The 1-Ingredient Upgrade for Grilled Cheese I'm Having All Summer Long
Of all the ways to make the perfect grilled cheese, this one-ingredient upgrade is my favorite.
Few meals rival grilled cheese—it's simple and dynamic. The crunch of perfectly toasted bread meeting an ooey gooey melt of warm, salty cheese… it doesn’t get better than that.
And while there are different paths to perfect grilled cheese—with butter or mayo, white bread or sourdough, and cheddar or jack cheese—I recently discovered a one-ingredient upgrade for grilled cheese that's quickly become my favorite. The ingredient is yellow nectarine, so right now (peak summer and peak stone fruit season) is the best time to enjoy it.
Now, I know that may sound a little odd, but hear me out. Salty cheese is often paired with a sweet fruit preserve or jam on something crunchy like a cracker. By adding yellow nectarines to grilled cheese, you're incorporating some sweetness and decadence without overpowering the entire sandwich.
I’ve tried many variations of this sandwich—a surprising number for the short period that stone fruit has been in season—and I finally perfected the recipe. Although you can add nectarines to any grilled cheese recipe you prefer, I encourage you to try my recipe below.
How I Make My Nectarine Grilled Cheese
You’ll need:
- 2 slices sourdough bread
- 4 to 5 (1/8-inch) slices cheddar (like Kerrygold Dubliner) or gruyère (like Emmi)
- 1/2 yellow nectarine, cut into 1/8-inch-thick slices (see Note below)
- Butter
Put four pats of butter in a cast iron skillet set over medium-high heat. Once melted, build your grilled cheese in the skillet as follows: one slice of bread, one pat of butter, half of the cheese, nectarines, the other half of the cheese, a pat of butter, the second slice of bread, and another pat of butter on top.
Cook for four to five minutes until the bottom slice is barely golden brown. Flip the sandwich. Lower the heat to medium-low, cover the skillet with a lid, and cook for two to three minutes. This will help the cheese melt. The grilled cheese should be golden and crispy to your liking.
Note: I prefer yellow nectarines over white varieties because they're tart, which helps balance the sweetness.
