Some menu items become legendary not because they’re everyday favorites, but because they represent the ultimate in indulgent comfort food. Denny’s Fried Cheese Melt is exactly that kind of dish. This elusive sandwich appears on their menu sporadically, creating a cult following of cheese lovers who eagerly await its return.
This copycat recipe lets you recreate this over-the-top creation at home whenever the craving strikes. It’s essentially a perfectly grilled cheese sandwich taken to the extreme with the addition of crispy fried mozzarella sticks nestled inside. While this certainly isn’t everyday food, sometimes you need that special treat that pushes all boundaries of cheesy goodness.
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Table of Contents
Why This Recipe Works
The genius lies in the combination of textures and cheese experiences. The melted American cheese provides a creamy, mild flavor that binds everything together, while the fried mozzarella sticks add a satisfying crunch and stretchy cheese pulls. The sourdough bread creates the perfect sturdy foundation to handle all this cheesy goodness without falling apart.
Ingredients
Bread Foundation:
- Sourdough bread slices – Provide a sturdy, tangy base that complements the rich cheese and holds up to grilling
- Butter – Creates golden, crispy exterior and adds rich flavor when softened for easy spreading
Cheese Components:
- American cheese slices – Melt smoothly and provide a creamy, mild flavor that binds all elements together
- Frozen mozzarella sticks – Add crispy texture contrast and stretchy cheese pulls for ultimate indulgence
Accompaniment:
- Marinara sauce – Provides acidic contrast to cut through the rich cheese and adds classic pizza flavors
Step-by-Step Instructions
Preparing Components
- Cook frozen mozzarella sticks according to package directions until golden brown and crispy. Set aside to cool slightly.
- Warm marinara sauce in microwave or small saucepan for serving.
- Soften butter to room temperature for easy spreading.
Building the Sandwich
- Heat skillet over low to medium heat to ensure even browning without burning.
- Butter one slice of sourdough bread on one side and place butter-side down in the heated skillet.
- Layer American cheese over the bread in the skillet, breaking slices as needed to cover the entire surface evenly.
Adding the Fried Elements
- Arrange cooked mozzarella sticks evenly across the cheese layer, spacing them for balanced distribution.
- Top with remaining American cheese slices, ensuring complete coverage over the mozzarella sticks.
- Butter the second slice of bread and place butter-side up on the cheese layers.
Grilling to Perfection
- Cook the first side for 3-4 minutes until golden brown and cheese begins melting.
- Flip carefully using a wide spatula, keeping all components intact.
- Cook the second side for 3-4 minutes until golden brown and the cheese is fully melted.
- Press gently with a spatula to help the cheese meld together.
Final Presentation
- Remove from heat and let rest 1-2 minutes to allow cheese to set slightly.
- Cut diagonally if desired and serve immediately with warm marinara sauce.
Storage & Reheating Instructions
- Immediate Consumption: Best enjoyed immediately while cheese is hot and stretchy for optimal experience.
- Short-Term Storage: Can be wrapped and refrigerated for up to 24 hours, though texture will change significantly.
- Reheating Method: Reheat in covered skillet over low heat for 2-3 minutes per side, or in toaster oven at 350°F for 5-7 minutes.
Denny’s Fried Cheese Melt Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 slices sourdough bread
- 2 teaspoons softened butter
- 4 slices American cheese Kraft Delux American Cheese Slices are recommended
- 3 prepared cheese sticks – Prepare according to package directions.
Instructions
- Heat a skillet low to medium heat. Butter one slice of bread, and place in skillet, cover bread with cheese, you may need to break the cheese slices apart, but be sure to cover the entire piece of bread. Lay down cooked cheese sticks in equal distances from each other, top with remaining cheese, and buttered slice of bread. Cook on both sides until golden brown. Serve with Marina sauce.
Love the idea of serving this with Marinara sauce.
Try using Mayo in place of butter. It browns the same and taste great.
Thank you for this! I referred to this page when I made these tonight =)
God I’m craving that
actually the Denny’s recipe calls for 4 cheese sticks
and aslo the way it is prepared is the sourdough is buttered.. both pieces laid on the grill with 1 slice american on both pieces.. once the cheese is melted and bread is golden you put the 4 cheese sticks on to one of the slices.. flip the other slice on top served with ur side and marinara sauce
I could only fit 3 of those on that bread 😉
This sandwich is very cheesy but if they take it off the menu, I for one will PROTEST. It is the bomb and worth giving yourself a treat every now and then, even once a month!
I hope you let Denny’s know how you felt about this one!
https://www.facebook.com/FriedChesse4ever
How real is it gonna get
How do we save these recipes to our computer. I tried ‘save as’ but no luck
Sandi
You would need to copy and paste the text into the program of your choice and then do a save as. I don’t believe there is a way to do it directly.
I have to confess, we loved this.
Diane, yes. It looks as though you put two slices of cheese down, beautiful, beautiful cheese, then the cheese sticks… and then another two slices of cheese. 😀