Take 2 Extra Steps To Transform Grilled Cheese Into A Blissful Breakfast

Grilled cheese can be as simple or complicated as you want, but if you're looking for a new breakfast option, just two easy steps can transform it into an early morning sandwich. By just adding an egg and a bit of maple syrup, you can hit all the best breakfast notes: savory, starchy, and sweet.

If you want to fully assemble your ingredients before browning them in the pan, stick with scrambled eggs. A fried one's yolk might break during assembly or flipping, dripping down the sides and making a gooey, half-burnt mess. For the maple syrup, treat it like you would a sauce and add a light drizzle to the insides of the bread just before cooking, so it doesn't soak through to the other side. As the bread crisps up, it should develop a sturdy enough shell to prevent even the flimsiest bread from growing soggy.

To further prevent a soggy grilled cheese, you'll want to let this sandwich cool on a wire rack. This is especially important if you plan on wrapping it up and eating on the go, as the extra moisture from the eggs might create enough steam to ruin your grilled cheese's texture. The flavors from just egg, maple syrup, and a single type of cheese are delicious enough, but, like all breakfast sandwiches, this recipe is made for customization, so you can get a little wild with new ingredients.

When considering what to add to your breakfast grilled cheese, a bit of variety makes the sandwich taste so much better. You can always double up on extra cheese, more protein (bacon, anyone?), and another sugary ingredient, but sometimes going in the opposite flavor direction can really bring out the flavors of what you already have.

If you want to emphasize the maple syrup while turning up the heat, Bobby Flay gives his breakfast sandwiches an extra kick with harissa. A North African and Middle Eastern chile paste rich in garlic and spices, it transforms your grilled cheese into a spicy-sweet concoction while pairing perfectly with creamy eggs and melty cheese. Plus, it usually has a bit of salt in it, which brings out the sweetness of the maple syrup, emphasizing two different flavors at once. You can also try mixing it into your eggs before cooking, but just be careful not to let it burn and grow bitter.

One of the best tips for making grilled cheese is not to necessarily use more cheese, but different kinds. Provolone, Gouda, and cheddar all have great meltability while providing a mix of sharp and subtle flavors that leave your sandwich far more complex. A smear of goat cheese can also elevate your other flavors, adding a touch of creamy acid to the mix. In small doses, feta and parmesan add great earthy, saltiness, but just be aware that these cheeses melt a bit differently and won't form as gooey a texture.