The Sweet Secret Ingredient Ina Garten Adds To Her Grilled Cheese

There are few things more comforting than an ooey-gooey grilled cheese. Two slices of buttery bread toasted to golden perfection sandwiched between creamy, melty cheese — simple, yet indulgent in the best way possible. This easy, lunch or dinner is pure decadence especially served with a cozy bowl of roasted tomato soup. It's classic and beloved by nearly everyone, including the one and only, Barefoot Contessa.

Ina Garten is known for making comforting, simple recipes that are delicious and easy enough for anyone to make, but she always has a few culinary tricks up her sleeve to add a touch of sophistication. From adding coffee two ways to chocolate cake and lemon zest to mashed potatoes, Garten has improved many dishes with a secret ingredient. In that list of dishes is, of course, the humble grilled cheese.

While perfect as is, Garten includes one unexpected sweet ingredient in her recipe, and that's mango chutney. She uses an extra sharp Vermont cheddar and pairs it with the sweet and luxurious spread. This combo works so well because the cheddar is sharp and yet creamy while the chutney is tangy and slightly sweet — so it balances the components of the sandwich quite well.

A grilled cheese is so simple that you can think of it as a blank canvas, ripe for experimentation. Consider adding the always-trending ingredient to give your grilled cheese a spicy kick, chili crisp. The heat from the chili crisp will add a layer of dimension you never knew you needed. Or for a more autumnal flair, swiping each piece of bread with sweet apple butter encapsulates the same spirit Garten shares with us.

When looking to upgrade your grilled cheese, choose ingredients that will complement the cheese you're using and add a distinct flavor. Cheeses like sharp white cheddar are bold, nutty, and tangy — which can benefit from being paired with spicy or sweet ingredients because of its inherently sharp taste. The chili crisp brings a spicy, crunchy aspect to the sandwich while jams, butters, or chutney can offer a salty-sweet component. You could even drizzle a bit of honey on the finished grilled cheese to create a sweet contrast to the buttery toasted bread. 

For something creamy and mellow, like a Swiss, Gruyere, or Monterey Jack, you'll want condiments that don't overwhelm the delicate taste — though you shouldn't shy away from a thin layer of peppery Dijon. You can also add some pickled or fermented vegetables, like kimchi, for even more umami goodness.