Caramelized Onion, Apple and Goat Cheese Melts Recipe (2024)

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Cooking Notes

Mary Ann

My husband and i are creasing with laughter. Are there ANY NYT recipes that don't add the ubiquitous red pepper flakes? Can Americans eat anything without them? Love the recipes, but...!

Jamie

Passing along the best tip I ever got from the comments: slice your onions, microwave them for a couple of minutes in a single between layers of paper towels, and press out the excess water. Drastically cuts the caramelization time.

Janene

You can just omit the red pepper. I personally love it as does my family, but it doesn't make or break the recipes. I haven't made a bad recipe from this site. All of them are great and not difficult to prepare. A great combination. Thank you, NYT!

RG

I like butter, but truffle oil is a very good option too. Why not add red pepper flakes? For most people, they lend a more interesting flavor than black pepper.

Jennifer

I see this better as an appetizer than a sandwich - make it a topping for bruschetta instead of a fancy grilled cheese sandwich. Fresh thyme and red pepper flakes sprinkled on top would would be pretty and festive.

Patricia

Red pepper flakes come in several different flavors and heat levels. The world of cooking is becoming more diverse, just like the population, and more people have grown up with a little or a lot of piquancy than without. Some, who came from a culture without heat in their diet, have learned to love it. If you can’t take it, leave it out, but please don’t act as if it should be the norm. It’s like saying that everyone should eat as you do, and as we all know, variety is the spice of life!

Seth L.

I agree. I can't take the heat. Why does every recipe have to have red pepper flakes added? I grew up without hot spice in my food. I have tried them but can't adapt to them. I know it is trendy now but I wonder how many people really like them. I do understand that they are optional in just about any recipe.

NickS

Just made as a quick lunch - delicious! I used a soft, home made goat cheese and added some capers (as I had them in the fridge).

Yoshi - Los angeles

For those folks who do not like red pepper flakes, just omit it. Some like flavour and the chef is simply trying to do just that.

Hania

It is worth noting that red pepper flakes add complexity rather than heat in recipes such as this one. I would encourage the nay-sayers to try them, perhaps halving the amount for starters.

Mary

The nice thing about red pepper flakes is you don't have to add them if you don't want to...personally I think that most of the time they add great flavor.

Martin

Add slices of bacon, leave the Olives out and add Walnuts instead. Sprinkle of honey. Done.

David

I plan to use Montchevre or Laura Chenel plain. Both are nice soft goat cheeses.

Sarah H

I wanted to incorporate this into a brunch potluck dish, so I caramelized the onions in diced bacon fat, added the bacon to the onion mixture, chopped up the apples into small dices and stirred in with a drizzle of honey. Put some puff pastry dough in mini muffin tins, added the mixture, and baked at 400 for about 18 minutes. It was a huge hit!

Genna

This was so delicious. We added some caramelized onion Boursin cheese to the goat cheese, added a little fig jam to the top piece of bread, and toasted the sandwiches in butter rather than oil. I love RPF so I put it on everything anyway, but especially in this recipe the heat (plus the saltiness from the olives) cuts through the richness of the cheese really nicely. We also used fresh homemade sourdough and it was amazing.

Incredible!

Perfect recipe! Love the tangy flavor from the goat cheese mixed with the heat from the red chili flakes and cut by the sweetness of the apple. 10/10!

Ash (red pepper fan)

We like this! I certainly didn’t get caramelized onions in 15 minutes, but we think it’s good. We omitted Olives. Personally, I like red pepper. We did add honey and grilled the sandwich in mayo. Sue me!

Edward

Not worth the time and effort. If you’re going to slice onions and apples and chop up olives and caramelize the onions just to make a sort of grilled cheese sandwich…it better taste awesome. Nope. Just ok.

Alk

My modifications:Gochujang instead of red pepper flakes. (I couldn't find my flakes lol)Ghee instead of olive oil.

JimmyTheK

Not sure I would try this again. On the salty side and didn't hold together well, although could be operator error. Maybe I'll try the gruyere and onion next time

Charu

These were pretty good, not sure if I’d make it again as it was a little too rich and bland (a bit) to be worth it.

GrumpyInSF

Everybody loved this. Def. double next time, as this barely fed 4 of us. Made w caramelized shallots (~4 c), 1/2 a log of goat cheese. Get fresh thyme, dried was OK but fresh would be better. Def. use mostly butter for all frying/caramelizing! Will be delish with pears, gruyere and some Black Forest ham...

Beth

All, if you sub out more than half the ingredients and then say it’s the perfect sandwich you’ve just made a different sandwich.

WinnerWinnerChickenDinner

if you didn't like the idea of red pepper flakes, ignore this: I subbed red chili paste instead of the flakes... stupendous! Depth with just a tiny kick - not even a kick, maybe like a gentle tap. Also added some garlic and a couple spare shallots to the onions, mixed in shredded chicken to make it a bit more substantial. Nom Nom Nom.

Dane

I added coffee blossom honey to the goat cheese-onion mixture and it was delectable.

Sarah H

I wanted to incorporate this into a brunch potluck dish, so I caramelized the onions in diced bacon fat, added the bacon to the onion mixture, chopped up the apples into small dices and stirred in with a drizzle of honey. Put some puff pastry dough in mini muffin tins, added the mixture, and baked at 400 for about 18 minutes. It was a huge hit!

El

Flavor was great but a little heavy/rich. Maybe cut the goat cheese with Boursin or something a little lighter but still creamy. A little smear of cherry preserves inside the top slice was nice.

Shakychef

We really love this sandwich—we totally see why it’s a 5 star sandwich. I would suggest extra thyme (the earthiness really adds - maybe have extra available on the table to add), do not over do on the olives or it will take over, and we used cream cheese and it was great! Definitely will try with goat cheese. Keeper!!

Martha

I loved this. A few crumbled walnuts make a nice addition

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Caramelized Onion, Apple and Goat Cheese Melts Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Does goat cheese melt well? ›

One of my favorite uses is on a pizza. I love it when the slices of goat cheese melt into pools of semi-liquid lusciousness.

Why do you add baking soda to caramelize onions? ›

Baking soda makes the onions more alkaline, which speeds up the browning reactions necessary for properly caramelized onions.

How to make caramelized onions Gordon Ramsay? ›

Cooking instructions

Caramelize the onions: Heat about 1 tablespoon of canola oil in a large skillet or dutch oven over medium-low heat. Once hot, add the onions and stir to coat. Let cook, stirring every 5-10 minutes, until deeply caramelized, about 1 ½ - 2 hours.

What goes with goat cheese? ›

In summer, you might combine fresh goat cheese with slices of peach, apricot or nectarine, or even red berries (cherries or redcurrants). Once autumn arrives, choose apples, pears, figs or grapes as the perfect accompaniment to more aged cheeses.

Why does goat cheese not melt? ›

Goat cheese is another contender that won't melt the same way as other cheeses on this list. Made using acid rather than rennet, goat cheeses tend to become grainy and hold its shape when melted.

What is the hardest cheese to melt? ›

There's a family of semi-firm cheeses — among them, queso panela, queso fresco, paneer, halloumi, feta, cotija, ricotta and soft goat cheese — that won't melt over direct or indirect heat in your kitchen.

What is the best liquid to caramelize onions in? ›

The key to quicker caramelized onions is the ingredient we least expected: water.

Is it better to caramelize onions with butter or oil? ›

You can use either oil or butter to caramelize onions — but ideally, you use a combination of both! I like to use olive oil, and this cooking fat tolerates heat particularly well. Meanwhile, butter adds a distinctly rich flavor to the caramelized onions.

Do onions caramelize better with butter or oil? ›

Our Test Kitchen likes to use butter when caramelizing onions, as it offers the richest flavor. If you avoid dairy or don't have butter, you can caramelize onions in other fat such as margarine or olive oil. Add the onion slices. It's okay if they overlap a bit here because they'll shrink as they cook down.

What is the trick to caramelizing onions quickly? ›

Once the water is boiling or close to it, put a lid on the pan so the onions can steam. This essentially massively speeds up the process of wilting the onions, which can be the first 15-20 minutes of the sautéing process.

What is the secret to caramelize onions? ›

As soon as the onions start sticking to the pan, let them stick a little and brown, but then stir them before they burn. The trick is to leave them alone enough to brown (if you stir them too often, they won't brown), but not so long so that they burn.

What kind of onion is best for caramelizing onions? ›

You can caramelize any kind of onion, but yellow or Spanish onions tend to offer the most balanced-sweet-savory flavor profile and are the most versatile for different dishes. Sweet onions, such as Vidalia or Walla Walla work too, but keep in mind that their flavor will become even sweeter once caramelized.

What flavors go best with goat cheese? ›

Almonds, basil, cayenne pepper, chervil, chives, hazelnut, macadamia nuts, paprika, parsley, pine nuts, pistachio, sage, tarragon, walnuts. Bacon, beef, bulgur, chicken, duck, egg, freekeh, ham, honey, lamb, maple syrup, orzo, prosciutto, quinoa, salami, truffle, turkey, veal, wild rice.

How to make goat cheese taste better? ›

Adding Flavors

You can mix herbs, fruit, jam, nuts, seeds, or even balsamic vinegar right into the goat cheese. To get a swirly ribbon of honey, jam, or balsamic, put a layer of cheese down, then drizzle your preferred sauce on top, then another layer of cheese to fully cover the sauce.

What fruit is good with goat cheese? ›

Fresh berries balance perfectly with tangy goat cheese, honey, and a bit of flakey sea salt. This may become your go-to for anything from relaxing picnics to sophisticated book club get-togethers.

Is goat cheese easy to melt? ›

In general, cheese made from goat milk has a tangy, tart flavor compared to cheese made from cow's milk. It softens well under heat while not melting the way cow cheese does.

What kind of goat cheese melts? ›

Soft goat cheese with bloomy rind

Soft goat cheeses with a bloomy rind feature a distinctive supple texture and melt-in-the-mouth core.

What cheese Cannot melt? ›

Ones to avoid are Parmesan and Pecorino (any hard, aged cheeses), goat and feta (any dry, crumbly cheeses) as they don't melt well. Cheeses that are made for melting in grilled cheese and quesadillas include Cheddar, American, Swiss and Cabot's creamy Monterey Jack.

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