Grown-Up Manchego Grilled Cheese Sandwich Recipe
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Indulge in a heavenly blend of flavors with our Manchego Grilled Cheese Sandwich. Made with premium Manchego cheese, this gourmet delight boasts a crispy, buttery exterior and a gooey, melty interior that’s sure to tantalize your taste buds. Perfectly paired with a variety of accompaniments, this elevated twist on a classic sandwich is a symphony of savory satisfaction. Try our Manchego Grilled Cheese Sandwich today and experience culinary bliss like never before.
THIS POST HAS BEEN UPGRADED FROM 4/21/15 TO IMPROVE THE READER EXPERIENCE.
Manchego Grilled Cheese is my favorite grilled cheese sandwich. It may look like a fancy grilled cheese but it comes together in a jiffy.
I grew up going to religion classes on Saturday mornings.
When our classes were over, we went home to a lunch of grilled cheese and tomato soup.
Tomato soup was from a can, and our grilled cheese was a skinny yellow slice of cheese on buttered white bread. I loved it. Of course, I loved anything drowned in ketchup.
The grilled cheese that we make now is a grown-up grilled cheese. My little person self would probably have turned up her nose.
My big girl self just loves every single layer of the grown-up version of this grilled Manchego Cheese Sandwich. Oh, and it doesn’t need one drop of ketchup to improve its flavor.
What is Manchego cheese?
Castello Cheeses states Manchego cheese is from Spain and made from sheep’s milk. Manchego is aged from 2 months to 2 years. This cheese is a sharp, acidic, and nutty cheese.
Often when you purchase Manchego cheese it will come with a cheese rind. I cut the rind off and store it in my freezer for when I want to add flavor to homemade soups and sauces.
Manchego is a delicious cheese on a charcuterie board or grated over fresh pasta too.
What you may need to make a Manchego Grilled Cheese Sandwich
- Panini Press – This is the one that I have. I like that the reversible grates become a griddle and that they can be removed for easy cleaning.
- Slotted Spatula – Also called a fish spatula. I use mine for everything.
Manchego Sandwich Ingredients & Substitutions
- Manchego cheese
- Fresh spinach – arugula is a good substitute that adds a hint of pepper to the sandwich
- Fig jam – honey is a delicious substitute.
- Butter or butter substitute.
- Mushrooms – we used cremini but any mushroom will work
- Onions – yellow onion was our choice but you can use what you like.
- Fresh Thyme or rosemary or a seasoning blend such as Italian seasoning or a Mediterranean spice blend.
- Sherry – or white wine vinegar.
- Bread – we love our sourdough sandwich bread for this recipe. However, any sandwich bread or even a baguette will be delicious.
- Meat – thinly sliced Serrano ham or Proscuitto would make this an amazing grilled meat and cheese sandwich.
How to make a Manchego Grilled Cheese Sandwich
Get a heavy skillet hot and add butter. Add the onions and mushrooms and cook over medium heat until the mixture is browned and caramelized. Remove from the heat and assemble.
Grilled Manchego Cheese Assembly
- Spread butter on the outside of two slices of bread.
- Spread fig jam on the inside of one piece of bread for a slightly sweet sandwich or on both sides if you want it sweeter.
- Add 1/4th of the sauteed mushroom-onion mixture.
- Top the mushroom mixture with fresh spinach.
- Finish with a layer of Manchego cheese
Grill the sandwich with the bread slices buttered side out on a preheated panini maker, grill pan, or hot skillet for approximately 4 minutes on each side or until the bread becomes golden brown.
Manchego Cheese Substitutes
What we love about Manchego cheese is that it’s nutty and buttery and melts well without being really greasy like a cheddar often is. I find that recipes that work with any of the suggested cheeses will make an amazing Manchego Cheese recipe.
So when choosing an alternative to Manchego cheese you’ll want to make sure it’s a good melting cheese. Most soft and semi-soft cheeses are.
- Parmigiano-Reggiano
- Pecorino-Romano
- White English Cheddar
- Jarlesberg
- Gruyere
FAQ’s
Yes, Manchego is a good melting cheese.
No, you do not. You can cook this grilled cheese sandwich on a griddle or in a large skillet.
Yes, you can make this sandwich Vegan by using a Vegan butter substitute such as sun butter or almond butter.
Tips for the Perfect Grilled Cheese with Manchego
The perfect grilled cheese is making sure all of the ingredients are cooked perfectly and finished at the same time. This is how we achieve that.
- Precook the mushroom onion mixture until it’s an al dente.
- Make sure all of the ingredients are “bite-size” so every bite of your sandwich is perfect.
- Slice the Manchego thinly. That will assure that the cheese melts at the proper rate.
- When grilling your manchego cheese sandwich, apply even pressure to the bread whether you’re using a panini maker or a spatula. Harder pressure will press the ingredients from the sandwich, and to light of pressure will make it harder for the ingredients to melt together.
- Once the bread on this sandwich is grilled to a golden brown, you will want to stop cooking this sandwich.
- If the cheese needs a little more melting, you can wrap it in foil and put it in a warm oven for 5 minutes. The foil will stop the bread from cooking and create an “oven-like” environment perfect for melting the cheese.
So, I may not have been great at memorizing my religion, but I aced grilled cheese!
And, the tomato soup was there too, a bumped-up big person version called Easy Tomato Florentine Soup!
I hope you enjoyed this delicious recipe as much as we do. Drop me a comment below, and don’t forget to give it a star rating. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐. Your comments and ratings help others decide if this recipe is for them too.
Grown-Up Manchego Grilled Cheese Sandwich Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 tsp unsalted butter divided
- 1 tbsp fresh thyme
- 1 yellow onion sliced thinly
- 16 oz mushrooms
sliced
- 2 tbsp cooking sherry
or white wine vinegar
- 3 oz Manchego cheese shaved
- 2 cups Fresh baby spinach stems removed
- 2 tbsp Fig jam or chutney
- 8 slices Sandwich bread of your choice
Instructions
- In a heavy skillet, melt 1 tablespoon of butter. Add sliced onions and mushrooms. Season with salt and pepper. Cook on medium heat until browned and caramelized.
- Add sherry and continue cooking until sherry has evaporated. Stir in fresh thyme.
Assembly
- Butter one side of each slice of bread. On the non-buttered side, spread a thin layer of fig jam or chutney on only one slice. Layer 1/4 each of the mushroom-onion mix, fresh spinach, and Manchego cheese. Top with the second piece of bread, buttered side out.
- Place the sandwich in a panini maker or *heated skillet. Cook the sandwich 7 to 10 minutes or until the bread is browned and the cheese is melted.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
This recipe was calculated using the exact brands and measurements I used to make this recipe. If you are following a strict diet please note changing anything will cause the nutritional info to change. My calculations are intended as a guide only.
If you like this fancy grilled cheese sandwich, here are a few more you may enjoy
- The Best Cuban Sandwich Recipe
- Most Amazing Shrimp BLT Sandwich Recipe
- Toasted Italian Sub Sandwich
- Grilled Caprese Panini
- Spinach Bread with Fresh Spinach
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Wow. That is a grilled cheese sandwich taken to a whole new level!
Thank you, Karen!
This does look fabulous. That’s my favorite kind of bread! My whole family likes it.
Thank you so much, Lori!
This was absolutely delicious. Made it on baguette slices as an appetizer, and used prosciutto instead of serrano ham. Will definitely make again.
Thank you, Amy! I love the idea of using a baguette and prosciutto!
These sandwiches were outstanding! First made with a loaf of herb flat bread; the next day, used a loaf of ciabatta. Also used chopped fresh figs instead of dates – a wonderful contrast to the ham and cheese.
Thank you, Erika! I love your substitution of the figs! That would be amazing!
There is such a great combination of flavors going on in this sandwich! I can’t wait to try it!
Thank you, Lisa!
I just happened to have some leftover manchego cheese and this was the perfect way to use it up! So, so good!! Grilled cheese sandwiches are always going to be my favorite.
We love Manchego! Thank you Amy.
Where do I start with how much I loved these! Everything about them is delicious! I love the fig jam with the cheese! Just wow!
Thank you, Nikki!
Oh yes! Grilled cheese sandwiches are good, but a grown up version with Manchego is the best. The chutney is a delicious addition. Definitely don’t skip that ingredient. Soooo good!
Thank you, Sandra!
I love grilled cheese in any shape and form, but this grown up version? HOLY SMOKES!! The flavors in this bad boy are OUT OF THIS WORLD!
Thank you!
Tried this today and it was DELICIOUS!
Thank you, Michelle!
Mushrooms, cheese & spinach- yea this is grilled cheese heaven for sure!! A must try this week, thanks!
Thank you, Angela!
Great combination with the fig jam – this is a weeknight favorite for us – great recipe!!
I adore manchego and think putting it in a grilled cheese is genius! I can’t wait to try this!
Thank you, Debi!
I loved the Manchego cheese in here, but I think I loved the addition of jam to my grilled cheese even more! Ive now become addicted to this sandwich ! Thanks!
Thank you, Michele!
That’s a really delicious-looking sandwich Julie! Yum yum! 🙂
Thank you Lili!
How good is manchego cheese??? And mushrooms and thyme are beautiful flavours, I love your toastie! Thanks for sharing with FF#65.
looks delicious! yum!
xx Hanna
https://xoamys.com/
Thank you Hanna!
I think I should try this machengo cheese, it’s something new to me… and looking at your sandwich I bet it must be delicious!
Thank you! I hope you do.
Oh Julie this has got to be the world’s greatest geilled cheese! Love Manchego and everything else in here. I heard it was National jelly bean day but passed on trying a blog post using them somehow missed it was geilled cheese day! I could sink my teeth in that! The tomato florentine soup was the perfect accompaniement! YUM!
Thank you Johanne! I’d pass on the jelly beans too. I guess we can just cook and call any day what ever we want. That roast lamb of yours could be a national day all by itself!
Wow Julie! You need to enter this sandwich into a grilled cheese contest! You would win, hands down! I want one right now, please! So glad you brought this to the party, so that at least I can eat it with my eyes! 😀
Funny, I had no clue that there was a day set aside for grilled cheese? What will they think of next eh? What a wonderful combination grilled cheese though, love that melted cheese oozing out. Also, did you use any of the bread you had made recently? Congrats on the shout out for last week, and deservedly so. You have become quite the Queen of Breads :). Enjoy your weekend Julie.
I wanted to email you and thank you for featuring my recipe in FF! That was wonderful! I actually make french toast with the egg twist and it was yum! I bought a loaf of tomato herb from my favorite bakery for the grilled cheese. Someone just said that there was a National jelly bean day. I say so what to that one! Thank you for co-hosting my friend. I don’t know how you do it all!
I do love manchego, and the rest of your filling sounds great as well. Yum!
Thank you Caroline! It was pretty darned good.
Love, love, love this. I could eat grilled cheese sandwiches every day of the week. This one looks amazing!
Thank you Natalie!
Natalie, did you change your blog? It wont let me bring it up?
Julie, thanks for the heads up. I haven’t changed my site, so I’m not sure what’s going on. It seems to work if you go through the gravatar profile, there’s just no link through my name? I’m not very tech savvy, but I’m looking into it, lol.
I just got your following email and was able to click to your site through your gravatar but it still doesn’t work from here. Techie stuff drives me nuts!
Thank you Natalie! They are so good. Another friend made them an put in some jalapenos! That sounds good too!
OMG! All I can say is I’m obsessed with this! I need this in my life ASAP!
I love grilled cheese so much and I love the ones with tomatoes. 😀
I told myself before that I need to take note those ‘Pancake Day, Doughnut Day’…. But well, I still haven’t. Maybe we should start taking notes. 😀 Thanks for being here, Julie. Happy FF! xx
I just might start a calendar like Hallmark does