Step outside of your typical grilled cheese box and try this South African grilled cheese sandwich called braaibroodjie. It’s filled with gooey sharp cheddar, sliced tomato and onion, and sweet-and-tangy fruit chutney. This sweet and savory sandwich is perfect whether you cook it the traditional way over a barbecue or opt for an indoor method such as a grill pan or skillet!

A South African Braaibroodjie sandwich cut diagonally in half on a white plate.

Braaibroodjie means “barbecue bread” and is a beloved South African grilled cheese sandwich famously cooked over an open fire or barbecue. The easiest way to make these sandwiches over a grill is to place them in a hinged grill basket so they stay intact while cooking and flipping over the fire.

Alternatively, these South African grilled cheese sandwiches are easy to make in a nonstick skillet, on a grill pan, or in a panini press. It’s no longer “barbecue” but the flavor is still great. Note that a panini press will actually press the sandwich which is not typical, but still yields a delicious result!

Ingredient notes

Ingredients for Braaibroodjie on a white marble background.

Bread: Use standard white sandwich bread for your braaibroodjie.
Tomato: Roma tomatoes are a good option here since they are less juicy and will not fall apart as easily as regular tomato slices may, avoiding a soggy sandwich.
Cheese: Sharp cheddar is a great choice of cheese, but you are welcome to get creative and try some other cheese varieties.
Chutney: The chutney typically used for braaibroodjie is Mrs. Ball’s, which is a sweet-and-sour chutney made with dried fruits and vinegar. If you can’t get this brand, Major Grey’s is a good option, or any mango chutney would also be nice. Apricot preserves could work in a pinch but will be more sweet rather than a combination of sweet and tangy like a chutney. In that case, you may want to stir a little vinegar into the preserves.

Two halves of a Braaibroodjie sandwich stacked on top of each other showing of the filling.

How to make it

Evenly spread softened butter on one side of each slice of bread. Flip the slices butter-side down on a work surface. Divide the cheese over two of the slices and top with sliced tomato and onion. On the other two slices of bread, evenly spread the chutney.

Four slices of white sandwich bread spread with soft butter on top.

Two slices of bread topped with chutney, and two slices topped with cheese, tomato, and onion.

Flip the chutney-covered slices of bread to cover the slices with cheese, tomato, and onion to form a sandwich with the buttered sides on the outside.

Heat a grill over medium heat or a grill pan or large nonstick pan over medium-low heat. You can also heat up a panini press.

If using the grill, place the sandwiches in a hinged grill basket and close it. This will make it easy to flip the sandwiches on the grill without making a huge mess. Grill the sandwiches for about 3 minutes per side until toasty on the outside and gooey in the middle.

If using a grill pan or large nonstick pan, place the sandwiches side by side and cook until the bottom is golden brown and the cheese is starting to melt, about 3 minutes. Carefully flip the sandwiches over with a spatula and cook for another 3 minutes on the second side until golden brown and all of the cheese in the middle is gooey and melted.

If using panini press, the sandwiches will likely only need about 1 ½ minutes until golden brown and toasty with a gooey cheesy filling.

Two sandwiches coated with soft butter placed in a panini maker.

Two sandwiches after cooking in a panini maker.

Slice sandwiches in half diagonally and serve immediately.

Please scroll to the bottom of the post for the full recipe (in a printable recipe card) including ingredient amounts and detailed instructions.

A sandwich with grill marks, cut in half on a plate over a blue kitchen towel.

Expert tips

Understandably, butter will soften more at room temperature more in warmer months than in cooler months. Be careful when spreading the butter if it's not very soft as it could tear the soft bread. Blitz it for a few seconds in the microwave if needed.

You can definitely slice your cheese instead of grating it if you wish. Avoid using pre-shredded cheese and grate it yourself if you do grate it. Store-bought shredded cheeses contain anti-caking agents to keep them from clumping together and will not yield the same smooth melty cheese filling as achieved with using regular (not pre-shredded) cheese.

Braaibroodjie is not typically a pressed sandwich, but using a panini grill like I did will in fact press it. As long as you're ok with that I see no problem in using a quick-cooking and well-functioning tool like a panini press if you happen to have one. It makes for an easy sandwich prep in winter months when I most definitely will not be cooking them over a grill outside!

A South African Braaibroodjie sandwich with melted cheese, tomato, onion, and chutney oozing out.

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