Forget Tomato Soup — Dunk Grilled Cheese In This Creamy Condiment From Your Fridge

What's life without a little change now and then? Sure, the classics are great. Meatloaf and mashed potatoes, peanut butter and jelly, and, of course, grilled cheese and tomato soup. The very thought of this iconic combo conjures images of rainy days and cozy PJs. Lovely, yes. But tomato soup is not the only delicious pairing for grilled cheese. For something a little different, how about serving your sandwich with ranch dressing in lieu of tomato soup? Though ranch is less warm and comforting than tomato soup, it does offer a fresh, tangy, and creamy quality that will bring out a new dimension of flavor in the splendidly simple sando.

The best part of this pairing is that all you need is a bottle of your favorite store-bought ranch. No further prep required. Now, you may be hesitant about dipping a grilled cheese into ranch. After all, the dressing is more often found on salads or served with chicken wings. However, when you really think about it, ranch and grilled cheese are actually perfectly matched. The herbs used in ranch (parsley, dill, and chives) will add a bright quality that the meal might otherwise be lacking. The buttermilk (if you go for buttermilk ranch) will add a sour note that would work exceptionally well with a sourdough grilled cheese, for example. As far as cheese choice goes, you can stick with the classics (American or cheddar) or mix it up and use a dill havarti to double down on the herbaceous ranch flavor.

Using ranch dressing as a dip for a grilled cheese is a beautiful, simple pairing. But what if you want more ranch? Well, you're in luck, because we know just how to amp up the ranch factor of your sandwich. You needn't limit your dressing addition to just dipping. If you want even more flavor, you can spread some ranch on the interior and/or exterior of the grilled cheese's bread. The ranch on the outside of the bread will act like a sheen of mayonnaise, helping to add a lovely, crunchy crisp to the exterior of your sandwich. Plus, the herbaceous flavor will carry through the whole grilled cheese.

You can also add a pickle factor to this combo. After all, pickles and ranch dressing are natural plate-mates, both having a tangy, often dill-infused flavor. So why not add a few pickle slices to the inside of your grilled cheese? You can also use pickle relish if you prefer. Either dill or sweet pickle relish will work for this, and it's one of many great uses for the chopped pickle staple. If you're not a fan of pickled cucumbers, you can add a slice of tomato instead. Tomato brings a little touch of acidity and sweetness that can help freshen up the rich combo of ranch and cheese. Plus, it's a nice little nod to the typical tomato soup pairing.