Nutella Belongs On Your Grilled Cheese, But Only One Type

Sweet-savory loving foodies, rise up. Today's tip is tailored to your palette. Chances are most grown-up foodies have probably made themselves a clandestine grilled cheese in the wee hours of the morning after a late night out or for a midnight snack. But, have you ever made grilled cheese ... for dessert?

The secret to the ultimate grilled cheese sandwich may be none other than Nutella (available on Amazon for $7.97). The beloved chocolate-hazelnut spread is the unexpected ingredient your grilled cheese has been crying out for – but only alongside one type of cheese: Brie. Here at Tasting Table, we're always looking for creative ways to use Nutella beyond just swiping it across a piece of bread. To serve your brie like an expert cheesemonger, slam it between two pieces of bread with a spread of Nutella for subtle contrast that tastes oh-so right.

Brie is a French cow's milk cheese with a soft, buttery texture. Brie can also be found in a goat's milk variety, but more accessible cow's milk brie will pair better with your Nutella for our purposes. The taste is nutty, creamy, and mild with just a slight back-end of pungent funkiness. In short, it's ideal for melting into a gooey grilled cheese sandwich with dimensional flavor. Alongside fellow sweet-nutty Nutella, the result is brie like you've (probably) never enjoyed it before, and a refreshing new take on the beloved comfort food.

Cheesemonger pro tip: Brie is best enjoyed when brought to room temperature or warmer, which allows the cheese to relax into its buttery, spreadable texture and the flavor notes to bloom. Turning brie into a flavorful, melty grilled cheese allows this French fromage to truly shine. 

To make it, butter your bread as normal, then slather the flip side with a generous swipe of Nutella. Layer a few slices of brie, rind removed, atop the Nutella, then assemble the sandwich and transfer it back to a skillet over medium heat to toast until the cheese has melted and the bread is golden brown. Crusty French bread or thick-sliced sourdough work best here.

If your taste for the avant-garde still isn't satisfied (you sly foodie you), other toppings that would pair well with this combo could include sliced bananas or sauteed, thinly sliced Bartlett pears. You could even hit your sando with a swipe of fig jam in addition to the Nutella. To complete the meal, serve with a side of sour cornichon pickles, umeboshi plums, oven-baked golden apples, or salted roasted walnuts. To drink, pair your Nutella brie grilled cheese with a cup of hot coffee or espresso and a shot of amaretto. Or, take a tip from brie's traditional wine pairings and serve your sandwich with a glass of dry white wine like chardonnay or sauvignon blanc.