This gourmet grilled cheese recipe is an easy way to elevate your favorite sandwich! Easy and simple to make, these grilled cheeses are loaded with caramelized onions and green apple for a deliciously indulgent treat.
Quick to make, a grilled sandwich never looked so good!
I’ll admit, I love to eat like a kid! Often for lunch, I make a peanut butter and jelly on toast, a Grilled Ham and Cheese (with Gruyere) because it’s fast, easy and so delicious.
This grilled cheese is unashamedly grown up though, and packed full of flavor. It pairs beautifully with soups to warm you through and through – the ultimate comfort food!
If you’re looking for something equally delicious to pair this with, try it with my Tomato Soup Recipe!
Gourmet Grilled Cheese
Don’t you just love taking a simple, old school comfort food and turning it into something a little more gourmet? (Psst… speaking of gourmet, don’t miss this incredible gourmet burger topping combination for a way to seriously wow your guests!)
Why You’ll Love this Gourmet Grilled Cheese
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Artisan Bread – The right kind of bread is key to the best grilled cheese. My artisan bread is perfect for these sandwiches and sourdough bread also works well. Read more about the Best Bread for Grilled Cheese here.
- Butter – I prefer to use salted butter for this recipe, but you can use unsalted if you prefer.
- Cheese – Gruyere is my favorite cheese to use for this gourmet recipe. It’s a little sweet and salty and has a great nutty flavor to it. I use that in combination with white cheddar here.
- Caramelized Onions – Always a great addition to burgers and sandwiches! They’re so easy and you can make a large batch and enjoy them in an array of recipes throughout the week.
- Granny Smith Apple – These crisp apples cut through the creamy cheese and rich onions and really amp up the flavor of this sandwich, as well as adding a crunch. The added apple slices in this grilled cheese really take the sandwich to another level! I recommend you use a Granny Smith apple, which is wonderfully tart and cuts through the creaminess of the melted cheese. It’s also a firm apple so it holds up well to the heat.
Variations
- Use pears instead of apple slices.
- Add condiments like homemade mayo, or your favorite mustard.
- Speaking of mayo, try using it place of butter in this recipe for a mayo grilled cheese.
How To Make A Gourmet Grilled Cheese
- Spread butter on bread or add to a warm skillet and add bread slices.
- Add cheese and allow to melt. You can cover to encourage melting.
- Just before removing, add caramelized onions and apple slices and sandwich.
- Slice and enjoy!
Tips
- Use quality bread – an artisan loaf, sourdough or olive oil loaf are all delicious choices.
- Use a good melting cheese. See the “best cheese” section of this post for options.
- Cook them low and slow on medium. This will prevent the bread from burning while allowing the cheese to melt to a nice gooey consistency.
Make More (or Less!)
Scaling up, down or substituting? You’ll love this printable Measurement Conversion Chart!
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it better to make grilled cheese with butter or mayo?Both are equally delicious and interesting in their own way, it’s totally personal preference!
What’s the best cheese for a grilled cheese sandwich?Check out our guide below! This gourmet grilled cheese combines gruyere cheese with optional herbed feta for a delicious combination.
What’s The Best Cheese To Use?
While this recipe calls for gruyere and some optional crumbled Feta, there are so many directions you could go!
The most important factor in choosing your cheese is that it is fresh sliced from your local deli – or buy a fresh block and grate it yourself! It gives the grilled cheese that gooey melting factor we all crave!
- Herbed Feta
- Muenster
- Gouda
- White Cheddar
- Swiss
- Blue Cheese
- Provolone
- Monterey Jack
- Spinach Dip with Cream Cheese – yes, you read that right! A spinach dip grilled cheese is good!
More Grilled Cheese Toppings
- Bacon Jam
- Tomato Jam
- Arugula
- Pesto Aioli
- Truffle Aioli
- Chipotle Aioli
How to Store
- At Room Temperature – Grilled cheese sandwiches can sit out while serving for up to two hours safely. Of course, they are absolutely best when they’re hot off the stove.
- Refrigerate – You can refrigerate your grilled cheese for up to three days when wrapped in an airtight container. Slowly reheat in your skillet after bringing it to room temperature for 30 minutes (allowing for more even heat in the skillet).
- Freeze – Flash freeze on a sheet pan before wrapping tightly and storing in your freezer for up to three months.
More Sandwich Inspiration
Gourmet Grilled Cheese
This gourmet grilled cheese recipe is an easy way to elevate your favorite! Loaded with caramelized onions and green apple for a deliciously indulgent treat.Ingredients
- 2 slices artisan bread
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 slice gruyere
- 1 slice white cheddar
- 1 tablespoon caramelized onions
- 2 slices granny smith apple sliced
Instructions
- Add butter to warm skillet over medium heat. Add bread.
- Add your cheese to the top of each piece of bread. Grill until melted.
- Add caramelized onion and apple just before removing from heat.
- Sandwich together. Slice and enjoy!
Tips
- Use quality bread like an artisan loaf
- aioli – add just before sandwiching
- arugula
- bacon jam
- herbs
- Muenster cheese
- herbed feta
- pimento cheese
Calories: 581kcal | Carbohydrates: 57g | Protein: 21g | Fat: 32g | Saturated Fat: 19g | Cholesterol: 90mg | Sodium: 616mg | Potassium: 291mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 26g | Vitamin A: 1014IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 628mg | Iron: 2mgEstimated nutrition information is provided as a courtesy and is not guaranteed.
Explore More
- Add cheese and allow to melt. You can cover to encourage melting.
The only addition I made was homemade pepper jelly. PERFECTION.
Gourmet indeed, this grilled cheese sandwich is AMAZING!
Yum – my husband and I made these for lunch they were so delicious!