Gruyere grilled cheese is one of the best sandwiches you can make with Gruyere cheese. And to get the very best out of this grilled cheese, add some caramelized onions and fresh thyme!
Gruyère grilled cheese with caramelized onions is also often also called French onion soup grilled cheese because French onion soup is usually made with Gruyere cheese and onions as well.
Making a Gruyere grilled cheese sandwich is just as fast as making any grilled cheese sandwich, which is about 6 to 8 minutes total cooking the sandwich in a skillet. However, this recipe takes a little longer because you have to give time to caramelized onions good caramelized onions can take up to 20 to 40 minutes. They need to cook slow, so they sweeten and reduce without burning.
Let’s look at how to make the best Gruyere grilled cheese, step-by-step.
Looking for a unique and scrumptious grilled cheese? Try Goat Cheese Grilled Cheese with Caramelized Onions or Raclette Grilled Cheese!
How to Make Gruyere Grilled Cheese
First, start by caramelizing the onions, because that’s the step that takes the longest. Do you want to get those onions simmering and then turn to the other steps.
Add a large drizzle olive oil to a skillet and then chop about 1/2 of a red onion into slivers. Add a dash of salt and pepper.
Once the olive oil is hot, add the onion slivers. Some people like to sprinkle a little sugar on their onions to help them caramelize better, but that’s not necessary to make the onions sweet.
Cook the onions on low for about 20 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. They should soften and then shrink and turn a golden brown. Make sure they don’t burn! If the edges start to burn, it may be time to lower the heat more or take them off the heat completely.
Caramelized onions are a little more gooey and a jam like texture. You’ll start out with a lot more onions than you end up with because the onions reduce size as the heat. That’s why you can use about half an onion for just one gruyere cheese grilled cheese sandwich!
Next grate block of Gruyere cheese, so you get about 2 ounces. The exact amount isn’t important, but you want enough to generously cover one piece of bread.
Final Steps of Making a Gruyere Grilled Cheese Recipe
Next, chop up some fresh thyme herbs until you have about a teaspoon. Add the grated Gruyere cheese, and the thyme to a small mixing bowl.
Once your onions are caramelized, add those to the bowl as well. Add some salt and pepper, just a dash of each for seasoning. Use a spoon to mix all of the ingredients together evenly.
Spread the Gruyere cheese and caramelized onions onto one piece of sourdough bread. Top it with the other piece of sourdough bread.
Add a pot or two of butter to the hot skillet that you used to caramelize the onions. Once the butter has melted, place the Gruyere and caramelized onion sandwich in the skillet. Allow at bottom to turn golden brown, which will take 3 to 4 minutes.
Use a spatula to gently flip the gruyere cheese grilled cheese over, and cook another 3 to 4 minutes.
Finally, transfer the Gruyere grilled cheese to a cutting board and cut it on a diagonal. Serve it hot immediately. But if there’s any leftover Gruyere grilled cheese, it will keep in the refrigerator for a day or two and be just as delicious!
You can serve a grilled cheese sandwich with gruyere with a variety of dipping sauces. A sauce with a vinegar base will work wonderfully with this recipe, such as a mustard vinaigrette or a balsamic vinaigrette.
Want to make your own fruit vinaigrette? Try this watermelon lime vinaigrette or this strawberry lime vinaigrette.
Using Gruyere for Grilled Cheese
Using gruyere cheese for grilled cheese is an excellent choice because this cheese melts well and is full of flavor. It goes wonderfully with the crunchiness of grilled cheese bread.
You could also use Gruyere in combination with another cheese, like cheddar cheese, to make a grilled cheese sandwich.
Looking for a unique and scrumptious grilled cheese? Try Goat Cheese Grilled Cheese with Caramelized Onions.
Gruyere Grilled Cheese
Equipment
- Cheese Grater
- Skillet
- spatula
- Small Mixing Bowl
Ingredients
- ½ teaspoon olive oil
- ¼ red onion
- 2 ounces gruyere cheese
- 2 slices sourdough bread
- 1 tablespoon butter
- ½ teaspoon fresh chopped thyme
- salt and pepper
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a pan on medium heat and add about 2 tablespoons of red onion slivers. Allow onions to soften and caramelize for about 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Grate about ½ cup of gruyere cheese, enough to generously cover one slice of bread. Add the shredded gruyere to the small mixing bowl. Add fresh thyme and a dash of salt and pepper to the mixing bowl.
- When the onions have caramelized, add them to the small mixing bowl and use a spoon to combine the gruyere and onions. Add the mixture to one slice of sourdough, spreading evenly. Top with the second slice of bread.
- Add a couple pats of butter to the hot skillet. Once the butter has melted, lay the gruyere sandwich in the pan and turn the heat to medium low. Grill the sandwich until the bottom is golden brown, about 3 to 4 minutes. Use a spatula to gently flip the grilled cheese and cook the other side until golden, another 3 to 4 minutes.
- Transfer the gruyere grilled cheese to a plate and cut on a diagonal. Serve hot.
2 thoughts on “Gruyere Grilled Cheese”