Sweet, subtle, and a little bit fancy, our Fig & Basil Grilled Cheese Sandwich with Honey and Sesame is finished with a drizzle of honey and a sprinkle of sesame seeds.
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A simple and quick go-to dish, grilled cheese is a nostalgic childhood favorite, like Homemade Beefaroni or Homemade Big Mac Recipe, that only gets better as you age — it’s the fine wine of the sandwich world.
For this gourmet grilled cheese sandwich, we use fresh figs which pair perfectly with semi-hard Swiss cheeses. The basil provides a fresh bright flavour then the honey enhances the sweetness of the figs and sesame seeds finish the dish adding a subtle nuttiness and elevating the aesthetic of the dish.
Ingredient List
- Bread - we love the flavor sourdough bread provides, however, a brioche or Italian-style bread will also work great for this gourmet grilled cheese.
- Butter - salted or non-salted both work, just make sure it's soft.
- Semi-hard cheese - we used Gunn's Hill Dark Side of the Moo, which is a Swiss-style cheese. Gruyère or Havarti cheeses will give you similar melting qualities.
- Toppings - fresh figs, fresh basil, honey, and sesame seeds.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Recipe Steps: How to make a Fig and Basil Grilled Cheese Sandwich
1. Assemble the sandwiches.
Butter the outside of your bread with a generous slather of butter. On one of the slices, layer a handful of grated cheese. Next layer on slices of fresh figs, a few basil leaves, and another handful of cheese. Top it off with the other slice of bread. These can be assembled a couple of hours before cooking if necessary.
2. Cook the grilled cheese sandwiches.
Melt a knob of butter in a cast-iron skillet on medium heat. Once the butter is melted, lay the sandwich in the pan and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until the bread is golden brown and crispy. Flip the sandwich and cook for another 3 to 4 minutes. If the cheese hasn't fully melted, give the sandwich a good squeeze with the spatula and flip for another minute or two until the cheese is melted.
3. Garnish and serve.
Butter the outside of your bread with a generous slather of butter. On one of the slices, layer a handful of grated cheese. Next layer on slices of fresh figs, a few basil leaves, and another handful of cheese. Top it off with the other slice of bread. These can be assembled a couple of hours before cooking if necessary.
Other Sandwich Recipes to Consider:
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Recipe Card
Fig and Basil Grilled Cheese Sandwich with Honey and Sesame
Ingredients
- 4 slices sourdough bread
- 2 tablespoon butter softened, plus additional
- 2 cups grated semi-hard cheese such as gruyère
- 6 figs thinly sliced lengthwise
- 6-8 fresh basil leaves
- 4 teaspoon honey
- 1 teaspoon sesame seeds
Instructions
- Butter one side of each slice of bread. Top one slice with ½ cup of grated cheese. Arrange half the fig slices on top, then 3 to 4 basil leaves. Sprinkle with an additional ½ cup of cheese and top with another slice of bread, buttered side facing out. Repeat with the second sandwich.
- Heat a cast-iron skillet on medium heat and add butter. Once melted, lay the sandwiches in the pan and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until golden brown and crispy. Flip and cook an additional 3 to 4 minutes. If the cheese hasn't completely melted, flip again for another minute or two until the cheese is melted.
- Once the grilled cheese sandwiches are cooked, remove them from the pan and slice them in half. Drizzle each sandwich with 2 teaspoons of honey and sprinkle with a pinch of sesame seeds.
Recipe Notes
- If you don't have/like sourdough bread, substitute with brioche or another artisanal style bread.
- We used a Mutschli style cheese from a local dairy, but this can be substituted with a Gruyère, Havarti, or other melty cheese.
jade m. says
Such a fun twist on grilled cheese. Who knew figs and cheese went so well together!
Kate says
I'm obsessed with figs and this grilled cheese is such a fun way to use them. I love the basil, it adds so much flavor. I've made them a few times now and even changed up the cheeses I used once using mozzarella and another provolone. Mmm!
Philip Lago and Mystique Mattai says
Genius with the mozzarella! Gotta try this combo.