Entrees/ Lunch/ Snacks

Apple and Caramelized Onion Grilled Cheese

Grilled Cheese. It’s the epitome of comfort food. I mean there are truly very few things that are better than melty cheese between two slices of crunchy buttery bread. While this simple American classic will never really go out of style, this post is for those who want to amp up their toasted sandwiches to the next level.

We’ve got a lot of different components going on in this sandwich, that will all come together in the end to make a super flavorful grilled cheese.

Components

First, we’ve got bread. In this recipe, I really like using a nutty and seedy kind of bread, since it gave an additional crunch and imparted a lot of nutty and seedy flavors.

Second, we’ve got to choose which kind of fat to use. Of course, the traditional option of good ol’ butter will definitely yield satisfying results. However, since I was using Granny Smith apples, which are more sour and tart, I wanted to balance that with some more sweetness. I decided to make a simple little honey oil, and brushed that on one side of each slice of bread. It ends up creating a beautiful golden brown crust because of the slight caramelization of the honey!

Another super easy way to amp up your grilled cheese is adding in caramelized onions. It’s amazing how cooking onions low and slow can change their flavor so much! Not only do they add another sweet component to the sandwich, but they add a deep savory umami flavor.

Let’s talk cheese. I was considering both texture and flavor while I was deciding which types would work well. With this flavor combination, I decided to opt for two types of cheese: Muenster and Gruyere. The Muenster cheese lends its nuttiness to the sandwich. And the Gruyere’s sweetness and slight saltiness plays really nicely with the tartness and sourness of the Granny Smith apples. Both of these cheeses are also great melters, which will help give you that iconic cheese stretch!

I’m definitely a sucker for adding fruit into savory foods. Here, I decided to add some Granny Smith apples. Personally, I think Granny Smith is the best way to go for this flavor combo, but any type of apple you have will also work fine!

Another option that would work great would be pears. If you want to take it to the next level, you can caramelize them! You can learn how to caramelize pears here.

At this point, we’ve got sweet, tart, and salty components. All we are missing is heat. Of course, this is completely optional, so put as much or as little as you want. Personally, I can handle spice pretty well so I’m more heavy handed, but you do you! Red pepper flakes are my weapon of choice, but cayenne pepper or paprika will also do.

My Notes and Tips

  • Caramelizing the onions: Be patient! Don’t try to rush the caramelization process by turning up the heat, otherwise you will get charred onions instead of golden brown ones. The goal is to achieve a nice golden brown color, and have the onions cooked to the point where they get soft and a little jammy, so keep them on medium low. That’s when their sweetness will really come out.
  • Assembling the sandwich: You can either assemble the grilled cheese in the pan, or on a plate beforehand, but either way remember to brush the slices of bread with your honey oil BEFORE building your sandwich. There’s nothing more annoying than building the whole sandwich and having to disassemble it because you forgot to butter the bread.
  • Heat of the pan: Keep the pan on medium-low heat with your sandwich. It’s tempting to turn up the heat to get the golden brown crust, but that will lead to unmelted cheese. So again, be patient with the grilled cheese! Flip the sandwich when the bottom layer of cheese is melted, and when the top layer gets a little soft and shiny.
  • Grate your own cheese: While you can use the pre-shredded cheese, I highly recommend grating your own. The reason is that the pre-shredded cheese in the bag is coated in a compound called cellulose. It helps to keep the cheese shreds separate and non-clumpy, but it also makes it harder for the cheese to melt. When you shred your own cheese, it will melt more easily and evenly. TIP: If your block of cheese has a rind, don’t throw it away! Save it, and add it to your favorite soups later for that umami flavor.

Substitutions

  • Bread: Any bread of your choice will work well with this recipe. You can go for some classic sliced white bread, or a Pullman bread. I would only recommend staying away from hard and crusty breads, like baguettes.
  • Cheese: Comte or fontina are good substitutions. If you are using a harder cheese, like parmesan for example, I would recommend pairing it with a softer and more melty cheese, like fontina for the stretch factor.
  • Apples: As mentioned earlier, any type of apple will be a good substitution. You can also substitute with pears if you like a little more sweetness. Check out how to caramelize pears here! If you aren’t really a fan of the sweet and savory combination, you can try adding roasted red peppers instead!
  • Red pepper flakes: Feel free to completely omit the red pepper flakes if that really isn’t your jam. Substitute with paprika or cayenne pepper.

Apple and Caramelized Onion Grilled Cheese

Lunch, Snacks, Entrees
By Sahar Kapasi Serves: 2
Prep Time: 10 minutes Cooking Time: 15 minutes Total Time: 25 minutes

A unique and flavorful take on the classic American grilled cheese, using caramelized onions, apples, gruyere, and muenster cheese.

Ingredients

  • 1 yellow onion, sliced
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tbsp honey
  • 4 slices multigrain bread
  • 4 slices Muenster cheese
  • 1/2 cup Gruyere cheese, shredded
  • 1/2 Granny Smith apple, thinly sliced
  • Red pepper flakes, to taste

Instructions

1

Preheat 1 tbsp olive oil in pan over medium low heat. Add onions and cook for 8-12 minutes, until deep golden brown and soft. Remove from heat.

2

In a small bowl, whisk together the honey and remaining 2 tbsp olive oil. Set aside.

3

On a plate, brush one side of each bread slice with the honey oil. Lay the two pieces of bread oiled side down next to each other. Add two slices of Muenster cheese on each sandwich. Evenly spread the caramelized onions over the cheese. Add apple slices, and sprinkle over red pepper flakes to taste. Divide and spread the Gruyere cheese evenly between the two sandwiches. Top with the remaining slices of bread, oiled side up.

4

Preheat a pan over medium low heat. Transfer sandwich to pan, and cook until the bottom has developed a golden brown crust, about 6 minutes. Flip the sandwich when the bottom layer of cheese is melted, and the top layer of cheese starts to get soft and shiny. Continue to cook for 3-4 minutes, or until the cheese is fully melted and the bread is golden brown.

5

Slice, serve, and enjoy!

I hope you enjoy trying out this recipe! I would absolutely love to hear your experience, so feel free to leave a comment down below!

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