Description
A delicious autumn twist on the classic French onion grilled cheese sandwich, featuring caramelized onions, sliced honeycrisp apples, melty fontina and gouda cheeses, crispy prosciutto, and fresh herbs for a savory-sweet flavor explosion.
Ingredients
Scale
Onion Filling
- 3 tablespoons salted butter
- 2 yellow onions, thinly sliced
- Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
- 3/4 cup apple cider
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage
- 1 pinch crushed red pepper flakes
Sandwich Assembly
- 4 slices prosciutto (optional)
- 8 slices sourdough bread
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 1/2 cups shredded fontina cheese
- 1 1/2 cups shredded gouda or white cheddar cheese
- 1 honeycrisp apple, thinly sliced
Instructions
- Caramelize the Onions: Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When the butter is hot and shimmering, add the thinly sliced onions. Cook the onions for about 3 minutes until they begin to soften. Pour in half of the apple cider, season with kosher salt and black pepper, and continue cooking for another 5 minutes until most of the cider evaporates. Add the remaining apple cider and cook for an additional 5 minutes or until the onions are golden brown and caramelized. Stir in the fresh thyme, chopped sage, and crushed red pepper flakes and cook for one more minute. Remove the skillet from heat.
- Cook the Prosciutto: In another large skillet set over medium heat, place the prosciutto slices and cook them for about 2 minutes per side, or until crisp. Remove them from the skillet and set aside on paper towels to drain excess fat.
- Prepare the Bread: Brush the outside of each slice of sourdough bread generously with extra virgin olive oil. On the inside of half of the slices, distribute an even layer of shredded fontina and gouda cheeses, followed by the caramelized onions, thinly sliced honeycrisp apples, and crispy prosciutto slices if using. Top with the remaining bread slices, olive oil side facing up.
- Grill the Sandwiches: Place the sandwiches, one or two at a time depending on skillet size, into a clean skillet over medium heat. Cook each sandwich for 3 to 5 minutes per side until the bread is golden brown and the cheese is melted. During the last minute of cooking on each side, add 1/2 tablespoon of butter and 2 fresh sage leaves to the skillet to infuse flavor and crisp the sage. Repeat the process for the remaining sandwiches.
- Serve: Remove the grilled cheese sandwiches from the skillet, top with the crispy sage leaves, and serve immediately while warm and cheesy. Enjoy your autumn-inspired French onion and apple grilled cheese!
Notes
- This recipe features crispy prosciutto and a combination of gouda and fontina cheeses for a rich, autumn flavor.
- The honeycrisp apple adds a sweet and refreshing contrast to the savory caramelized onions and cheese.
- For a vegetarian option, omit the prosciutto and consider adding a smoky seasoning or mushrooms for depth.
- Using sourdough bread provides a sturdy base that crisps beautifully when grilled.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 sandwich
- Calories: 833 kcal
- Sugar: 12 g
- Sodium: 820 mg
- Fat: 54 g
- Saturated Fat: 25 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 27 g
- Trans Fat: 0.3 g
- Carbohydrates: 52 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 32 g
- Cholesterol: 105 mg
