The Grilled Cheese Addition Gordon Ramsay Uses For Deep, Rich Flavor

Nothing hits quite like a perfectly crispy-on-the-outside, gooey-on-the-inside melty grilled cheese. Whether you're whipping up an easy meal lfor yourself,serving picky younger palates, or craving the classic comfort food served up with a bowl of creamy tomato soup, it's hard to go wrong with crispy carbs and melty cheese. Despite being such a simple meal, the humble grilled cheese invites its fair share of divisive takes and debates, ranging from the reasonable (grilling in coconut oil for the ultimate crispiness, for example) to the seemingly wacky (like whether hot dogs belong in grilled cheese). According to famed chef and TV personality Gordon Ramsay, to elevate unpretentious bread plus cheese into something truly gourmet, you should be adding caramelized onions to your next grilled sammie. Yes, it matters which bread you choose as your vessel and, of course, which cheeses you fill it with and fat source you slather on the bread, but bite for bite, Ramsay says it's the rich, umami, slightly sweet and pungent spread of caramelized onions that do the most. 

To make your sandwich as a Michellen-starred chef would, do as Ramsay suggests in his interview with Tasting Table. After you've assembled your pick of bread, spread or butter, and your layer of cheese, spoon or schmear on your caramelized onions — which are easy to make at home — then grill your sammie as you normally would until perfectly crispy and melty.

Even if you've never made your own, everyone knows the flavor of caramelized onions — just think of French onion soup. Its trademark richness and earthy depth comes from the time-consuming (but worth it) task of caramelizing heaps of sliced onions. 

To make a batch for use in your next grilled cheese, a yellow, white, or even red onion will do. Thinly slice or dice depending if you want the finished product to retain a slight crunch or a jammier, spreadable texture. Much like when making French onion soup, you can't rush the art of caramelizing onions — so take it low and slow, allowing the onions to cook for up to an hour. 

If you're of the mindset that nearly everything is improved with a hit of something tangy, briny, or fermented, caramelized onions, while not technically in this category, deliver a similar bite and pungent brightness. Finish them off with an extra punch and layer of flavor by deglazing the pan with a splash of sherry vinegar, as Gordon Ramsay recommends. The sweet, earthy onions impart loads of extra flavor and a gourmet wow factor to your sandwich without requiring you to break the bank on fancy extra cheeses or bougie additional ingredients.

Static Media owns and operates Chowhound and Tasting Table.