The Best Whole Grain Grilled Cheese with Pickles

This gourmet grilled cheese made with whole grain bread is my attempt to give a healthy twist to one of my favorite classic sandwiches. Like any red-blooded American, I love a classic grilled cheese on white bread. (A soft, Italian loaf works particularly well.) But I also appreciate the depth of flavor you can get from a whole grain bread.

Why you should make this sandwich on whole grain bread

The choice of a hearty, seeded whole grain loaf brings things like fiber and vitamin E to your sandwich. But it also enhances the flavor and texture. The flavor of whole grains give balance to the direct, salty, tangy flavor of the cheese.

And unlike white bread, which can go mushy if you’re not careful, whole grain gives your sandwich a chewy, filling texture. I’m a firm believer that the shock of multiple textures to the tongue can help make a dish more sexy.

Hopefully, I’ve sold you on the switch! So what bread do I use?

I like a bread with seeds, like Dave’s Killer Bread. But this is YOUR sandwich. So choose a whole grain bread that will make the best grilled cheese for your taste.

Now, about the pickles

I love a dish with balance. So I wanted to add something acidic to cut the creamy goodness of the cheddar cheese. I think the sharp tang of dill pickles coupled with the sweetness of caramelized onions help to turn grilled cheese from comfort food to a sensational flavor experience.

The only trick is finding thin sandwich sliced dill pickles. The crinkle-cut pickles used on burgers are too thick and can wind up making the sandwich soggy.

How to make grilled cheese more romantic

I like to think that this upgraded–aka gourmet–version of the sandwich is something you can make for that someone special, especially at the end of a rough day. (Don’t forget that cheese is an aphrodisiac.)

To enhance your grilled cheese experience for a potentially romantic evening, I recommend serving it with wine.

Which one would I recommend? Although it might surprise you to hear it, I enjoy a crisp Champagne like this Nicholas Feuillatte when I make this sandwich.

Whole Grain Grilled Cheese with Pickles and Caramelized Onions

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This recipe gives grilled cheese an upgrade by combining it with the crunch of dill pickles and the sweetness of caramelized onions, all served on a great, seedy loaf. 

Course Lunch, Main Course

Cuisine American

Dish Type sandwich

Diet and Health healthy-ish

Seasonal autumn, Father's Day, Halloween, winter

Ingredient Cheddar Cheese, Dill Pickles

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 40 minutes mins

Servings 2

Calories 335

Author Annette Tomei

Ingredients

For the Panini filling:

• 4 slices your favorite whole grain bread with seeds
• 2 tsp unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup grated cheddar (for the more adventurous palate Cotswald makes a nice twist on the flavor)
• 1/4 cup caramelized onions see recipe below
• 8 slices dill pickle (sandwich slices)*

For the caramelized onions:

• 1 tsp butter
• 1/2 medium yellow onion thinly sliced
• salt

Instructions

For the Panini:

• Preheat Panini press or heat pan on stove top to medium heat.
• Butter the outside of each bread slice. Top 2 unbuttered slices with onion mixture and pickles. Divide cheese between the two sandwiches. Top with remaining bread.
• If using a saute pan, cook on the first side for 2-3 minutes and 1-2 minutes on second side or until both sides are golden and cheese is melted. In a Panini press, cook until grill marks are achieved on both sides.

For the caramelized onions:

• Heat saute pan over medium heat. Melt the butter and add the onions.
• Salt lightly to begin the caramelization process.
• Sweat onions for 5 minutes then add a smoked salt (I use Chef's Salt Bacon BBQ).
• Reduce heat to low and cook 20 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent burning.

Notes

* For a sweeter flavor, try using bread and butter pickles in place of the dill pickle slices. 

A note on the provided nutrition information

The nutrition information provided has been estimated by an online nutrition calculator and is not a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

Nutrition

Calories: 335kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 44mg | Sodium: 488mg | Potassium: 251mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 481IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 308mg | Iron: 2mg

This article was written in 2018 and most recently updated in 2024 with a new introduction and a fixed typo in the ingredients list. 

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Annette Tomei

Chef, Wine Educator & Culinary Consultant at Wander, Eat and Tell

Annette Tomei is a chef, educator, writer, and cultural tourism consultant. She has a Master of Arts in Gastronomy and extensive education in wine and spirits including Italian Wine Scholar with Highest Honors. She is a classically trained chef and former restaurant owner. As a sought-after cooking instructor, she has created popular Port to Table cooking classes for Holland America and has contributed to several food books including Culinary Careers for Dummies. She currently works as a food, wine and spirits educator and consultant though her company, Wander, Eat and Tell. Learn more at http://wandereatandtell.com.

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