How to Make Broccoli 10x Better

In this social media era, it doesn’t get more comforting than the sound of a knife dragging across the surface of a perfectly toasted grilled cheese sandwich. The bread's buttered exterior glistens under the kitchen light, while blobs of cheddar cheese ooze out of the sides. Grilled cheese will always be an elite combination of texture and flavor, and it's a shame some vegetables will never experience the same level of admiration.

Or can they? In an effort to expand on her creativity after once dreaming up a popular French onion grilled cheese, recipe developer @rachaellsrecipes(real name Rachaell Rampini) shared an ingenious way to make broccoli more appealing. Think of it as grilled cheese meets broccoli cheddar soup.

Rampini credits her broccoli glow up to the creative thinking that led to her French onion grilled cheese. This version of the classic sandwich looks too good to pass up, and the ingredients and preparation couldn’t be simpler. Here's what you need to know.

Related: The Secret Ingredient for Crispy, Crunchy, Perfectly Golden Grilled Cheese Every Time

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What You Need to Make Cheddar Broccoli Grilled Cheese

Rampini uses a loaf of Vermont Cheddar artisan bread, but you can use your favorite bread. We think a nice sourdough would be great or something like Asisago cheese bread, if you want to go in a cheesy direction like Rampini. For cheese, Rampini chose a combo of white cheddar slices and shredded yellow cheddar. As we’ve learned from the pros over at Tillamook, this combination of cheddar cheeses will give you big flavor and superior meltability and stretch. To round out the ingredients you’ll need some chopped cooked broccoli, some room-temperature butter, chopped chives and a pinch of salt. The recipe makes two sandwiches, so cut all of the ingredients in half if you're cooking for one.

How to Make Cheddar Broccoli Grilled Cheese

Start by mixing the butter with the chives to make a chive butter, then build the sandwiches. Layer the first slice of bread with 2 slices white cheddar, followed by a sprinkle of shredded yellow cheddar and a couple heaping spoonfuls of chopped broccoli. Top the broccoli with more shredded yellow cheddar and 2 more slices of white cheddar before closing it up with the other slice of bread. Spread the chive butter mixture over the outside of the sandwich, then place the sandwich onto a preheated cast iron pan over medium heat.

The grilled cheese may seem like it's taking a while to cook, but toasting it on medium heat will make sure you end up with a beautifully golden brown sandwich instead of a burnt one. When the bread has reached your desired level of doneness, remove the sandwich from the pan and let it cool slightly before slicing it in half and serving it while it's still gooey, warm and delicious.

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