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Home 6 Ingredients or Less

4-Ingredient Gourmet Grilled Cheese

★★★★★ 5 /5
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Polly Conner
By: Polly ConnerPosted: 3/13/23Updated: 3/21/23

This post may contain affiliate or sponsored links. Please read our disclosure policy.

Take your grilled cheese game to the next level with our 4-Ingredient Gourmet Grilled Cheese recipe.

Stuffed with shredded Gruyère and caramelized onions, this melty, flavor-packed, one-of-a-kind grilled cheese will be your new go-to sandwich.

Gourmet Grilled Cheese

Serve it with one of our easiest side dishes, Garlic Green Beans, for a delicious well-rounded meal.

Contents hide
Ingredients Needed
What’s a good substitute for Gruyère Cheese?
How do I carmalize an onion?
Soups that Pair Well with Gourmet Grilled Cheese
4 Ingredient Gourmet Grilled Cheese
Did you make this?
Make 6 Dump-and-Go Freezer Meals in 1 Hour!

“I also like to add thinly sliced apple to the sandwich. The combination of the onion, cheese, and apple is delicious.” ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️  – Kim

Ingredients Needed

While I do enjoy a simple, down-the-pipe grilled cheese sandwich, I have tinkered with a good thing and made it better.

Here is what you need:

  • Sourdough bread – It grills up beautifully, staying soft inside but maintaining a crispy outside at the same time.
  • Gruyère Cheese – Gruyère is sweet but slightly salty, with a flavor that varies widely with age. It is often described as creamy and nutty when young, becoming more assertive, earthy, and complex as it matures (source).
  • Butter – Salted or unsalted will work fine.
  • Caramelized Onions – Those caramelized onions bring in an irreplaceable sweet-savory flavor that blends beautifully with the Gruyère cheese.
Gourmet Grilled Cheese on a plate with salad

What’s a good substitute for Gruyère Cheese?

If you are looking for a substitute for Gruyere cheese, there are a few options that you can consider depending on the dish you are making and your personal preferences:

  1. Havarti cheese – This one is easy to find at the store and makes a good substitute in this recipe.
  2. Emmental cheese: This is a Swiss cheese that is similar in flavor and texture to Gruyere, but it is milder and has larger holes.
  3. Comté cheese: This is a French cheese that is made from cow’s milk and has a nutty, fruity flavor similar to Gruyere. It is also a semi-hard cheese.
  4. Fontina cheese: This Italian cheese has a nutty, earthy flavor and a texture that is similar to Gruyere. It melts well and is a good option for dishes like gratins, pizza, and sandwiches.
  5. Cheddar cheese: This is a sharper, more tangy cheese that is not quite as nutty as Gruyere, but it is a good substitute if you are looking for a cheese that melts well and has a strong flavor.

Ultimately, the best substitute for Gruyere cheese will depend on the dish you are making and your personal preferences.

Hands holding a Gourmet Grilled Cheese Sandwich

How do I carmalize an onion?

Caramelizing onions in butter is a delicious way to bring out their natural sweetness and add flavor to many dishes. Here’s how to caramelize an onion:

  1. Begin by peeling the onion and slicing it thinly. You can cut it into rings or half-moons, depending on your preference.
  2. Heat a large skillet or frying pan over medium heat. Add the butter and let it melt and heat up.
  3. Add the sliced onions to the pan and stir to coat them with the butter.
  4. Reduce the heat to low and let the onions cook slowly, stirring occasionally. It’s important to cook them slowly to allow the natural sugars in the onion to caramelize and create a rich, sweet flavor.
  5. Cook the onions for 20-30 minutes, or until they are a deep golden brown color and have a soft, tender texture.
  6. Season the onions with salt and pepper to taste.

Once the onions are caramelized, you can use them as a topping or ingredient for a variety of dishes, such as sandwiches like Turkey Pesto Paninis, Smash Burgers, pizzas, soups, stews, and more.

Soups that Pair Well with Gourmet Grilled Cheese

Tortilla Soup made in the Crock Pot

Crock Pot Tortilla Soup

Overhead portrait photo of tomato bisque soup

Tomato Bisque

Instant Pot Vegetable Soup in white bowls

Instant Pot Vegetable Soup

Chicken Tortellini Soup

See more soup recipes

Did you make this? Snap a photo and tag us on Instagram at @thrivinghome so we can see your creations and cheer you on!

★★★★★ 5 from 1 reviews

4 Ingredient Gourmet Grilled Cheese

Take your grilled cheese game to the next level with our 4 Ingredient Gourmet Grilled Cheese recipe. Stuffed with shredded Gruyère and caramelized onions, this melty, flavor-packed, one-of-a-kind grilled cheese will be your new go-to sandwich.

Yield: 2 large sandwiches 1x
Prep: 5 minutesCook: 30 minutesTotal: 35 minutes
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Ingredients

  • 3–4 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 Vidalia onion, sliced very thin
  • 4 large slices sourdough bread
  • 6 ounces Gruyère cheese, shredded

Before You Begin! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.

Instructions

  1. In a large skillet, melt the butter over low heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for 25-30 minutes, until the onion is golden and caramelized. Remove from skillet.
  2. Turn the heat up to medium. Spread butter on the outside pieces of sandwich bread. Lay flat with insides up and spread cheese and onion out evenly between the two sandwiches. Place the tops on the sandwiches and cook them in the skillet, flipping once until the cheese is melted and bread is golden brown.

Equipment

Cast Iron Skillet

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Chefs Knife

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Notes/Tips

This recipe makes two large sandwiches. Could easily serve 4 people, if cut in half and served with tomato soup.

Sprinkle a little dried or fresh thyme over the onion while it’s cooking.

© Author: Polly
Cuisine: American Method: Stove top

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Polly Conner

Polly Conner

As co-founder of Thriving Home, Polly’s passionate about helping busy parents get dinner on the table. With a house full of kids, dogs, and (usually) a DIY project in the works, she knows firsthand how every minute (and every dollar) counts. As a business owner, she enjoys wearing multiple hats and serves best as a project manager for Thriving Home.

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  1. AvatarKim B says

    Posted on 4/28/21 at 7:35 am

    I also like to add thinly sliced apple to the sandwich. The combination of the onion, cheese, and apple is delicious. I enjoy your recipes and the time it saves me in the kitchen.

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Rachel TiemeyerRachel Tiemeyer says

      Posted on 4/28/21 at 8:17 am

      That’s a great idea. Love the idea of the slightly tart-sweet crunch in there, too. Thanks for the idea and review.

      Reply

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