Caramelized Apple Cheddar Melts
with a Honey Dijon Arugula Salad
- Milk
- Eggs
- Soy
- Wheat
Sure, a classic white bread and American cheese melt hits the spot every now and then—but try one bite of this sweet and savory sandwich, and you just might want to add it to your weeknight repertoire. Sourdough bread slices are swiped with Dijon mustard, then layered with white and yellow cheddar and a caramelized apple filling. They’re griddled in butter until perfectly golden brown and melty and paired with arugula, dried cranberries, and sunflower seeds tossed in a tangy Honey Dijon Dressing.
Ingredients
½ cup
Cheddar Cheese
(Contains: Milk)
2 ounce
Arugula
¼ ounce
Thyme
½ ounce
Sunflower Seeds
1 unit
Dried Cranberries
½ cup
White Cheddar Cheese
(Contains: Milk)
1.5 ounce
Honey Dijon Dressing
(Contains: Eggs)
4 slice
Sourdough Bread
(Contains: Soy, Wheat)
1 unit
Apple
2 teaspoon
Dijon Mustard
Not included in your delivery
teaspoon (tsp)
Black Pepper
teaspoon (tsp)
Salt
Nutrition Values
Utensils
Cooking Steps
• Wash and dry all produce. • Halve, core, and finely dice apple. Strip thyme leaves from stems; mince leaves until you have 2 tsp (3 tsp for 4 servings). • Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add apple; cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and lightly browned, 5-7 minutes. • Add ½ tsp sugar (1 tsp for 4), minced thyme, and 1 TBSP water (2 TBSP for 4). Cook, stirring, until apple is caramelized and jammy, 2-3 minutes more. Turn off heat. Season with salt and pepper; transfer to a small bowl.
• Place sourdough on a clean work surface. Spread half the slices with mustard, then top with white cheddar, caramelized apple, and yellow cheddar. Place remaining bread slices on top to create sandwiches.
• Melt 1 TBSP butter in pan used for apple over medium heat. Add sandwiches and cook until golden brown on first side, 4-5 minutes. • Remove sandwiches; add another 1 TBSP butter to pan. Once butter has melted, return sandwiches to pan and cook on second side until bread is golden brown and cheese has melted, 4-5 minutes more. (For 4 servings, cook in two batches; repeat process with remaining sandwiches, adding 1 TBSP butter to the pan for each side.)
• While sandwiches cook, add arugula to a large bowl along with dried cranberries and sunflower seeds; toss with as much Honey Dijon Dressing as you like. Taste and season with salt and pepper. • Halve melts on a diagonal. • Divide salad and melts between plates. Serve with any remaining Honey Dijon Dressing on the side for dipping.
Customer reviews
Review summary
Updated on Dec 2025- Flavor: Many loved the sweet-and-savory combo of apples and cheddar. The thyme-seasoned, oil-cooked apples were especially praised 🍎.
- Ease of prep: Some found the sandwich a bit greasy; consider using less butter when grilling for a lighter result.
- Suggestions: Try cooking the apples longer for true caramelization. The salad was a perfect complement to balance the rich sandwich.
