Add Brie To Your Next Steak Sandwich For A Creamy, Dreamy Twist

As most fans of fromage can agree, just about any meal can be made better with the addition of cheese. From soups to salads to sandwiches, a slice or sprinkling of the delicious dairy component provides an instant edible upgrade in terms of both taste and texture. Better yet, it's incredibly easy to mix and match different varieties of cheeses in dishes that call for the ingredient in order to experiment with unexpected flavors and food pairings. Case in point? You can shake up your next steak sandwich by topping it with some decadently creamy Brie cheese.

After all, if you've ever had a Philly cheesesteak sandwich, you know that tender and juicy pieces of steak pair perfectly with ooey-gooey melted cheese. But while authentic versions of the regional dish typically use slices of American cheese, provolone cheese, or a generous spritz of Cheez Whiz, Brie cheese makes an ideal substitute and adds a little French flair to your sandwich to boot.

Even if you're not whipping up what would be considered a traditional Philly cheesesteak with all the fixin's (such as sautéed onions and peppers), beef and Brie make wonderful bedfellows when put together in any iteration. Whether you're sizzling up a ribeye for dinner or repurposing steak leftovers, take our advice and top it with Brie between some crispy pieces of bread, and you'll be left with a hearty, creamy, and cheesy sandwich.

One of the reasons Brie cheese works so well in a steak sandwich is due to its ability to melt on command, achieving a wonderfully creamy texture when even just a little bit of heat is applied. Due to its high moisture content, the soft-ripened cheese maintains a good ratio of water and fat as its protein bonds break down at higher temperatures, allowing it to melt into that rich, lava-like consistency we all know and love, rather than crumbling or drying like harder cheeses. Therefore, Brie's decadent, creamy texture serves as an ideal complement to those tender slices of steak. Brie can help insulate the meat's moisture in the sandwich, allowing it to retain its juiciness with every bite.

Beyond its composition, though, Brie cheese also brings a buttery, nutty, and subtly earthy flavor to the savory and umami flavors of a hearty beefsteak, striking a deliciously harmonious balance once they hit your taste buds. Given its subtle flavor, the cheese also blends well with other, more robust ingredients you' might add, including roasted peppers, caramelized onions, or sautéed mushrooms.

A few, thin slices of Brie is all you need to top off your steak. If you're stacking your sandwich while the meat is still warm, the cheese should easily achieve gooey goodness once on top, without the need for extra heating. Of course, you can also bake or grill your sandwich once it's assembled for extra-melty perfection.