Ultimate Grilled Cheese and Chutney Sandwich
If there's one thing I love more than a grilled cheese sandwich, it's a grilled cheese and chutney sandwich. I love the combo of sharp, salty cheese against a sweet, tangy chutney. Add a couple of slices of buttery toasty crusty bread and you've got the ultimate snack, lunch, dinner, or even breakfast.
This cheese and chutney sandwich is so insanely simple. There's really no recipe required! But I've included a recipe at the end of this post with what I believe to be the perfect proportions of cheese and chutney.
Why are cheese and chutney a perfect combo?
If you're a fan of sweet and salty, you'll love the addition of chutney on your grilled cheese sandwich. Cheese is naturally salty, fatty, and creamy, making it such a great match for the sweet, sour, spiced tangy goodness of chutney. It's almost like a more sophisticated version of dipping your grilled cheese in ketchup. Because what is ketchup if not a sweet, tangy sidekick for a grilled cheese sandwich?
What's the best cheese for this Cheese and Chutney Sandwich?
Here's the fun part. You have a world of cheese to choose from, and each cheese has its own unique properties. Generally speaking, the meltiest cheeses tend to be more bland, whereas the really delicious sharp cheeses have less melty/gooey properties. This is because the gooeyness comes from the water content, which is reduced during the aging process.
In short: Age adds flavor and reduces gooeyness.
So, the choice is yours. I'm cool with sacrificing the Instagrammable cheese pull and go with a sharper cheese, but that's just me.
For the best of both worlds, use a blend of two or more cheeses:
- One for gooeyness - like mozzarella or mild Monterey Jack or Cheddar
- One for sharpness - Like aged Cheddar or Gruyere
This approach gives you a nice balance. If you're only interested in using one cheese, I think aged Cheddar or Gruyere, or Jarlsberg are great options.
What you'll need to make this recipe
You only need four ingredients for this sandwich. Cheese, chutney, bread, and butter. That's it! Bust out a frying pan and you're good to go.
How to make this Cheese and Chutney Sandwich
- Step 1: Preheat your pan on medium-low heat, and grate the cheese.
- Step 2: Butter the outside of your bread slices
- Step 3: Flip the bread over so the buttered side is down, and spread an even layer of chutney on the inside of one of the slices, and distribute the grated cheese on the other side.
- Step 4: Place the buttery sandwich into the preheated frying pan. Cover the pan with a lid to help melt the cheese. Keep an eye on the sandwich to make sure the bread isn't burning. After 4-5 minutes, the first side should be golden brown and the cheese should be melting nicely.
- Step 5: Flip the sandwich and cook for another 4-5 minutes on the other side. You don't need a lid for this part, because the cheese should be mostly melted by now. If at this point the sandwich is golden brown but the cheese isn't melted, turn the heat down to low, and continue to cook the sandwich while flipping every minute or two so the bread doesn't burn.
- Step 6: Enjoy on its own, with a bowl of soup, or with a fresh crunchy salad
Success tips
- Grate the cheese! I like to use grated cheese for this cheese and chutney sandwich, rather than sliced cheese. Grated cheese tends to melt faster and more evenly than sliced cheese.
- Use great bread! The better the bread, the better the sandwich will be. I find that a crusty country loaf is perfect for this sandwich because it really holds up to the strong flavor of the chutney and sharp cheese. If your bread has big holes in it, even better. Some of the cheese might melt through the holes and get crispy!
- Size matters! The bigger your bread slices, the less concentrated your cheese and chutney will be, and vice versa. The sandwich pictured here was built on large slices of sourdough. If your bread is smaller, your bread-to-filling ratio will be very different. Adjust the quantities of cheese and chutney as you desire!
- Cook on medium-low heat. Any hotter and the bread will burn before the cheese has a chance to melt.
- Don't feel like making homemade chutney? No problem! It's fairly easy to find mango chutney in most grocery stores, which works very well on a grilled cheese sandwich!
What goes well with this Cheese and Chutney Sandwich?
All the cheese and buttery bread make this a fairly rich sandwich. Any accompaniments should be light and refreshing. A crisp green salad is ideal. A brothy vegetable soup would also be nice! I would steer clear from heavier side dishes like fries, potato salad, or creamy thick soups.
A glass of wine or a cold beer would also be lovely!
Frequently Asked Questions
YES! I love using mayo to "butter" my grilled sandwiches. Neither one is better IMO, they both produce delicious crunchy bread.
Yep! You can experiment with any variety, like tomato chutney, apple chutney, or even caramelized onion chutney. Each type will bring its own unique flavor profile to complement the cheese.
Yes! A panini press works wonderfully for this cheese and chutney sandwich. Just make sure to butter the outside of the bread and spread the chutney and cheese inside as directed. The press will give you nice grill marks and evenly melted cheese. Keep an eye on it to avoid burning.
While the classic combination of cheese and chutney is perfect on its own, you can certainly add extras if you'd like. Sliced apples or pears add a nice crunch, arugula provides a peppery bite, or some crispy bacon adds a smoky element. Just be careful not to overload the sandwich or it will be difficult to flip and eat.
More Recipes You Might Like:
- Here's my foolproof recipe for chutney
- Speaking of cheese and chutney, try my Almond Parmesan Crackers
- Re: that crisp green salad we talked about - here's how to build an at-home salad bar
- My Arugula Salad with Olives and Apples would also be a perfect side for this!
Ultimate Cheese and Chutney Sandwich
Equipment
- 1 frying pan or griddle
Ingredients
- 2 slices crusty bread
- 60 grams grated cheese
- 2 tablespoons chutney
- 1 teaspoon butter
Instructions
- Preheat your pan on medium-low heat and grate the cheese(s)
- Butter your slices of bread on the outside
- Spread an even layer of chutney on the inside of one slice, pile the grated cheese onto the other side, and close it up.
- Place the buttery sandwich into the preheated frying pan. Cover the pan with a lid to help melt the cheese. Keep an eye on the sandwich to make sure the bread isn't burning. After 4-5 minutes, the first side should be golden brown and the cheese should be melting nicely.
- Flip the sandwich and cook for another 4-5 minutes on the other side. You don't need a lid for this part, because the cheese should be mostly melted by now. If at this point the sandwich is golden brown but the cheese isn't melted, turn the heat down to low, and continue to cook the sandwich while flipping every minute or two so the bread doesn't burn.
Video
Notes
- The temperature of your pan or skillet might be different than mine! Start at a medium-low heat and increase it slightly if needed. If the pan is too hot, your bread will burn before the cheese has a chance to melt.
- Bread sizes vary greatly! The sandwich in the photos here is made on large sourdough slices. If your bread is much smaller, you might want to reduce the amount of cheese and chutney used. (Or just enjoy a super gooey sandwich!)
