Next Post
Baked Sweet Potato Parmesan Tater Tots.
This post may contain affiliate links, please see our privacy policy for details.
French Onion and Apple Grilled Cheese…with crispy prosciutto and gouda cheese too. Giving the classic french onion grilled cheese an autumn twist and it is SO GOOD. Apple cider caramelized onions, layered between two slices of sourdough bread with crispy prosciutto, thinly sliced apples, creamy fontina, and sharp gouda cheese. This sandwich is pan-fried until the cheese is melty and the bread is crisp. It’s savory, sweet, a touch salty and the most perfect fall grilled cheese for just about any day of the week.
If there was ever a sandwich that screams fall, this is it.
I mean? Apples and gouda? Caramelized onions and crispy prosciutto? Fresh thyme and sage? It’s all of the best fall ingredients in a cheesy sandwich. I always hesitate to share sandwich recipes, solely because I have a very hard time photographing them. I don’t know what the deal is, but I really struggle to make sandwiches look delicious.
So when I set out to make this, I was a little nervous. And my first attempt at photos ended in remaking it a grand total of six times. Yes, six grilled cheese sandwiches in ONE day, it was a lot. By the end of the day, I was ready to give up on the recipe entirely. Even though this grilled cheese was delicious, I simply could not attempt to photograph it one more time.
But then, I got up the next morning and I knew I should give this one last try. And finally, I landed on some photos I felt looked “good enough” to share with you all. I can’t say these are my favorite set of photos, but this sandwich is way too good not share.
Sometimes all you need is a little sleep and a fresh set of eyes. Suddenly you have a whole new take on things.
Thankfully all of my family is here for my brother’s wedding this weekend, so all the extra sandwiches were welcome.
And you can rest well tonight knowing that this grilled cheese recipe has been very well tested. You are welcome.
Oddly, the inspiration behind this recipe came from two places. The first place would be my brain. I’ve been wanting to make a french onion grilled cheese for ages now. But I felt that waiting until fall to share such a hearty recipe would be best. The second source? My brother Red. As mentioned, all of my siblings are in town and Red was over at the studio the other day looking for lunch. Of course, I can never say the word no to him (even though I was in the middle of photographing). So I made him a grilled cheese sandwich. His request was simple, “can you put crispy prosciutto and red peppers in it”?.
Um, prosciutto in the grilled cheese? And crispy too? Well, yes, I can do that, and dang, that sounds gooood. I mean, right?
I made him his grilled cheese, then I made this grilled cheese, adding crispy prosciutto and apples to my original idea. Delicious. I knew I had to share…assuming I could get the photos to look just right.
Let me get right to the details so you can go make this for lunch or dinner. Or maybe even a midnight snack while working late, or better yet, binging on your favorite Netflix show. This is that sandwich you can make at any time of day. It’s great with a side salad for dinner and best enjoyed hot, right off the stove.
As you might guess this recipe is pretty easy, though it’s a bit more time-intensive than your average grilled cheese. You do need to caramelize the onions, but it is so worth the effort.
So, let’s start with the onions. These are not your typical caramelized onion. Instead of caramelizing the onions in the traditional manner, with sugar, I like to use apple cider. The sweetness from the cider helps the onions take on a really deep golden color while also adding a nice spiced cider flavor. It’s kind of sweet, kind of savory, and kind of really good.
Hear me out. I know it may sound odd, but something about the savory onions and the sweet cider, together with fresh thyme and sage really works.
While the onions are caramelizing, crisp up some thinly sliced prosciutto and start prepping the remaining ingredients. You will need honeycrisp apples (or your favorite variety), melty fontina cheese, and sharp and nutty gouda cheese. Of course, you can use any combo of cheese you love, but I find the sweetness and nuttiness of the gouda cheese pairs so well with the apples and onions.
Once the onions are done and the prosciutto is crisp, layer everything together between two slices of sourdough bread. Then simply pan fry with just a pat of butter and fresh sage leaves.
Five minutes later you’ll have the best adult grilled cheese. This french onion and apple grilled cheese is a touch sweet, salty, savory, nice and cheesy, and beyond words good. If you’re in need of a really good lunch or a simple dinner, make this. It’s a great way to use autumn apples in a savory way. Trust me, there’s nothing not to love about this grilled cheese.
PS. if you’re looking for an onion free option, try this equally delicious 3 Cheese Everything Spice Grilled Cheese.
If you make this french onion and apple grilled cheese be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
What can I substitute for apple cider ? Don’t have any at the moment !!
Hey Vicki,
you can use chicken broth in place of the apple cider. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
I have made this recipe twice now and both times it was amazing!!! We served the amazing sandwiches with creamy tomato basil soup and it made the perfect dinner for this cold fall night.
Thank you so much Lisa!! xTieghan
So tasty!!!
Thank you Natalia! xTieghan
This is amazing, I have made it three times now. My husband loves it. I make butternut squash soup to go with it. Thank you so much for this recipe.
Thank you Roxann! I am really glad this recipe turned out so well for you! xTieghan
This is legitimately the best SANDWICH (not just grilled cheese) that I have ever eaten. And the onions on their own are amazing. For everyone who is not paying attention closely to the recipe – the onions are being sauteed in APPLE CIDER – not ac vinegar.
I paired it with this savory pumpkin soup, and I highly recommend the combination of this soup with this grilled cheese! It tastes like the kind of food you’d pay $25 for at fancy bistro.
https://www.thekitchn.com/easy-pumpkin-soup-261960
bonus – I reheated the leftover sandwich in the toaster oven the next day, and it wasn’t even soggy.
WOW YES! I am so happy you loved this one! Thank you! xTieghan
made this grilled cheese on an onion sourdough! The carmelized onions are to DIE for. Thanks for the recipe!
Wow love that! Thank you for trying this one, Allison! xTieghan
This is the first HBH recipe I make and it was delicious! Instructions are easy to follow, and pictures help greatly as well. Made these grilled cheeses with your garlic Parmesan sweet potato fries recipe, so good 🙂
Thank you Cynthia! I am really glad you enjoyed this recipe! xTieghan
Aaaahmazing! And I don’t even like grilled cheese!
Wow yes!! So glad you enjoyed this one! xTieghan
Made these tonight to accompany broccoli cheddar soup. SO GOOD! I used smoked maple bacon instead of prosciutto because it’s what I had on hand, and fried the sandwiches in some of the bacon grease left in my pan. The onions caramelized in apple cider added amazing flavour!
Thank you so much Kelsey! xTieghan
The best twist on a grilled cheese for any time of the year! I added some extra apple slices and it did not disappoint. Def use sourdough for this, it’s the best!
Thank you so much Erica! I am really glad this turned out so well for you! xTieghan
Made this recipe for a Girls Night Dinner and it was a hit! I love the combination of all of these flavors, especially the crushed red peppers in the onions (I added a couple pinches). So good! Thanks for the recipe!
Love to hear that! Thank you so much for trying this recipe, Ruby! xTieghan
Made this tonight! Added everything seasoning to the bread and left out the prosciutto (we don’t eat meat). It was SO GOOD!!
Thank you so much Ashley! xTieghan
We made our first apple and onion grilled cheese recently and I wish I had seen this recipe first! Can’t wait to try this version next.
Thank you Sal! I hope you love this one! xTieghan
I made this and OMG!! I ran out of sour dough bread THIS MORNING and couldn’t find any fontina sooo… I used gouda and harvarti with Daves Killer Bread and my oh my I’m in heaven and eating this for the rest of my life and the day before I die lol
I don’t know how you invent this stuff but I want to be your best friend and pick your brain forever because I have never heard of this combo before and I’m not exaggerating – my favorite, simple recipe thus far!!
I am so happy this turned out so well for you Val!! Thank you so much for trying it!! xTieghan
So delicious!
Thank you Mallory! xTieghan