Mushroom Swiss Grilled Cheese (Printable)

Earthy sautéed mushrooms and creamy Swiss cheese melted between crispy rye bread. A savory vegetarian sandwich.

# What You'll Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 1 cup cremini or white button mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
02 - 1 small shallot, finely chopped
03 - 1 clove garlic, minced

→ Dairy

04 - 4 slices Swiss cheese
05 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened, plus extra for sautéing

→ Bread

06 - 4 slices rye bread

→ Seasonings

07 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
08 - Salt and black pepper, to taste
09 - 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves

# How To Make It:

01 - Heat olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add shallot and sauté for 1 minute until softened.
02 - Add mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5-7 minutes until golden and liquid has evaporated. Stir in garlic and thyme; cook for 1 minute. Season with salt and black pepper. Remove from heat and set aside.
03 - Lay out rye bread slices. Place a slice of Swiss cheese on two of the bread slices.
04 - Spoon the mushroom mixture evenly over the cheese, then top with another slice of Swiss cheese. Cover with the remaining bread slices.
05 - Butter the outsides of each sandwich thoroughly.
06 - Wipe out the skillet and return to medium-low heat. Add sandwiches and cook 3-4 minutes per side until bread is golden and cheese is melted, pressing gently with a spatula as needed.
07 - Slice sandwiches diagonally and serve warm.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It feels gourmet but uses ingredients you probably already have tucked away in your kitchen.
  • The mushrooms add a meaty texture that makes this sandwich surprisingly filling without feeling heavy.
  • Rye bread gets perfectly crisp on the outside while staying soft enough to hold all that melted cheese.
  • You can make it start to finish in about twenty minutes, even if you're moving slowly.
02 -
  • Don't crowd the mushrooms in the pan or they'll steam instead of browning, which makes them rubbery and bland.
  • Let the mushroom mixture cool for a minute before assembling or the heat will melt the cheese too soon and make the bread soggy.
  • Use medium-low heat when grilling the sandwiches, high heat will burn the bread before the cheese has a chance to melt.
03 -
  • Use a cast iron skillet if you have one, it holds heat evenly and gives the bread a beautiful, consistent crust.
  • Press the sandwich gently with the spatula while it cooks to help the layers meld together and the cheese melt faster.
  • If you're making more than two sandwiches, keep the finished ones warm in a low oven while you cook the rest.
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