Cheese and onion. Quite possibly one of the oldest snack food combinations there is. Back in the day, when you could only get two choices of flavourings for crisps, Cheese & Onion was one of the originals (Salt & Vinrgar being the other). Even the original pastie had a cheese and onion alternative, I remember, well before the flavour combinations exploded into the vast range we have today.
However, despite all the variety of sandwich fillings available, the old favourites are still considered to be among the best, and few of these can rival the traditional cheese and onion sandwich.
Cheese & Onion Grilled Sandwich
The type of cheese you use depends on your particular favourite or go to cheese. Mine is always an extra mature cheddar, as I simply love the rich, deep flavour it brings to any sandwich and cheddar always toasts well. In fact I always have a resealable bag of ready grated mature or extra mature cheddar in my fridge so that I am "ready" for whenever the mood takes me (and grated because I am lazy, and hate grating!). You can of course opt to use any cheese you like. Even if you stick with cheddar, there are mild and medium versions for a lighter taste, or even mozzarella to give your toastie that elasticated cheese feel.
The onions in this particular sandwich recipe are raw but chopped or diced into fine pieces. This way they are small enough to heat through yet still provide a slight crunch and texture against the lovely oozing melted cheese. On the other hand if you prefer, you could brown or caramelise the onions first in a frying pan before adding to the sandwich.
This recipe requires half of a small to medium sized onion, finely chopped, but I prefer to chop the whole onion and put half into a freezer bag. This can then be frozen and so the next time that you have a yearning for a cheese and onion toasted sandwich, you can simply defrost the onions and they are ready to go!
What you will need for the perfect Cheese & Onion Grilled Sandwich
For me, thick sliced bread is a must for any toastie or grilled sandwich. My preference is for white sliced, but a 50/50 white/wholemeal combination would work just as well, but usually the thicker the better. As there are literally only 2 main components to this sandwich filling (they are in the title) the bread is just as important as the filling that goes in between. Therefore "super toastie" or "extra thick" sliced loaves are the ones to go for.
For this recipe I have used an extra thick toastie white sliced loaf.
As mentioned above, this recipe only requires half of a small to medium sized onion, finely chopped, This can vary depending on your preference and tastes, but as a rough guide proportionally the ratio of cheese to onion wants to be approximately three to one. However, I prefer to chop the whole onion and put half into a freezer bag. This can then be frozen and so the next time that you yearn for a cheese and onion toasted sandwich, you can simply defrost the onions and they are ready to go!
The cheese I have chosen to compliment the onions for this toasted sandwich is a mature grated cheddar. I simply prefer my cheese to have a good depth of flavour, but you could literally choose any type of cheddar or whatever is in your fridge. As I am always "unready" and also, I hate grating, I find it much simpler to buy the cheese ready grated from my local supermarket. I always have at least 2 or 3 bags of different kinds of cheeses in my fridge so I'm always ready for that craving for sandwich or snack. These are usually supplied in resealable bags so you can just use the amount you want and keep the rest for later (up to 5 days so no need for waste).
Although I said this was a simple two ingredient filling, my personal preference is to add a little seasoning in the form of a pinch of ground black pepper to enhance the flavour.
Making the perfect grilled sandwich
Even when using the flat grill plates, it is still possible to create the "sealed effect" particularly with a good thick sliced bread as the crusts, when compressed, form something of a barrier to the sandwich filling escaping. That said, you are not looking for something perfect, and if there is some escape, where the cheese has run, simply embrace it. It will come away from the non-stick surface along with the sandwich (and who doesn't love a piece of grilled cheese!).
To achieve the beautiful golden grill lines, the outer surfaces of the bread need to be lightly buttered or oiled if you prefer. You will find from experience that cooking time is normally 5 to 6 mintes, but it is not advisable to lift the lid too early, as if you want to continue cooking and replace the lid, your sandwich may move and the singular grill lines disturbed.
The simplicity of using the grill plates is that the sandwich can be pre-assembled and the whole thing lifted into place on the bottom plate with care. It is important however to close the top plate slowly ensuring nothing has moved before the lid is locked into place.
Once your grilled sandwich is ready, switch off the appliance at the socket. NEVER lift your finished toastie out with your fingers as the plates will still be extremely hot! Always use wood or plastic tools to loosen and lift away your sandwich, which usually comes away from the non-stick surface easily.
The Recipe
The Cheese & Onion Grilled Sandwich
EQUIPMENT
- 3-in-1 snack maker with grill / panini plates
PREPARATION TIME : 5 minutes
COOKING TIME : 6 minutes (approx.)
SERVINGS : 1
INGREDIENTS
- 2 slices extra thick toastie white bread
- 8g butter or similar
- 1/2 small onion (finely diced)
- 70g grated mature cheddar cheese
- pinch of ground black pepper
STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS
- Turn on the snack maker
- While the appliance is heating up gather all the ingredients to hand.
- Butter one side of each of the 2 slices of bread
- Turn one slice over (buttered side down) and cover with half of the grated cheese
- Sprinkle diced onion over the cheese (taking care to keep in from the edges)
- Cover the onion with the remainder of the cheese.
- Sprinkle a pinch of ground black pepper over the cheese
- Place the remaing slice of bread on top with the buttered side uppermost
- Carefully place the completed sandwich onto the grill plates
- Close the top plate and click the handles to lock in place
- Cook for approximately 6 minutes or until golden
Or you could try...
If you wanted to change things slightly, you could try replacing the diced onions with chopped chives. This will add a crisp texture and a bit of colour to your filling.
For a more subtle taste variation, try a level teaspoon of mild mustard spread over the inner surface of the top slice of bread to add another complimentary rich layer of flavour to this delicious combination.
Perfect with...
The Cheese and Onion Grilled Sandwich is perfect on it's own as a snack at any time of day, whenever the fancy takes you.
Or simply add some fresh baby salad leaves with a light dressing, to create a quick tasty lunch for two.
How does your sandwich maker compare?
For most of the recipes shared here I use my trusty Tower Deep Fill 3-in-1 Sandwich Maker, so obviously you may need to adjust your ingredients slightly if you are using a different appliance. Having said that, most sandwich makers are very similar in design and size, and the amount of each filling is a guide only and you can increase or decrease, add or subtract, according to your personal taste.
Never be afraid to experiment, and remember you won't always get the perfect result first time, so if at first you don't succeed try, try and try again. It's great fun!
If you want to check out some of the alternative 3-in-1 machines available check out our guide...
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