Take Grilled Cheese To The Next Level By Combining It With This New Orleans Classic

The classic grilled cheese is the most reliable of sandwiches. No matter which way you slice it (pun very much intended), a sandwich featuring melty, gooey cheese and a crispy, buttery crust is a winning combination that satisfies all the senses. There are plenty of ways to take your grilled cheese to the next level, whether with a juicy slice of tomato, crispy strips of bacon, tangy kimchi, or even canned pantry ingredients that you already have on hand. While there have been plenty of mashups of the beloved sandwich, such as chili and grilled cheese, pairing it with its heftier sandwich cousin, the muffuletta, is the ultimate dynamic duo.

The New Orleans delicacy was invented in 1906 by Sicilian immigrant Salvatore Lupo at his local Central Grocery shop. Made with layers of cured meats, such as ham and salami, cheese, and a salty olive salad all tucked into a muffuletta loaf, the hearty sandwich has become synonymous with the Crescent City. I firmly believe that the best versions are found in NOLA, and I know I'm not alone. Combined with a grilled cheese, the olive salad and deli meats cut through the gooey cheese, delivering a next-level sandwich packed with contrasting textures and bold, briny flavors. We're absolutely here for this.

Like its New Orleans sandwich cousin, the po' boy, the muffuletta owes much of its appeal to the bread. The large, round sesame loaf is sturdy enough to hold the muffuletta's many fillings, making it the ideal foundation for this grilled cheese mashup. Next comes the tangy olive salad, featuring Kalamata and green olives, along with pickled cauliflower, carrots, and celery, all tossed in olive oil and vinegar and roughly chopped. For the cheese, provolone, mozzarella, and Swiss are ideal choices thanks to their flavor and meltability.

Though the traditional sandwich is typically served in wedges, cut the bread into slices for maximum grilled cheese appeal. Once you assemble your ingredients onto your bread, fire up the skillet and follow the same method you use for any grilled cheese: Melt unsalted butter in the pan (the sandwich packs plenty of sodium), then grill until both sides are golden-brown and the cheese reaches gooey perfection.

A few extra tips for your grilled cheese-muffuletta: Slice the meats and cheese as thinly as possible for the best texture and an evenly layered sandwich. Feel free to customize the olive salad with pepperoncini (my favorite) for a subtle heat, along with other briny additions, such as capers or anchovies. The olive salad can also be made days in advance, and its flavors only get better as they meld. Should you wish to grill your new favorite sandwich in its entire loaf, many chefs and home cooks (myself included) scoop out some of the loaf's top soft crumb to achieve a crispier, more substantial bite and less soggy bread.