covered bread in the skillet.
3. Cover with the other bread slice, toasted side up. Gently press together with spatula and transfer to a plate.
4. Place in oven warmed at 350 degrees Fahrenheit to fully heat the mac and cheese.
5. Enjoy!

Note: To make this sandwich even better, we added .25 cup crumbled bacon bits and 1 tsp hot sauce to the macaroni and cheese. Because bacon and hot sauce.