Grilled Cheese with Apple and Havarti is the perfect quick dinner for two. These easy toaster oven sandwiches come together in less than 15 minutes!
We adopted a dog last month. Little Benji’s sweet, adorable, and rocking a feisty terrier puppy personality… just ask the sandals in my trash can.
I want to be a good doggie parent (and keep my remaining shoes intact). So in addition to the usual December hoopla, our little family’s signed up for an evening obedience class.
Ooof, just typing that out makes me feel stressed.
Are you feeling overwhelmed by this year’s Holiday Season To-Do List too?
For hectic times like these, sandwiches are my go-to meal. They’re the trifecta of low-stress dinners: FAST. EASY. FILLING.
During the summer, Red Pepper, Carrot, and Hummus Sandwiches or Spicy Chickpea Edamame Salad Pitas are my go-to favorites. But in the cooler fall and winter months, nothing beats a warm and comforting toaster oven grilled cheese sandwich.
If you haven’t been using your toaster oven to make grilled cheese, you’re missing out.
The bread gets golden and toasted while the filling is perfectly warmed through. Plus, once you get the timing down for your little oven you barely have to pay attention while it cooks.
Right now, we’ve got this ooey-gooey grilled cheese with apple and Havarti on repeat. It’s satisfying without being heavy and has a great Fall Harvest Vibe going on.
The recipe’s super easy to customize. Here’s what we put in ours:
- Crusty whole grain bread slices.
- Good cheese — I like a creamy Havarti but smoked Gouda or even sharp cheddar would taste fantastic.
- Half a crisp Granny Smith apple, the thin slices soften slightly during cooking.
- Buttery walnuts for an unexpected crunch.
- Greens! Peppery arugula is my favorite but baby spinach is a great option too.
- Ooh and fresh rosemary if we’ve got it on hand from making these snackable rosemary cashews.
Lastly, let’s talk condiments.
My husband likes a big smear of stone ground mustard on his sandwich. If you like things sweeter, apricot preserves or honey are excellent choices too.
During the holidays, I always reach for the leftover cranberry sauce. The combination of apples + cheese + cranberries is irresistible!
Are you tired of the dinner routine?
Stuck in a rut or looking for fun new recipes to try?
Our Facebook group is growing every day! If you haven’t joined yet, we invite you to come check it out and join the fun.
You can ask for recipe ideas, talk about cooking techniques, or get help figuring out the right new pan set for you. If you’ve already joined, invite a friend along!
Grilled Cheese with Apple and Havarti Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 slices Whole Grain Bread
- 4 teaspoons Salted Butter softened
- 3 slices Havarti Cheese
- 1/4 cup Chopped Walnuts
- 1 cup Baby Arugula
- 1/2 Granny Smith Apple seeded and thinly sliced
- Cranberry Sauce
- Stone Ground Mustard
- Apricot Preserves
- Honey
Instructions
- Adjust toaster oven cooking rack to the lowest position. Place an ungreased baking sheet inside the toaster oven and preheat to 450°F on the “Bake” setting.
- Butter two bread slices and place buttered-side-down on a cutting board. Top each with a slice of cheese and layer with the walnuts, arugula, and apple slices. Tear the last slice of cheese into pieces and distribute evenly across both sandwiches. Spread remaining bread with condiment of choice, place on top and butter outsides.
- Using oven mitts, carefully remove the preheated pan. Place sandwiches on the pan and return to the toaster oven.
- Cook sandwiches about 4 to 5 minutes. Carefully remove the pan, flip sandwiches with a spatula and return to the toaster oven. Cook until the bread is golden brown and the cheese is melted, about 3 to 4 minutes.
- Cool slightly, then devour.