Grilled cheese sandwiches will always be a staple, but this caramelized onion grilled cheese has quickly skyrocketed to one of the best I have had/made! There are a few things that make this one of the best grilled cheeses you will have.
Ingredient Notes
- Grainy mustard is one of the secrets making this grilled cheese with caramelized onions what it is. You can not skimp on this step! Layer that grainy mustard on thick for a perfect tangy bite.
- Arguably the best type of bread for grilled cheese sandwiches is sourdough, and I definitely recommend making this with sourdough for sure! The rich flavour, chewy texture, and crunchy crust all add extra tastiness to this sandwich.
- Making some quick caramelized onions is so easy to do and really adds to the satisfaction of making this sandwich. See below just how easy it is!
- I want you to use not one but two types of cheeses. You can take your pick on what variations you want to throw in but I do recommend an aged cheddar for that bite in flavour. Then I love adding smoked cheese or something a little creamy like a havarti cheese. I like to grate the cheese & mix them together before PILING my sandwich with the blend.
How to make caramelized onions
Depending on how much you want to make (they are great on burgers too, so maybe make extra) you will need 1-2 medium sized brown onions.
- Thinly slice the onions, this will help them to caramelize faster.
- In a frying pan, melt 1tbsp butter per onion used then add your onions. Cook them until soft and translucent, approx 3-5 minutes.
- Add in 1tbsp honey, and stir to combine. This will assist in that signature sweet, caramel taste from the onions and help them cook down faster.
- Keep cooking the onions for another 5 minutes, until they are brown in colour and very soft.
- Take them off the heat & place in an airtight container if you’re not using them immediately.
Making a grilled cheese in a frying pan
If you don’t have a panini press, the frying pan is the next best thing and it’s how I make all my grilled sandwiches. The trick is to not have the heat too high, it is better to cook it low and slow so the cheese has the chance to melt without the bread burning. You should also start with a preheated pan.
To make sure the fillings don’t fall out, you can cook the caramelized onion grilled cheese sandwiches one at a time. When you’re flipping the sandwich, lift the sandwich with your spatula and instead flip the pan above the sandwich and then quickly flip both so the pan is right-side up. This should keep everything within the sandwich!
Ingredients
Caramelized Onions
- 2 Brown Onions
- 2 tbsp Butter
- 1 tbsp Honey
Grilled Cheese Sandwiches
- 4 slices of Sourdough Bread
- 2 tbsp Softened Butter or margarine or mayonnaise
- 2 tbsp Grainy Mustard
- 100 g Aged Cheddar Cheese
- 100 g Smoked Havarti or other cheese
- ½ cup Caramelized Onions
Instructions
Caramelized Onions
- Peel your onions, then slice in half. Thinly slice your onions into half rings.
- Melt butter in a frying pan, and add onions once the butter has melted.
- Stir frequently and cook the onions for 3-5 minutes until translucent.
- Add the honey, stirring to combine, and cook the onions for a further 5-10 minutes, until they are dark brown and very soft.
Grilled Cheese Sandwich
- Spread the softened butter on one side of each slice of sourdough.
- Preheat a large frying pan over low-medium heat.
- Sandwich the buttered sides together, creating 2 sandwiches, then spread grainy mustard on each sandwich.
- Grate your two cheeses, toss to combine then add half the cheese blend on each sandwich.
- Add your caramelized onions on top of the cheese.
- Pick up the top (loaded) half of the sandwich and place it on the pre-heated frying pan. The buttered side should be on the pan now. Then flip the remaining top half so the buttered side is facing up and place it on top of the sandwich.
- Cook this side for 3-5 minutes, or until golden on the bottom.
- Using a spatula, flip the sandwich so the other buttered side is now on the pan. Cook for another 3 minutes until the cheese has completely melted.
- Take off the pan, slice and enjoy!
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