Forget Basic Mayo — Grilled Cheese Is 10x More Flavorful When You Add This

Grilled cheese may be made from a simple combination of ingredients, but the result is always delectable. It is a universal comfort food after all, and you can find a variation of this sandwich all over the world. The best part, however, is that the sandwich is also endlessly customizable. You can whip up a simple grilled cheese with just bread and cheese, but there are a number of ways to make it all the more exciting. Mayonnaise is often used in a grilled cheese to achieve a golden, crispy outside, but adding it on the inside along with one condiment will take your sandwich up a notch. Next time you're cooking up a grilled cheese, try adding pesto to the mix. 

Pesto on a grilled cheese is a known tasty addition, but combining it with mayo will give the sandwich an even creamier consistency. Plus, the pesto will add a nutty, herby, garlicky depth to your grilled cheese, making it so much more complex. To make this spread, simply mix together equal parts pesto and mayo, and spread that on the inside of your sandwich. A homemade pesto will give you a fresher, richer flavor, but store-bought can work fine in a pinch. Pair this spread with mozzarella for the perfect cheese pull, and you'll have a super gooey grilled cheese that's packed with flavor. 

Pesto mayo grilled cheese is an easy sandwich to whip up, but there are a few things to keep in mind to perfect your final result. Starting with the bread, be sure to use a sturdy one to hold together the creamy contents of your sandwich, such as sourdough or country white. Mozzarella cheese pairs great with the pesto mayo, but you could also use provolone for a sharper, more robust flavor, or Swiss for a mild, nutty bite. 

For the spread, the pesto and mayo mixture is fine on its own, but adding a bit of lemon juice will balance the flavors, add more vibrancy, and cut through the richness of the sandwich. If your homemade or store-bought pesto is on the oily side, try putting it through a sieve to get rid of excess oil that could make your sandwich greasy. Finally, even with this mayo mixture on the inside, you could still use some more of that mayo on the outside in place of butter for an extra crispy result. 

A grilled cheese tastes delicious with just about any upgrade, but a pesto mayo can make the sandwich feel gourmet and more flavorful without much effort. For a bit more texture, you could even add in tomatoes, bacon, or deli meat to your sandwich. Once you start making your grilled cheese this way, you may never enjoy it plain again.