Everybody knows how to make a grilled cheese, right? You butter some bread, put it butter-side-down in a pan, top it with cheese, add another slice of buttered bread butter-side-up, grill away and flip. Easy and cheesy. So what would you say if we told you that method was totally wrong— or, at least, not as delicious as it could be?! You might scoff – we definitely did – but we learned pretty quickly from PureWow that there’s a far better spread we should be using: mayonnaise!

Yup, mayo, not butter, is the way to go! You only need a few teaspoons of it, but the results for your sandwich are huge: crisper, browner, and more flavorful. PureWow explains:

Mayo spreads better than butter does (crucial when you’re using a softer bread like brioche) and has a higher smoke point (meaning it won’t burn as easily). Plus, the oil and egg in mayonnaise brown nicely and add a creamy flavor to the crust.

Such a simple swap for such good results. Here’s how to do it:

GRILLED CHEESE WITH MAYO

You’ll Need
– 2 slices your favorite sandwich bread
– 2 slices cheddar or your favorite cheese
– 2 to 3 teaspoons mayonnaise

How To

  1. Heat a nonstick pan over low heat.
  2. Spread the two slices of bread with an even coat of mayo.
  3. Place one slice of bread in the pan, mayo-side-down.
  4. Place the cheese slices on top of the bread in the pan.
  5. Add the other slice of bread, mayo-side-up.
  6. Cook the sandwich for a few minutes, until the bottom piece of bread is golden-brown. Flip the sandwich and cook for a few more minutes until the other piece of bread is also golden-brown and the cheese is melted.

That’s it! Is using mayo a new idea for you, or old news? Do you have any other swaps for butter you like to use?