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Caramelized Onion Grilled Cheese

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Step up your toasted sandwich game by making gooey, sweet, savory, and unique Caramelized Onion Grilled Cheese Sandwiches.

Step up your toasted sandwich game by making gooey, sweet, savory, and unique Caramelized Onion Grilled Cheese Sandwiches.

I’m not sure if this is normal, or if it’s a foodie thing, or if I’m just weird, but I sometimes obsess over leftover food. Not boring leftover meals, but fun or unique ingredients sitting in the fridge or cupboards. In this particular instance, I’m referring to the Slow Cooker Caramelized Onions I made a few weeks back.


I made that batch so I could make Roasted Garlic and Caramelized Onion Dip. That was a solid decision, but I ended up with a container of leftover onions in the fridge. Sure, that’s a good thing, but I couldn’t stop thinking about what I’d make with them. I mulled over and discarded several ideas before landing on Caramelized Onion Grilled Cheese.

The last amazing hot sandwich I made was a Jalapeno Popper Grilled Cheese. Y’all, I still dream about that sandwich, and I can’t believe I haven’t made it again recently. Now it’s got competition, though, in the form of this Caramelized Onion Grilled Cheese. I used American cheese for that classic grilled cheese ooze, plus pepper jack for a little boost of heat. Everything was layered on white sandwich bread, which I only buy especially for making kick ass grilled cheese sandwiches.

The star of the sandwich show, though, was definitely the caramelized onions. If you’ve not tried them, even if you don’t usually care for onions, you’re missing out. They aren’t your typical harsh, overwhelmingly-strong onions. Instead, they’re cooked down to a deep brown. The sugars are caramelized, leaving you with tender, sweet onions that are perfect for everything from French onion soup to topping burgers to stuffing inside this over-the-top grilled cheese sandwich.

Step up your toasted sandwich game by making gooey, sweet, savory, and unique Caramelized Onion Grilled Cheese Sandwiches.

 

Caramelized Onion Grilled Cheese

Ingredients

8 slices white or sourdough bread
6 tbs butter, softened
4 slices American cheese
4 slices pepperjack cheese
2 cups caramelized onions (here’s my slow cooker recipe)

Instructions

Place a skillet over medium heat. Spread butter on one side of each slice of bread. Build your sandwiches by placing one slice of American cheese, a half cup of onions, and one slice of  pepperjack cheese between two slices of bread, buttered side out. Place one sandwich in the skillet and cook two to four minutes on each side, or until bread has turned a dark golden brown.

Repeat the cooking process with the rest of the sandwiches. Serve hot.

Notes

  • Adjust the amount of caramelized onions based on personal preference.
  • You’ll need to begin with about 4 large onions in order to have 2 cups after they’re caramelized.
  • These sandwiches would lovely with other cheeses, such as Gruyere, and with the addition of a protein, like steak.

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Step up your toasted sandwich game by making gooey, sweet, savory, and unique Caramelized Onion Grilled Cheese Sandwiches.

Comments

  1. That’s a brilliant sandwich idea! I would make this afternoons when I am craving something savory and when I didn’t go shopping for fresh produce. Besides caramelized onions are just delicious! 🙂

  2. Caramelized onions in anything is always a winner in my book! Looks and sounds delish!

  5. Oh my gosh. This sandwich is giving me life. I adore caramelized onions! And the fact that you added pepper jack is pure genius. I’m going to try that on my next grilled cheese!

    • Thank you, Becky! Two (or more) cheeses are, in my opinion, one of the most important component of an awesome grilled cheese.

  6. I love to have a big batch of caramelized onions (they freeze well, BTW… if they last long enough, that is!) Never made them in a slow cooker, though – which sounds terrific! And oh, my, they sound wonderful with a cheese sandwich… what a great idea!

  7. So, I’m kinda an oddball. I usually don’t eat grilled cheese sandwiches. However, you have persuaded with the caramelized onions. This sounds fantastic!! 🙂

    • I can’t pretend to understand your grilled cheese aversion, but if anything can persuade you otherwise, it’s definitely these caramelized onions!

  9. I love love love adding super savory components to grilled cheese to balance out the extremely rich cheese. We usually go for a thick layer of mustard and pickles, but caramelized onions sound amazing. Can’t wait to try this out!

    • I love pickles, so I can’t believe I’ve never had them on a grilled cheese! That’ll be happening soon.

  10. This looks amazing – caramelized onions add so much flavor to anything!! I am really trying to do a better job about using up leftover ingredients, like you mentioned, and you nailed it with this!

    • Thanks, Monica! If using up leftovers takes the form of this sandwich, I won’t have a problem making it happen.

  13. I absolutely love grilled cheese sandwiches and I tend to use caramelized onions in almost everything else so it was only a matter of time before I hit this combination! Well now I know how delicious it is so it’s now on my to do list!