Take your grilled cheese game to the next level with this fall-inspired brie and apple grilled cheese. These sandwiches are melty, golden, and ready in under 15 minutes!
In the spirit of fall, apple season, and the need for quick and easy vegetarian recipes, I bring you this apple brie grilled cheese sandwich!
Brie pairs so well with sweet apple, melts wonderfully (think brie in puff pastry), and is a great way to take a simple grilled cheese and make it a little more exciting.
Recipe features
- Ready in under 15 minutes
- Made with less than 10 ingredients
- Great for quick lunches
- Paired with a spicy sweet honey mustard sauce
What you'll need
- Brie is a mild, buttery and creamy cheese. One 8 ounce brie wheel makes 3-4 sandwiches, depending on how cheesy you want your grilled cheese to be.
- Apple: Choose a sweet apple, like Honeycrisp or Gala.
- Sourdough bread adds a great flavor to this grilled cheese, but any kind of bread will work.
- Spinach adds a pop of color and nutrition. Arugula and kale also work.
- Butter: I use unsalted butter to cook the brie grilled cheese*. Coconut oil also works here.
- Spicy brown mustard combines with hot sauce and honey for a sweet, vivid sauce.
*I'm usually a big proponent of cooking grilled cheese in mayonnaise, but this brie grilled cheese is one of the few places I prefer to use butter. Yes, mayo is good in more than just pimento cheese!
Steps by step instructions
Start by making the spicy mustard sauce by whisking together spicy brown mustard, honey, and hot sauce in a small bowl. Adjust honey and hot sauce to taste. The strong flavors will be balanced out by the brie and apple.
Spread a thin layer of mustard sauce on one piece of sourdough bread, then top with the cheese, thinly sliced apples, spinach, and another slice of bread.
Melt butter in a skillet or cast iron pan (my favorite!) over medium heat. Place sandwich with the cheese side closest to the pan. Cook for 3-4 minutes on each side, until golden and toasted.
You can decrease the heat to medium-low if the grilled cheese is browning too quickly.
Recipe FAQ and expert tips
- Not vegetarian or serving non-vegetarians? Feel free to add your favorite sliced protein to the sandwich. This would be a great way to use up Thanksgiving leftovers, whether you roasted a Tofurkey or a turkey.
- Slicing the brie: Brie isn't the most easily sliceable cheese, so I recommend just cutting off small pieces. Don't worry if they aren't super uniform.
- Pan heat: Medium to medium low is the best heat for grilled cheese because it allows the cheese to melt without burning the bread. Make sure the butter is completely melted and hot before adding the brie grilled cheese to the pan.
If you're not a fan of brie cheese, you might like this with white cheddar cheese and mozzarella.
Yes, brie melts very well. I think it melts even better than cheddar, which makes it a great option for grilled cheese.
The rind is edible but I don't include it in brie grilled cheese because it doesn't melt.
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Apple Brie Grilled Cheese Sandwich
Ingredients
- 6 ounces brie
- 2 tablespoons spicy brown mustard
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce
- 6 slices sourdough bread
- 1 large Honeycrisp apple thinly sliced
- 3 handfuls spinach
- 1-2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Instructions
- Slice brie into thin slices. I don't include the rind in the sandwiches.
- Make the honey mustard sauce by whisking together spicy brown mustard, honey and hot sauce in a small bowl. Adjust honey and hot sauce to taste.
- Spread a thin layer of mustard sauce on a slice of sourdough (feel free to spread it on both pieces of bread). Top with brie slices, apple slices, a handful of spinach and the remaining sourdough slice.
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the butter. Once melted, add one grilled cheese sandwich. Cook on one side for 3-4 minutes, until golden and crisp. Flip and cook another 3-4 minutes. Decrease heat to medium-low if the sandwich is browning too quickly. Enjoy sandwiches immediately.
Mitch
So tasty! I made these to go with a pumpkin black bean soup I make and these were a great addition to the meal. Make sure you use a sturdy bread as the apples add a little moisture to the bread and Brie does not have much heft to it. Just thinking about this sandwich again has my mouth watering.
Cassidy Reeser
I've been meaning to make this grilled cheese again and I think you just inspired me to do it this weekend! Thanks for the review 🙂