Grilled cheese is a weekend lunch staple and the ultimate comfort food for my family. Aside from being affordable, easy, and delicious, it’s one of the few items I can prepare that gets rave reviews from both my toddler and my husband. While my son always likes his grilled cheese plain, though- just bread, butter, and cheese grilled to an ooey, gooey perfection- sometimes I like to jazz up the sandwiches for me and my husband. I enhance the simple perfection of a grilled cheese with one of my ten favorite grilled cheese add-ons. Next time you’re on stove duty for weekend lunch, why not try one of them?
Ham. The saltiness of a slice of ham tastes amazing with the cheese and buttered bread. Layer in one slice as you construct your sandwich, right before you fry it up.
Tomato. This is a classic combination. Add one or two thin slices before cooking.
Potato chips. Instead of eating them on the side, add potato chips to your grilled cheese before grilling. They will add crunch, texture, and some extra bulk to your sandwich. Choose plain chips for this one.
Grilled vegetables. Now we’re getting fancy. If you have leftover grilled zucchini, red pepper, or mushrooms from dinner, stick them in your sandwich. If you are using grilled veggies in your grilled cheese, you may want to pair with provolone or mozzarella cheese instead of American.
Fried Egg. Fry up an egg, and then slide it onto your buttered bread. Top with your cheese, the second slice of bread, and continue making your grilled cheese (plus egg!) sandwich.
Avocado. You may want to break out the swiss cheese for this one. Add California flair to your grilled sandwich by adding skinny wedges of avocado to your sandwich before grilling.
Spinach. You can wilt a little fresh spinach down slightly in a pan, and then add to your sandwich before completing your grilled cheese on the stove top. Great way to get extra vitamins into your lunch!
Salsa. Make a Mexican-inspired grilled cheese by scooping a little salsa on before frying. Be sparing with the salsa, though- too much may make the sandwich soggy.
Pepperoni. Why not have a grilled cheese that tastes just a little like a pizza? Throw on a layer of pepperoni circles and grill it up!
Pesto. If you have extra pesto sauce left over, spoon on a little and pair with provolone or mozzarella. If you want to give your pesto a little more body, stir in just a tiny bit of mayonnaise. .
Grilled cheese, on its own, is a delicious lunch. Add in one of these extra ingredients, though, and you’ve gone from delicious to downright awesome. Try a dressed up grilled cheese today!