Give Grilled Cheese An Italian Upgrade With This Cheap Ingredient

The beauty of a grilled cheese is undeniable, and it's largely based on its simplicity. Two slices of bread, some cheese, butter (or mayo or olive oil), and a skillet are all you need for a sandwich of creamy, comforting delight. Even though a simple one can be wonderful, there are so many ways to make it even better. One way to jazz up grilled cheese into an Italian-inspired delicacy is to add in an inexpensive ingredient that's probably already in your pantry: jarred pasta sauce.

Given grilled cheese and tomato soup's iconic pairing, it shouldn't shock you to hear that another tomato-based product goes well with the dairy-filled sandwich. To make a pasta sauce-enhanced grilled cheese, just add a spoonful to the inside of your sandwich before griddling. The tangy touch of tomato blends into the gooey cheese, adding welcome notes of sweetness and acidity. You can use whatever your favorite store-bought pasta sauce may be, whether that's classic marinara or arrabbiata for a spicy kick.

While the concept of pasta sauce grilled cheese is simple enough, like the classic version, the possible variations are endless. From an extra-creamy parmesan-crusted grilled cheese filled with mozzarella and vodka sauce to a sandwich stuffed with sharp cheddar and four-cheese tomato sauce that amps up the cheese factor, there are as many combinations of pasta sauce grilled cheese as you can dream. Beyond that, you can use frozen garlic bread to make next-level grilled cheese sandwiches, or add in extras like sauteed spinach, fresh basil, or slices of pepperoni for a sandwich that brings a punch of pizza flavor.

Another great trick is to double down on the sauce. The thing is, it's best to avoid putting too much pasta sauce into the grilled cheese itself so as not to risk the sauce making the bread soggy or spilling out of the sandwich. However, you can get even more saucy goodness by serving a small dish of warmed pasta sauce as a dipping sauce for the finished grilled cheese. This simple trick lets you get the perfect sandwich-to-sauce ratio in every bite while echoing the classic grilled cheese with tomato soup combo.