This sandwich will change the way you look at grilled cheese! Savory and sweet with melted gruyere cheese, crisp bacon, and delicious smoked salmon atop homemade sourdough bread. Okay, we covered the savory, read on to learn about what makes this grilled cheese sweet.

Did Somebody Say Grilled Cheese?

There’s something about the cold weather that makes me crave comfort food. Whether it’s hearty soups, flavorful stews, or in this case grilled cheese, my body leans toward heavier foods during the winter. Perhaps I know I could get away with it because it’s the season of rest.

I mean, imagine eating grilled cheese in the summer, and then heading outside in the hot and humid sun? Or, putting a bathing suit on for that matter. No thank you.

Winter not only means heartier meals but, it allows for more free time in the kitchen too. And, last week I got to try something I’ve been meaning to try ever since I created my first sourdough starter. My very first loaf of sourdough bread.

And, guess what? It was delicious! Not too bad for a novice bread maker if I do say so myself.

GROWN UP GRILLED CHEESE

Anyway, this loaf was sitting on my counter, and I knew I wanted to use it but needed some time to figure out what to use it for. Then, my lightbulb moment. Grilled cheese! But, not just any grilled cheese, my first sourdough loaf deserved a bit more creativity than that.

I mean, it took hours to prepare, and constant worry throughout the prep process as to whether or not I was doing anything right. So, forgive me but I’m not just going to slap some kraft cheddar cheese and pats of butter on this thing okay?

So, after a bit of research (and some taste testing), I decided to give this combination a try. Gruyere cheese, crispy chopped bacon, chopped smoked salmon, and a healthy amount of apricot preserves. And, I devoured the entire thing. But full disclosure, I made this grilled cheese at 10 am (having not eaten any breakfast), and it kept me full until dinner time at 7 pm.

Oh, and I’m pretty sure sourdough is the only bread you should make a grilled cheese on from this moment forward. However, Food & Wine shares some other notable bread options for a grown up grilled cheese, if sourdough just isn’t for you.

Pssssst….If you end up making a sourdough loaf, it would also be perfect to dip in this sausage tortellini soup!

YOUR Ingredients List

2 slices of sourdough bread
1 clove garlic
2 – 4 tbsp coconut oil
2-3 slices of bacon
3-4 slices of gruyere cheese
2 oz sockeye smoked salmon
2 tbsp apricot preserves
1 tablespoon of butter

HOW TO MAKE A SAVORY AND SWEET GRILLED CHEESE

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees fahrenheit. Place bacon on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Cook bacon for 15 minutes, flip at halfway point.

While waiting for the oven, place skillet on stovetop. Turn burner on low to heat up the pan. Add 1 tablespoon of coconut oil to the skillet to coat. You might have to add more coconut oil while your sandwich is heating up. Finely chop 1 clove of garlic, and add to the skillet.

Slice two thin-medium pieces of sourdough bread, and add to the skillet. Be sure to flip your sourdough slices for evenness.

While bread is warming up in the skillet, slice gruyere cheese (thinly), and chop smoked salmon.

Once bread is lightly toasted, remove one slice, and spread 2 tablespoons of apricot preserves on top. Prepare your second slice of sourdough bread by placing gruyere cheese on top, leaving it in the skillet for the cheese to melt.

By this time your bacon should be ready to come out of the oven. Remove excess grease from the bacon by patting with a paper towel, and chop.

Add some of the bacon to the slice of sourdough with apricot preserves. Add remaining bacon to the other half of the sourdough bread. And, add chopped smoked salmon too.

Add 1 tablespoon of butter to the skillet. Join both slices of sourdough bread, and flip. Your grilled cheese is ready when the cheese has reached your desired melting point. I check this by cutting the sandwich in half right before it’s ready to come out of the skillet.

Serve, and enjoy! Oh, you might want to take some extra apricot preserves to dip your grilled cheese (that’s what I did).

Sweet And Savory Grilled Cheese

Print Recipe

Ingredients

2 slices sourdough bread
1 clove garlic
2-4 tbsp coconut oil
2-3 slices bacon
3-4 slices gruyere cheese
2 oz sockeye smoked salmon
2 tbsp apricot preserves
1 tbsp butter

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees fahrenheit. Place bacon on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Cook bacon for 15 minutes, flip at halfway point.
While waiting for the oven, place skillet on stovetop. Turn burner on low to heat up the pan. Add 1 tablespoon of coconut oil to the skillet to coat. You might have to add more coconut oil while your sandwich is heating up. Finely chop 1 clove of garlic, and add to the skillet.
Slice two thin-medium pieces of sourdough bread, and add to the skillet. Be sure to flip your sourdough slices for evenness.
While bread is warming up in the skillet, slice gruyere cheese (thinly), and chop smoked salmon.
Once bread is lightly toasted, remove one slice, and spread 2 tablespoons of apricot preserves on top. Prepare your second slice of sourdough bread by placing gruyere cheese on top, leaving it in the skillet for the cheese to melt.
By this time your bacon should be ready to come out of the oven. Remove excess grease from the bacon by patting with a paper towel, and chop.
Add some of the bacon to the slice of sourdough with apricot preserves. Add remaining bacon to the other half of the sourdough bread. And, add chopped smoked salmon too.
Add 1 tablespoon of butter to the skillet. Join both slices of sourdough bread, and flip. Your grilled cheese is ready when the cheese has reached your desired melting point. I check this by cutting the sandwich in half right before it's ready to come out of the skillet.
Serve, and enjoy! Oh, you might want to take some extra apricot preserves to dip your grilled cheese (that's what I did).