This Japanese Bakery Item Gives Grilled Cheese A Texture So Pillowy You'll Never Look Back

While it's a well-established truth that all grilled cheese sandwiches are good grilled cheese sandwiches (because really, who doesn't like gooey melted cheese between two slices of toasted bread?), there's still a lot to debate when it comes to this comfort food classic. Whether it's the question of cheddar versus American slices versus mozzarella, or whether to add other extra ingredients, everyone has their own secrets to making their very best version — and how to avoid common grilled cheese sandwich mistakes.

When it comes to what kind of bread to use, you should check out your local Japanese bakery because Japanese-style milk bread is an underrated grilled cheese champion. Milk bread, known as shokupan in Japan, is a treat on its own, being simultaneously creamy, airy, and slightly sweet. You may have seen in it Insta-worthy Japanese fruit sandwiches or cute, crustless katsu or egg salad Japanese sandos — it's also a magnificent base for a classic grilled cheese. Whether you buy your milk bread from a bakery or make it yourself from scratch, the end result will have a winning fusion of flavor and texture, with the beautifully light, fluffy bread contrasting with the rich, savory, dense cheese filling.

Now, you can make a delicious milk bread grilled cheese with just milk bread, a little butter, and a few slices of your favorite cheese, but the possibilities don't end there. For instance, you may want to consider which cheese, or blend of cheeses, will work best with the milk bread. Because of milk bread's slight sweetness, mixing a saltier cheese, like feta or goat cheese, into your blend works well to offset the sweetness of the bread in a tasty, satisfying way.

In addition to the basics, you can also look into adding other toppings. If you do use a saltier cheese or combination of cheeses, consider adding a spread, like raspberry jam, fig jam, or caramelized onion spread, to continue the savory and sweet flavor balancing act. On the other hand, a slice of salty cured meat, a couple strips of bacon, or a bit of tomato can make this lighter bread part of a heartier, more filling sandwich.