Skip Butter And Mayo: Upgrade Your Next Grilled Cheese With This Store-Bought Spread

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A grilled cheese doesn't require much fuss to shine. Still, a simple upgrade can take the dish from scrumptious to stellar. Common enhancements include a slather of mayo (inside and out) – which adds tanginess, gooeyness, and turns the crust golden brown — or butter, which lends the sandwich a signature dairy-based richness. Want to give your grilled cheese a more pronounced character? Consider adding garlic spread instead.

Purchase a container of the store bought condiment, say a bottle of Lawry's Garlic Spread or Italian Rose Garlic Spread, and you obtain a grilled cheese powerhouse. The sauce is usually composed of spreadable fat mixed with allium flavors and seasonings, making it an effective method to both flavor and crisp up a sandwich. Apply the spread to the bread's exterior — using around an ounce per sandwich — and you'll get a garlic bread-like grilled cheese experience.

The seasonings will stick to toast, adding flecks of herb and spice onto every bite. All the while, the fat will turn the bread golden brown, in the same manner as mayo and butter. As a result, you'll have a revamped grilled cheese: crispy on the outside, cheesy on the inside, with a flavorful garlic seasoning throughout.

The secret to a top-tier grilled cheese lies in the details. Alongside the garlic spread, carefully select the cheese and bread, built out with a few additional ingredients. As far as the loaf is concerned, go with slices of something wide and sturdy. Italian bread plays to the dish's garlic bread flair, while sourdough is considered the best bread for a grilled cheese sandwich for good reason. Slice it on the thicker side; you want crispiness but not a cracker-like crunch.

Cheese-wise, the options are open-ended. Cheddar, say an aged variety, is a terrific choice for flavor, while still pairing well with the garlic spread. For a more neutral option, consider provolone or mozzarella. And it's never a bad idea to blend the cheeses together, too. Just avoid pre-grated dairy. Store bought shredded dairy contains stabilizers and anti-clumping agents, which curtail melting.

Put together, such components are already enough to make a garlic grilled cheese shine. However, don't rule out additional ingredients that will make your grilled cheese even better. You could incorporate cured meat: A slice or two of salami pairs delectably with garlic spread. Alternatively, some tomato slices lend a burst of fruity juiciness in the build while avocado lends creamy freshness. A garlic grilled cheese can be spiffed out or kept simple — either way, the sandwich won't disappoint.