Like most people, I love good comfort food, but one of the simplest may be one of my favorites—grilled cheese. For me, it’s the ultimate comfort food, especially on a cold, rainy day. I always have the ingredients to make it, it takes very little time and effort and it is always delicious—golden and gooey, ready to make everything better.
Grilled cheese is simple, but it is also very versatile, willing to get fancy when the moment calls for it. Add a slice of tomato, a few strips of crispy bacon, or a smear of pesto, and suddenly it’s a gourmet meal, yet still familiar and comforting.
For me, grilled cheese is more than a sandwich— it’s a masterpiece and it’s one that I feel can’t get much better, but this recipe from New York Times Cooking promises to make it even better.
NYT Cooking is an online recipe hub by The New York Times featuring a vast collection of recipes, cooking tips and food inspiration. It’s known for its reliable recipes from chefs and food writers and developers. The content caters to home cooks, including everything from simple weeknight meals to impressive dinner party dishes, plus helpful how-tos and guides.
And yes, they even share ways to elevate a grilled cheese. According to an Instagram post (@nytcooking), the best way to do that is to add a classic Lebanese ingredient.
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Why You Should Add Toum to Your Grilled Cheese
Ham El-Waylly, the chef who developed the recipe, was inspired by a cheese manakeesh (a topped flatbread) that was served with little containers of toum when he was a teenager living in Doha, Qatar. He took that memory and translated it into this delicious twist on grilled cheese.
Toum is a creamy, fluffy Lebanese garlic sauce made from garlic, oil, lemon juice and salt. It’s a spread with a bold garlic flavor, perfect for dipping, spreading or serving alongside grilled meats, shawarma or vegetables. Toum is beloved for its tangy kick and irresistibly smooth texture.
And it goes great as a spread on a grilled cheese sandwich! “Slathering the bread with toum instead of butter instantly gives it garlic bread vibes,” says El-Waylly. We’re in!
You can make toum at home, as El-Waylly suggest, or look for it at the store. The brand Toom is sold at Costco and other stores and Trader Joe’s Garlic Spread-Dip is a toum-like spread that will work well in this dish. It’s also available at Middle Eastern specialty stores. Any leftover toum is great with chicken and lamb or roasted vegetables—anywhere you’d like a smooth and creamy hit of garlic flavor.
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How to Make a Grilled Cheese With Toum
Start by spreading a thin layer of toum on one side of two slices of bread—this will give the sandwich a bold, garlicky kick. Then, layer your favorite cheese. El-Waylly calls for Muenster, but mozzarella, cheddar or Gruyère would all be tasty. El-Waylly layers on thinly sliced cornichons for a briny kick, but you could use your favorite kind of pickle or pickled peppers or skip the pickles, if you prefer.
Butter the outside of the bread and grill the sandwich in a skillet over medium heat until golden and crispy, about three minutes per side. The garlic sauce melts into the cheese for a gooey, flavorful twist on the traditional grilled cheese.
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