Who out there absolutely loves French Onion Soup? I think it is one of my favorite soups and I love that crostini on top with melted gruyere. So damn good. When I tried a french onion grilled cheese sandwich a few years ago, it blew my mind. It's all the flavor of french onion soup, but in a sandwich... with bacon. Or no bacon if you're a vegetarian. They weren't too common a few years ago, but I think they're gaining popularity.
French Onion Soup on a Sandwich? Yes, please!
Okay, last week I jumped off my high-quality bread soapbox and flat-out told you to buy store-brand white bread for my Delicious Crispy Thai Pork Toast. Well, I'm climbing back up to say: please use high-quality bread for this sandwich. It makes a world of difference. I used the same kind of bread that I used for my Croque Monsieur (aka The Best Ham & Cheese Sandwich You'll Ever Eat). It's from a local bakery (always a good start). It's called Nashoba Brook Bakery - located in Concord, MA. You can buy bread at their bakery or at a local Hannaford. If you're outside New England, try to use bread from your favorite local bakery.
French onion soup wouldn't be the same without melted gruyere cheese on the top. And as you can imagine, French onion grilled cheese will not be the same without it. I don't usually see this cheese already shredded at the grocery store. You need to buy a small block and shred it yourself. It's all part of the fun!
Adding thick-sliced bacon to this sandwich puts it over the top. You can easily start cooking your bacon while your onions are caramelizing in the other pan. Of course, if you're a vegetarian just skip the bacon. This sandwich tastes fantastic either way. Right at the end of cooking your onions, you'll add a few tablespoons of port wine to give it that brothy flavor just like the soup. Works every time!
This French onion grilled cheese is a guaranteed hit and so easy to put together. This recipe is for two sandwiches but you can use the recipe multiplier to make it for a larger crowd.
If you do make this sandwich, tell me all about it in the comments below. And remember: enjoy your time in the kitchen. Prepare delicious foods for yourself and your loved ones. You are all worth it.
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French Onion Grilled Cheese w/Bacon
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 2 sandwiches 1x
Description
French onion soup in a sandwich anyone? Caramelized onions with a hint of port. Melty gruyere and bacon. Need I say more?
Ingredients
- 6 slices of bacon
- 4 slices of good quality white bread
- 8 slices good Swiss cheese (I used Finlandia)
- 1 cup or so shredded gruyere
- 3 tablespoons of port wine
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons butter, softened
Caramelized Onions
- 2 medium onions, sliced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ teaspoon of salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- ½ teaspoon fresh chopped thyme (optional)
Instructions
- Finely dice your fresh thyme, if using.
- Start by caramelizing the onions. Slice your medium onions (white, yellow, red – doesn’t matter). Put onions in pan with olive oil, salt, pepper and thyme, if using. Mix together on low to medium heat. Stir here and there for 25-30 minutes until onions are golden brown.
- Cook the bacon and when finished set aside.
- When the onions are almost finished, add the port wine, stir the onions and let the wine cook off. Continue to cook the onions another few minutes.
- Shred the gruyere cheese.
- Start assembling the sandwiches. Spread the butter on the top and bottom of bread. Add half the Swiss cheese slices to each sandwich on the top and bottom (you can follow along with the video). Spoon on caramelized onion, then shredded gruyere, then top with bacon. Heat ½ tablespoon of olive oil in each pan (optional – you could just cook as is with the bread buttered). I chose to use two pans to have extra space for flipping the sandwich. Add the sandwiches to the pans and cook on low-medium heat until both sides are brown and crispy and the cheese is melted. 2-3 minutes per side. Enjoy!
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