Bacon Apple Grilled Cheese

Your tastebuds will “Fall” for this Bacon Apple Grilled Cheese, with its smoky bacon, sweet apple, and savory harvest vegetable cheese. 

Fall means warm layers, boots, scenic walks to enjoy the changing colors of the leaves, hot beverages, and CHEESE. That’s right, ooey, gooey melty cheese. When that crisp Fall air settles in, my cheese cravings become unignorably fierce.

A grilled cheese sandwich is one of my go-to meals to satisfy the need for cheese. And I’m currently crushing those cravings with this simple grilled cheese with apple and bacon. 

What I’m about to tell you should come as no surprise. The secret to a successful melt is.... Using quality ingredients! ESPECIALLY when it comes to the cheese. And for this Bacon Apple Grilled Cheese, I strongly recommend using Gilman Harvest Vegetable cheese. 

Jump to:

• How to Make a Bacon Apple Grilled Cheese
• Gilman Cheese
• Substitutions and Variations
• Bacon Apple Grilled Cheese

How to Make a Bacon Apple Grilled Cheese

This grilled cheese with apple and bacon recipe is super simple! Just focus on picking out the following quality ingredients.

INGREDIENTS  

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 4 slices Master English toasting bread
• 6 slices cooked bacon*
• ½ (Pink Lady) apple, thinly sliced with a mandolin**
• 16 slices Gilman Harvest Vegetable cheese***

INSTRUCTIONS 

Heat a large frying pan over medium-low heat.

Butter each slice of bread, using ½ tablespoon per slice.

Place two of the slices of bread, butter side down, in the pan. Add 4 slices of cheese to each, add 4-5 slices of apple to each, add 3 slices of bacon to each, add 4 more slices of cheese to each, then top with the remaining two slices of bread, butter side up.

Cover the pan and cook for around 7-8 minutes. Low and slow is the way to go to ensure melty cheese and a super crisp exterior.

Remove the lid and flip each grilled cheese. Cover and cook for an additional 7-8 minutes.

Remove the grilled cheeses from the pan, let cool slightly, devour.

Gilman Cheese

Gilman Harvest Vegetable is a beautiful cheese packed with veggies; it’s got your Holy Trinity of peppers, onions, and celery, plus tomatoes, carrots, and spinach. For me, the onions and peppers are the standout flavors, but the combination of all six makes for a savory and veggie-forward experience. The combination of smoky bacon, sweet Pink Lady apple, and Harvest Vegetable cheese creates a melt that just screams Fall. It’s so damn good you guys.

Story time-out. I give my Mom props for discovering this cheese. While perusing the NE Farmer’s Market several weeks ago, she wanted to check out the Gilman cheese vendor. We each selected two blocks of cheese from a wide variety of delicious-sounding options.

It was love at first bite (lookin' at you Smoky Jalapeno). I immediately became a fan; the flavor, quality, and value make this a crave-worthy brand. I have made it a personal goal to try all the flavors. It’s good to have goals right?

Substitutions and Variations

• Cheese! I love a Harvest Vegetable specialty cheese here, but you can use any good melting cheese. Think: cheddar, pepper jack, muenster, fontina, havarti, gouda, etc.
• Bacon! I love a good smoked bacon from a butcher shop. But opt for any thick cut variety you like. Maybe even an applewood smoked bacon, perhaps?
• Apples! I used a Pink Lady, but this would work well with any type of apple with a crisp texture and slightly sweet/tart flavor, like a Honeycrisp or Fuji. Avoid Red Delicious or Granny Smith here. 
• Bread! I'm a fan of Master English toasting bread, but you can also use sourdough, brioche, or just good old fashioned white bread. You could also venture into multi-grain or rye territory as well.

If you like this Bacon Apple Grilled Cheese, I betcha'll also like these cozy Fall soups:

• Spicy Roasted Carrot Soup
• Roasted Cauliflower Corn Chowder
• 4-Ingredient Potato Soup
• Instant Pot Pinto Bean Soup
• White Chicken Porchetta Chili

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