Description
An incredibly delicious Marinated Apple and Cheese Sandwich: an elevated grilled cheese with crisp, tangy apples infused in a zesty marinade, sharp cheddar, and fresh arugula. Perfect for lunch or a fall gathering.
Ingredients
Scale
- ½ cup apple cider vinegar
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp honey
- 4 tsp whole-grain mustard
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- 2 small shallots, thinly sliced (about ⅓ cup)
- 2 small garlic cloves, grated (about ½ tsp)
- 1 tart green apple (e.g., Granny Smith), unpeeled, cored, and thinly sliced crosswise
- 1 tart-sweet apple (e.g., Honeycrisp), unpeeled, cored, and thinly sliced crosswise
- Salted butter, at room temperature
- 8 slices soft multigrain sandwich bread
- 4–8 oz aged white cheddar cheese, thinly sliced
- 1⅓ cups baby arugula, packed
Instructions
- Make the marinade: In a medium saucepan, whisk together vinegar, olive oil, honey, mustard, black pepper, and salt. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally until the honey dissolves. Add shallots and garlic. Remove from heat.
- Marinate the apples: Place the apple slices in a large, shallow, heatproof dish. Pour the warm marinade over the apples and toss gently to coat. Let sit at room temperature for 45 minutes, tossing occasionally. Drain and discard the marinade.
- Assemble the sandwiches: Butter one side of each bread slice. On four slices (buttered side up), layer the cheddar, marinated apple slices, and arugula. Top with the remaining slices (buttered side down).
- Serve: Press lightly and serve immediately as is, or toast in a skillet or panini press for a warm, melty version.
Notes
- Apple Slicing: Slice the apples thinly—about ⅛ inch thick—to ensure they absorb the marinade properly and are easy to chew in the sandwich.
- Toasting: To make a perfect grilled cheese version, use a heavy skillet with a little extra butter and press the sandwich down with a spatula.
- Cheese Choice: Aged white cheddar is recommended for its sharp flavor, but you can also use Gruyère, Provolone, or Havarti.
- Draining: After marinating, ensure the apples are thoroughly drained. Excess liquid will make the bread soggy.
- Serve Temperature: The contrast of the slightly warm/toasted bread and the cool, tangy apples is what makes this sandwich unique.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Category: Lunch
- Method: Marinating, Simmering, Assembling, Toasting (Optional)
- Cuisine: American Fusion
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 sandwich (whole)
- Calories: ~ 800‑1,000 kcal
- Sugar: ~ 25‑40 g
- Sodium: ~ 1,200‑1,800 mg
- Fat: ~ 35‑55 g
- Saturated Fat: ~ 10‑25 g
- Unsaturated Fat: ~ 20‑40 g
- Trans Fat: ~ 0‑1 g
- Carbohydrates: ~ 80‑120 g
- Fiber: ~ 6‑12 g
- Protein: ~ 25‑40 g
- Cholesterol: ~ 40‑100 mg
Keywords: Apple Cheese Sandwich, Marinated Apple Sandwich, Grilled Cheese, Gourmet Sandwich, Fall Lunch, Apple Cider Vinegar, Elevated Lunch, Cozy Lunch, Vegetarian