Prominently featured is a golden-crisp grilled cheese, seeping with melting sharp cheddar, with hints of caramelized onions peeking out. A shiny balsamic glaze drizzled on top offers a sweet and tangy contrast against the warm, taupe tones of the cheese. The sandwich is cut diagonally, revealing a mouthwatering cross-section. Placed on a rustic wooden board, it's garnished with few sprigs of fresh thyme and a small, side bowl of balsamic glaze for extra dipping.

Caramelized Onion Balsamic Glaze Grilled Cheese

Name: Caramelized Onion Balsamic Glaze Grilled Cheese
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 2
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: thick slices of sourdough bread, 4 slices N/A; sharp cheddar cheese, 200 grams grated; large white onion, 1 large thinly sliced; balsamic glaze, 2 tablespoons plus extra for serving; unsalted butter, 1 tablespoon for frying; olive oil, 1 tablespoon N/A; salt, to taste N/A; pepper, to taste N/A

Category Main Course

Prep 10 minutes

Cook 40 minutes

Style American

Technique Sautee

Diet Friendly Vegetarian

Daily Recipe: December 29, 2025

Our recipe today offers a twist on a classic American comfort food: grilled cheese sandwich. Elevated with the use of hearty sourdough bread, sharp cheddar, homemade caramelized onions, and topped with a drizzle of full-bodied balsamic glaze, it is a tasty and enticing way to ward off any chill that may be creeping in.

Ingredients (for 2)

Thick slices of sourdough bread - 4 slices - N/A
Sharp cheddar cheese - 200 grams - grated
Large white onion - 1 large - thinly sliced
Balsamic glaze - 2 tablespoons - plus extra for serving
Unsalted butter - 1 tablespoon - for frying
Olive oil - 1 tablespoon - N/A
Salt - to taste - N/A
Pepper - to taste - N/A

Preparation

Step 1 - 🍳🌰🧂

Heat the olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add sliced onions, reduce heat to low and let them cook until golden and caramelized. This takes about 20-30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper at the end.
Step 2 - 🥪🧈🧀

Butter one side of each sourdough slice. Distribute the cheese and caramelized onions evenly on the non-buttered side of two slices. Cover these with the remaining slices, buttered side up.
Step 3 - 🍳🥪🔥

In the same pan used for the onions, cook the sandwiches on medium heat for approximately 2-3 minutes on each side. Stop when the bread turns crispy golden and the cheese is fully melted.
Step 4 - 🔪🍽️🍮

Remove the sandwiches from the pan, drizzle the balsamic glaze on top. Slice diagonally and serve immediately with extra balsamic glaze on the side.

Additional

This recipe offers multiple variations. For added heat, consider adding sliced jalapenos. Feel free to experiment with your cheese choices - a smoked gouda or a pungent blue cheese would work wonderfully as well. To get children involved, they can help to assemble the sandwiches. A fun fact about grilled cheese sandwiches - they started being popular in the US during the Great Depression due to easy preparation and affordability.