Pear And Gouda Grilled Cheese Recipe
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When you're in a lunch rut, there's nothing like a new and exciting sandwich combination to switch things up, and this pear and gouda grilled cheese sandwich is the ticket. This is the type of sandwich that goes beyond a fancy grilled cheese and reaches into elevated French cafe status. Sweet and juicy pear slices pair beautifully with creamy melted Gouda, while jammy caramelized onions add lots of rich, buttery depth. Fresh thyme provides a bit of earthy savoriness, and grainy mustard adds just the right tangy kick to cut through all the richness. Everything comes together between thick slices of sourdough, resulting in one hefty grilled cheese that is sophisticated yet relatively simple to pull off.
The caramelized onions are the most time-intensive part of this recipe, but once those are ready to go, the rest of the sandwich assembly goes pretty quick. Even better yet, you could prep the caramelized onions ahead of time to make things a little easier. When it comes to serving, sometimes I like to cut the grilled cheese into quarters and use sandwich picks to neatly hold each section together, which is especially a great option if you're going for more of an appetizer vibe.
Gather the ingredients for pear and Gouda grilled cheese sandwiches
To make this recipe, start with an onion (which will need to be sliced), fresh thyme, and pears. When buying pears, you'll want to buy them firm and let them ripen on your counter for a few days. There are many types of pears out there, and the best ones for this recipe include Bosc, Anjou, Concorde, and Asian pears. Bartlett pears would also work, but are better used on the firm side as they become too soft very quickly.
To round out the sandwich, you'll need thick slices of sourdough bread, unsalted butter, and Gouda cheese. Check your pantry at home for salt, pepper, and grainy mustard.
Step 1: Heat butter in skillet
Heat 1 tablespoon of butter in a cast iron skillet over medium-low heat.
Step 2: Add sliced onions and salt
Add the onion and ¼ teaspoon of the salt to the skillet.
Step 3: Caramelize the onions
Cook, stirring every few minutes, until the onions are deep golden brown, about 25 minutes.
Step 4: Remove onions from skillet
Transfer the onions to a bowl and wipe out the skillet.
Step 5: Prep the pear
Cut the pear in half and remove the core. Thinly slice the pear.
Step 6: Spread mustard onto bread
Spread the mustard over 2 slices of sourdough bread (1 slice for each sandwich).
Step 7: Layer on the Gouda
Layer 3 to 4 Gouda slices over the mustard.
Step 8: Add the pear slices
Arrange 2 pear slices over the cheese.
Step 9: Sprinkle on thyme, salt, and pepper
Sprinkle the pear with the thyme, the remaining salt, and pepper.
Step 10: Top with caramelized onions
Layer caramelized onions over the pear slices.
Step 11: Add more Gouda slices
Top the onions with the remaining Gouda slices.
Step 12: Cap the sandwiches
Top off each sandwich with the remaining bread slices.
Step 13: Melt more butter in skillet
Melt the remaining butter in the skillet over medium-low heat.
Step 14: Cook the grilled cheese sandwiches
Place the sandwiches (or single sandwich, depending on the size of your skillet) into the pan and press gently with a spatula. Cook for 4 minutes on each side, or until the bread is deeply golden brown and toasted.
Step 15: Garnish and serve the pear and Gouda grilled cheeses
Optionally garnish the sandwiches with extra thyme and serve right away.
What to serve with pear and Gouda grilled cheese sandwiches
Pear And Gouda Grilled Cheese Recipe
Elevate your lunchtime routine with this pear and Gouda grilled cheese, features the namesake fruit and cheese along with caramelized onions and grainy mustard.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
- 1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
- ½ teaspoon salt, divided
- 1 pear
- 4 thick slices sourdough bread
- 2 tablespoons grainy mustard
- 6 ounces sliced Gouda cheese
- 2 teaspoons chopped thyme leaves
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Directions
- Heat 1 tablespoon of butter in a cast iron skillet over medium-low heat.
- Add the onion and ¼ teaspoon of the salt to the skillet.
- Cook, stirring every few minutes, until the onions are deep golden brown, about 25 minutes.
- Transfer the onions to a bowl and wipe out the skillet.
- Cut the pear in half and remove the core. Thinly slice the pear.
- Spread the mustard over 2 slices of sourdough bread (1 slice for each sandwich).
- Layer 3 to 4 Gouda slices over the mustard.
- Arrange 2 pear slices over the cheese.
- Sprinkle the pear with the thyme, the remaining salt, and pepper.
- Layer caramelized onions over the pear slices.
- Top the onions with the remaining Gouda slices.
- Top off each sandwich with the remaining bread slices.
- Melt the remaining butter in the skillet over medium-low heat.
- Place the sandwiches (or single sandwich, depending on the size of your skillet) into the pan and press gently with a spatula. Cook for 4 minutes on each side, or until the bread is deeply golden brown and toasted.
- Optionally garnish the sandwiches with extra thyme and serve right away.
Nutrition
| Calories per Serving | 1,306 |
| Total Fat | 48.1 g |
| Saturated Fat | 27.3 g |
| Trans Fat | 0.0 g |
| Cholesterol | 142.8 mg |
| Total Carbohydrates | 168.7 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 11.1 g |
| Total Sugars | 27.2 g |
| Sodium | 2,547.7 mg |
| Protein | 53.2 g |
What else can I use caramelized onions for?
Caramelized onions are a delicious addition to this sandwich and so many other dishes. Naturally, they work well on just about any other grilled cheese variation out there, but they are also delicious on most types of sandwiches in general. Turkey and Brie, ham and Swiss, roast beef with horseradish, steak and sauteed mushrooms, and a meatball sub are just some of the sandwich variations you can jazz up with caramelized onions. They also play well with hamburgers, veggie burgers, or portobello burgers.
Transform leftover caramelized onions into an easy French onion soup by simmering with beef broth, then top with toasted bread and melted cheese to serve. Dress up a pizza with a pesto base, fresh tomatoes, and caramelized onions distributed on top. Add sour cream with spices for a creamy onion dip. Pair with roasted vegetables or use as a baked potato topping with melted cheese. Combine them with a grain like farro or quinoa, along with roasted sweet potatoes, and black beans for a satisfying grain bowl.
Can I still make these grilled cheese sandwiches without a cast iron skillet?
A cast iron skillet is great for making grilled cheese sandwiches as it encourages even browning across the bread. That said, if you don't have a cast iron, other pans will work. You can use a heavy-bottomed stainless steel pan, but make sure it is preheated well before adding the butter and sandwich. A nonstick skillet works as well. The sandwich won't brown up quite as much, but the end result will taste great all the same. Note that the sandwich may be harder to flip since you won't be able to use a thin metal spatula.
Another useful specialty tool that would work very well here is a panini press. Make sure to fully preheat the appliance so the sandwich doesn't steam when you first put it in. Avoid clamping the press too hard when you put in the sandwich, so the filling stays intact and doesn't squeeze out. If the bread toasts before the cheese melts, turn off the heat and let the sandwich sit in the press so the inside continues to cook and melt the cheese.