Description
A gourmet-inspired grilled cheese sandwich featuring sharp cheddar, crisp fall apples, and homemade caramelized onion jam, perfect for a quick and comforting weeknight dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
- 8 oz (225g) sharp cheddar cheese, sliced or shredded
- 1 medium apple (Honeycrisp or Fuji), thinly sliced
- 4 slices thick sourdough bread
- 4 tablespoons (60g) softened butter
- 2 large yellow onions, thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat 1 tablespoon butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
- Add thinly sliced onions and a pinch of salt. Cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft and starting to brown.
- Add brown sugar and balsamic vinegar. Stir well and cook for another 5-7 minutes until the mixture is dark, sticky, and jam-like.
- Let the onion jam cool completely.
- Slice apples into thin rounds.
- Lay out bread slices. Spread a thin layer of cooled onion jam on one side of each slice.
- Flip bread over (jam-side down). Layer half the cheddar on two slices, add apple slices, then the rest of the cheese. Top with remaining bread slices (jam-side up).
- Butter the top slice of each sandwich generously.
- Heat a non-stick skillet over medium-low heat. Place sandwiches in the pan.
- Cook for 3-4 minutes until the bottom is golden brown and crispy.
- Carefully flip sandwiches. Butter the newly exposed top side.
- Cook for another 3-4 minutes until cheese is melted and the second side is golden.
- Remove from heat, let rest for 1 minute, slice diagonally, and serve immediately.
Notes
Make sure the onion jam is cooled before assembling to prevent soggy bread. Use block cheese grated fresh for better melting. If the bread browns too fast, lower the heat and cover with a lid to help melt the cheese. The onion jam can be made ahead and stored in the fridge for up to a week.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 sandwich
- Calories: 580
- Sugar: 12
- Sodium: 680
- Fat: 32
- Saturated Fat: 18
- Carbohydrates: 45
- Fiber: 4
- Protein: 22
Keywords: grilled cheese, apple cheddar sandwich, caramelized onion jam, weeknight dinner, comfort food, fall recipes, easy dinner