Give Your Next Grilled Cheese A German-Inspired Twist

Even once you begin tinkering with enhancements to your classic, no-frills grilled cheese, it's easy to fall back on the same old upgrades. Tomato and bacon are among the most common (and delicious) extra fillings, for example, but that doesn't mean you want to squeeze them in every day. Plus, there are even easier additions to take your grilled cheese from good to great with little more than the turn of a lid — including the flavorful sauerkraut that's otherwise found accompanying more classically German plates.

Sauerkraut is the shredded, fermented cabbage known to cut the richness of meats such as bratwurst. It often has a nice little crunch, and almost always has a punchy tang. Just a few forkfuls make a big impact to all it accompanies, so a jar of sauerkraut also often lasts long enough to leave you figuring out ways to use it up. Pairing its prominent profile with your gooey grilled cheese is as brilliant an application as any. Some bread and cheese combinations are even particularly well suited to this perky pickled veg.

Sauerkraut is a worthy addition, even if you're working with the standard white bread and American cheese. It adds some razzle-dazzle to the former and balances the latter's fatty saltiness with its more acidic notes (like it does with all the world's wursts). Sauerkraut also mingles surprisingly well with some other equally strong ingredients.

Anyone who's enjoyed a Reuben should recall that rye bread and sauerkraut are a terrific pair. The hearty corned beef and Swiss-stuffed sandwich is an icon. Reach for that same Swiss, or a similarly mild, melt-optimized cheese, such as fontina, for a logical reinterpretation of the more protein-forward fave. Pumpernickel, a more prominently flavored kind of rye with strong ties to Germany, is also an excellent choice for a sauerkraut grilled cheese, but choose a neutral cheese in this case. Colby is even gentler than Swiss or fontina, for all the gooey texture with near zero competing flavors.

In either case, build your grilled cheese as usual, arranging a thin layer of sauerkraut between your cheese slices so they virtually glue all that cabbage confetti together. As always, medium-low heat on the stovetop gives the best toasty outside, melty inside grilled cheese effect.