Give Grilled Cheese A Major Flavor And Texture Upgrade With This Genius Bread Swap

While undeniably delicious in their most basic form, grilled cheese sandwiches are one popular American food that can always benefit from a worthwhile upgrade. Though, instead of using a variety of salty, savory cheeses or altering your preferred cooking method, level up your choice of bread with thick and savory Texas toast.

If you don't already know, one restaurant mishap led to the creation of Texas toast, which is essentially extra thick, sturdy slices of white bread slathered in butter and grilled to achieve an even balance of crunchy and soft textures. What's more, garlic and herbs are often incorporated for an extra savory taste. While you can certainly make your own Texas toast at home or buy some pre-sliced at your neighborhood grocery store, you definitely want to use this pillowy, butter-rich bread to make one delicious grilled cheese sandwich.

Start by toasting these extra thick slices of white bread in your toaster. From here, layer in your favorite cheeses and add a generous layer of softened butter, mayonnaise, or both to the outer side of both bread slices. From here, all you need to do is pan-fry your grilled cheese sandwich on medium to medium-low heat. Cooking this thicker grilled cheese with low to moderate heat allows the outside of your sandwich to become extra crispy without over-browning. Also, to ensure the cheese melts effectively, feel free to place a sheet pan or pot lid over your grilled cheese as it cooks.

For additional flavor, you may want to make your next grilled cheese sandwich with a garlic-infused upgrade. To streamline preparation, use garlic-flavored Texas toast, which is sold in the freezer section of most supermarkets. However, if you don't have the energy to head to the grocery store, you can also give your grilled cheese more flavor with one simple swap. Instead of making Texas toast-style sandwiches with regular softened butter, spread the outside of your bread slices with homemade garlic butter.

To make your own, all you need to do is combine softened butter with fresh minced garlic, grated Parmesan cheese, salt, and Italian seasonings like dried parsley, basil, and oregano. The savory flavor of Parmesan cheese plus the added variety of spices is sure to make your next grilled cheese all the more enjoyable.

Better yet, once you experience the unbeatable taste of Texas toast grilled cheese sandwiches, you can start experimenting with additional toppings. Upgrade this hearty sandwich with a variety of extras like bacon, caramelized onions, and fresh spinach. You can also give your traditional Texas toast grilled cheese a more contrasting flavor with some fig or strawberry jam. Or, on the opposite end of the spectrum, give classic Texas toast a pizza twist for an easy dinner everyone will love. All you need to do is layer garlic-infused Texas toast with mozzarella cheese, marinara sauce, and pepperoni for one ultra-flavorful meal.