This Simple Dressing Addition Gives Grilled Cheese A Next-Level Taste

Back around the turn of the millennium, a grilled cheese sandwich was likely to consist of little more than cheese and bread. By the 20-teens, however, grilled cheese had gone gourmet. Today, many of the recipes you find call for additions ranging from the simple sprinkle of salt and pepper favored by Bobby Flay to more incendiary ingredients like spicy hot peppers. Danny Huynh, a culinary content creator, opts for Italian dressing himself. While he didn't name a brand, we do have a list of the best and worst Italian dressings you can buy at the grocery store.

"A good Italian dressing is tangy and herbaceous which would pair beautifully with a grilled cheese by cutting through its richness and balancing its salty flavor," Huynh declared. You'll need to use a light hand to apply it, though — he advised brushing it over the inside bread surfaces before adding the cheese to the sandwich. If you're making your sandwich with mayonnaise, you could also mix a little dressing into that condiment. Huynh also recommended another possibility: "I think a great way to enjoy Italian dressing with grilled cheese would be to reduce it into a glaze and use it as a dip."

If you use bottled Italian dressing in the ways that Huynh suggested, your grilled cheese sandwich should stay fairly sog-free. Should you wish to go heavy on the Italian-style flavoring, however, you can ensure your sandwich stays dry by using powdered flavorings. Options include an envelope of salad dressing mix or a store-bought Italian seasoning blend, but Huynh recommends mixing up your own. "Deconstructing Italian dressing and using its dry ingredients to add Italian flavors to grilled cheese would be a great idea. I'd mix dried Italian herbs and garlic into butter before toasting the sandwich," he said. Some of the seasonings you could use could include basil, oregano, onion powder, parsley, and pepper; along with a little bit of salt and sugar.

Huynh also suggested adding parmesan cheese to the sandwich for an umami boost. This ingredient can either go inside the sandwich or be sprinkled on the outside before cooking to form a crispy, cheesy, crust. You might also want to use mozzarella for Italian-style grilled cheese or go all the way and make a true mozzarella in carrozza by coating the sandwich with breadcrumbs and frying it in olive oil. This dish can also be elevated by the addition of Italian dressing, whether it's wet or dry.