French Onion Grilled Cheese

5 from 1 vote

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By: Jill Mills Posted: Nov 28, 2023 Updated: Jan 11, 2024

This French Onion Grilled Cheese tastes exactly like the classic soup, but in the form of a grilled cheese! The homemade onion jam pairs perfectly with the gooey cheese and crispy bread. The best way to enjoy a grilled cheese sandwich.

The Best French Onion Grilled Cheese

Soup is one of the ultimate comfort foods. French onion soup is so tasty and rich, it’s perfect for a chilly day. This French onion sandwich is wonderfully balanced with the sweet caramelized onion jam and salty cheeses. If you want a new and creative way to make a classic grilled cheese sandwich, I highly recommend this recipe.

This is one of my favorites when I need a quick dinner recipe. The best part is that you can make the onion jam in advance and store it in the refrigerator. It pairs so well with your favorite soup, too! Try this French onion grilled cheese with Crockpot Tomato Soup or Minestrone.

If you love the flavors of French onion soup, you should try my recipe Crockpot French Onion Chicken, too!

What You’ll Need

The fresh herbs are crucial for the perfect onion jam. To achieve the savory flavors of French onion soup, strong-flavored cheeses work perfectly.

For the Onion Jam:

• Olive Oil
• Small Onions
• Rosemary: Do not chop. Leave as whole sprigs to add to the onion jam for flavor.
• Bay Leaves
• Thyme: Treat this like the rosemary because it will be removed when the onion jam is fully reduced. 
• Brown Sugar
• Red Wine
• Balsamic Vinegar
• French Onion Soup

For the Grilled Cheese:

• Thick Slice Bread: Texas Toast or any other thick slice of bread will work perfectly.
• Unsalted Butter
• Gruyere Cheese: Shredded so it melts evenly.
• White Cheddar Cheese
• Onion Jam
• Parmesan Cheese

How to Make French Onion Grilled Cheese

This is a quick and easy recipe for a grilled cheese sandwich that is perfect for lunch or dinner! Make the onion jam ahead to save time.

Onion Jam:

• Step 1. Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add olive oil.
• Step 2. Add sliced yellow onions, the rosemary sprig, bay leaves, and thyme sprigs. Cook the onions for 25-30 minutes or until they are golden and caramelized. Stir occasionally.

• Step 3. Mix in brown sugar and stir until dissolved. 
• Step 4. Pour in red wine and balsamic vinegar. Continue to cook for an additional 2-3 minutes to deglaze the pan.
• Step 5. Reduce the heat to medium-low heat and pour in the French onion soup. Simmer for 20-30 minutes or until thick.
• Step 6. Remove the rosemary sprig, bay leaves, and thyme sprigs. 
• Grilled Cheese:
• Step 1. Heat a skillet or griddle pan over medium heat. 
• Step 2. Add 1 tablespoon of butter and place 1 slice of bread onto the griddle pan.

• Step 3. Sprinkle a layer of gruyere onto the bread and add a heaping portion of onion jam. 
• Step 4. Top with white cheddar and the second slice of bread.
• Step 5. Brown for about 3-4 minutes. Add more butter and flip the grilled cheese.
• Step 6. Cook for an additional 3-4 minutes on the other side. 

• Step 7. Remove the grilled cheese sandwich and sprinkle each side with grated parmesan. 
• Step 8. Repeat the process for more grilled cheeses with the remaining ingredients.
• Step 9. Slice in half and enjoy hot.

Tips and Tricks

• Try this French onion soup grilled cheese recipe with other varieties of cheese like provolone, fontina, or Swiss.
• Serve these sandwiches with French onion soup, tomato soup, or beef consomme.
• If you make the onion jam ahead of time, it can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
• To adjust the sweetness of the onion jam, add a little extra brown sugar for sweeter or take some away for less sweetness.
• Reduce the onion jam longer if you would like it to be thicker.

More Grilled Cheese Recipes

• Kimchi Grilled Cheese
• Easy Pizza Grilled Cheese
• Brisket Grilled Cheese
• Bacon Grilled Cheese
• Jalapeno Popper Grilled Cheese
• Sloppy Joe Grilled Cheese

5 from 1 vote

French Onion Grilled Cheese

This French Onion Grilled Cheese tastes exactly like the classic soup, but in the form of a grilled cheese! The homemade onion jam pairs perfectly with the gooey cheese and crispy bread. The best way to enjoy a grilled cheese sandwich.

Servings: 4 servings

Prep: 10 minutes mins

Cook: 50 minutes mins

Total: 1 hour hr

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Ingredients

  

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For the Onion Jam:

• ▢ 3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• ▢ 8 Small Onions Sliced
• ▢ 1 Rosemary Sprig
• ▢ 2 Bay Leaves
• ▢ 3 Thyme Sprigs
• ▢ ½ Cup Brown Sugar
• ▢ ½ Cup Red Wine
• ▢ 1 Tablespoon Balsamic Vinegar
• ▢ 1 10.5 ounce can French Onion Soup

For the Grilled Cheese:

• ▢ 8 Slices Thick Sliced Bread
• ▢ ½ Cup Butter Softened
• ▢ 1 Cup Gruyere Cheese Shredded
• ▢ 1 Cup White Cheddar Cheese Shredded
• ▢ Onion Jam
• ▢ 3 Tablespoons Grated Parmesan Cheese

Instructions

For the Onion Jam:

• In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the sliced onions, rosemary sprig, bay leaves, and thyme sprigs. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are caramelized and golden brown., about 25-30 minutes.
• Add the brown sugar to the skillet and stir until dissolved. Pour in the red wine and balsamic vinegar, and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes to deglaze the pan.
• Stir in the french onion soup and reduce the heat to low. Simmer the mixture for 20-30 minutes, or until thickened and jammy. Remove the rosemary sprig, bay leaves, and thyme sprigs. Set aside.

For the Grilled Cheese:

• Preheat a skillet or griddle over medium heat.
• Add 1 Tablespoon of butter to the skillet.
• Place 1 slice of bread onto the skillet or griddle.
• Sprinkle on a layer of gruyere cheese, add a generous portion of the onion jam, then sprinkle on some cheddar cheese, top with the other slice of bread.
• Grill for 3-4 minutes, add more butter to the pan, and flip the grilled cheese, grill for another 3-4 minutes on the other side.
• Remove the grilled cheese from the heat. Sprinkle each side with grated parmesan cheese. Repeat with remaining ingredients for more grilled cheese sandwiches.
• Slice the sandwiches in half, serve hot and enjoy!

Last Step:

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Notes

You can adjust the sweetness and thickness of the onion jam by adding more or less of the brown sugar and simmering for longer or shorter.
Feel free to experiment with different types of cheese for the grilled cheese such as swiss, fontina, or provolone.
Serve the french onion grilled cheese with a side of french onion soup, beef consomme, or tomato soup.
The onion jam can be made ahead of time and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Nutrition

Calories: 928kcal | Carbohydrates: 78g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 58g | Saturated Fat: 29g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 20g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 132mg | Sodium: 1311mg | Potassium: 832mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 42g | Vitamin A: 1388IU | Vitamin C: 18mg | Calcium: 771mg | Iron: 3mg

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