Give Your Grilled Cheese A Delicious Upgrade With This Pantry Ingredient

A grilled cheese has unlimited appeal. You can make a fancy grilled cheese using artisan ingredients (we love using Italian flatbread, for instance) or stick to the cheapest store-bought bread and cheese, and practically every time it will hit the spot. That doesn't mean there isn't room for improvement, however. If that's what you're looking for, grab that jar of pesto in your pantry.

Around a teaspoon of pesto should be enough to give you a thin smear on the inside of the bread to amp up the flavor, as the basil's brightness contrasts with the sharp creaminess of the cheese. The hint of garlic adds an earthiness to the proceedings, while the whole thing pops with green color when the bread is cut. Some people prefer to add their pesto in between the cheese layers so the flavors really combine, but we don't think it really matters when it comes to eating the sandwich.

What is important is avoiding a cheaper, oilier pesto, as that can make your bread too greasy, even if you toast the bread first for the crispiest grilled cheese. Other grilled cheese fans have gone even further and used pesto instead of butter on their sandos, though some online commenters are divided on this step. If you're considering trying this, the olive oil in the pesto may be enough to prevent the bread from going dry — but a better bet is to apply pesto to the inside of the sandwich, and use ghee to cook grilled cheese for even more flavor.

Pesto goes on and with a variety of dishes, from pasta to seafood to chicken and, of course, to grilled cheese — but the flavor you get can depend on the kind you buy. There's a wide range of store-bought pesto out there, and not all use what you may consider to be authentic, high-quality ingredients. It would be worthwhile to use a tried-and-true pesto variety when applying it to your sandwich, so you avoid any that may be made with tasteless oils or lower-quality nuts that could bring down your grilled cheese.

Another alternative is fresh pesto, with a taste that can be far superior to even a high-quality jarred brand. Remember, once you open a jar of pesto, it won't last for long, so why not have a go at making your own if you've got a machine in which to blitz everything? If you're trying fresh pesto on your grilled cheese for the first time, don't be too heavy-handed, as the intense flavor could overwhelm your sandwich. The traditional basil, Parmesan, and pine nut trifecta is a springboard to all kinds of flavor combinations, including switching out the herb and nuts for sun-dried tomatoes and almonds to make red pesto, or tossing in some habaneros to add a little heat. Consider how these will balance with the cheeses in your sandwich, too, and you'll have a delish meal.