Spice Up Your Next Grilled Cheese With A Tex-Mex Twist

Tex-Mex is an incredibly popular American spin on Mexican food that distinguishes itself from its south-of-the-border neighbor with the addition of copious amounts of melted yellow cheese to otherwise classic dishes like nachos, burritos, enchiladas, and hard shell tacos. And not just any type of cheese either, but what Mexicans call "queso amarillo," a category of American cheeses that includes the likes of cheddar, Monterey Jack, and, of course, the highly processed white American cheese that we make into our beloved queso dip. So, with a melty, gooey grilled cheese sandwich, you're technically already halfway to a Tex-Mex creation. Plus, grilled cheese sandwiches are famous for their versatility, lending well to all manner of additional ingredient upgrades, from kimchi to caramelized onions.

In Tasting Table's recipe for stacked Tex-Mex grilled cheese, written with developer Michelle McGlinn, classic cheddar or American cheese is replaced with Colby-jack and Monterey Jack. And, after layering slices of both on top of each other, even more Tex-Mex favorites are brought to the mix by stacking additional layers of freshly sliced jalapeño peppers, pico de gallo, and smashed avocado. Spicy peppers, zesty pico de gallo, and creamy jalapeño are the perfect Tex-Mex flavor combination that'll complement the richness of the cheese, while bringing varied textures to contrast the cheese pull and toasty crunch of the brioche. Essentially, you're combining all of the elements of a quesadilla into a sturdier, heartier sandwich. Plus, a Tex-Mex grilled cheese sandwich opens you up to a whole new range of accompaniments, garnishes, and condiments too. 

Instead of tomato soup, you can pair a Tex-Mex grilled cheese sandwich with tortilla soup, which is comprised of a spicy chili pepper, tomato, and chicken broth base with a splash of cream. If you wanted to tone down the spice level, you could replace fresh jalapeños with pickled. And, if the idea of hot avocado is unappealing, you can always leave it for a crave-worthy guacamole to serve alongside the grilled cheese instead. Or, replace the avocado with sauteed mushrooms for umami-richness entirely. You can also make your grilled cheese even heartier with some ground beef, chorizo, or crispy bacon.

While pico de gallo is the perfect zesty and tangy condiment to cut through the richness of the cheese and avocado, you can bring another layer of creamy, spicy decadence to the mix with chipotle mayo. Blend the shredded Monterey Jack cheese with chipotle mayo before dolloping it on top of the Colby-jack slices for the ultimate smoky, savory cheese pull. You can also swap the butter you spread on the outside of the sandwich for chipotle mayo. Mayo is the perfect condiment to slather on the outside of a grilled cheese to help brown the bread while also providing a rich flavor, and chipotle mayo is an even more flavorful browning agent. Of course, chipotle mayo is also a great dipping sauce for the sandwich, as is sour cream seasoned with taco seasoning, or even a spicy avocado crema.