Take lunch to the next level with this Caramelized Onion Grilled Cheese! It has all the melty goodness of your favorite grilled cheese sandwich combined with the flavor of sweet-savory caramelized onions! It’s an easy meal packed with deliciousness that everyone in your family will love.
Caramelize Onions: Add the onions, 2 tablespoons butter, and olive oil to a large skillet over medium heat. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Allow the onion to cook and reduce for 30-35 minutes, stirring every 5-7 minutes, until the onions have achieved a rich deep golden brown color.
Once the onions are golden brown, add the vinegar to the pan to deglaze and stir for another 1-2 minutes or until the vinegar has evaporated. Remove onions from the pan using a slotted spoon (use the same pan to toast bread). Taste for salt and adjust to taste. Combine cheese and onion in a small bowl and set aside.
Toast: Slather both sides of each piece of bread with the butter. Heat the same pan you cooked the onions in over medium low heat. Place slices of bread in the skillet (as many as can fit) and lightly toast for 1 minute to warm it through and create a light crust. Flip each slice of bread, then pile on onion/cheese mixture.
Place the other slice of bread on top, with the hot toasted side in contact with the cheese. Cook for 2-3 minutes per side, pressing down gently with a spatula, until the bread is golden and crispy and the cheese is fully melted. Transfer to a cutting board and cut in half. Serve immediately.
Notes
Bread Options:You’ll want to use bread that is cut to about ½ inch thick. You don’t want it too thick where the cheese doesn’t melt or too thin where the bread won’t hold. My favorite is sourdough or Tuscan Pane from Trader Joe’s. Ciabatta bread, or French bread will also work!
Cheese:Gouda, Gruyère, or cheddar cheese are my personal favorites but you can honestly use your favorite cheese of choice. I sometimes like to combine 2-3 different cheeses. Shredded cheese works best for melting but cheese slices will also work.