Upon opening my September Degustabox, I was completely pumped about finding two jars of chutney in there. I quickly realized that I had never used chutney before and was unsure of what I could actually do with it.

Further research proved that chutney is totally versatile! You can:

• Pour it over soft cheese and serve with crackers
• Marinade meat for a flavorful dinner
• Mix it with mayonnaise for a twist on a sandwich
• Dip dumplings or empanadas in it
• Simply serve it on the side with most meats like lamb, pork, and sausage

Essentially it’s like a jam mixed with a condiment mixed with a salsa. It’s a sauce, in a way, but it’s thick enough to stand on it’s own. With the suggestions of serving it with cheese or on a sandwich, I thought – let’s go cray and squeeze it between two layers of a gooey grilled cheese sandwich.

Now I love grilled cheese. My family was never one to make grilled cheese out of Kraft singles since we always had sharp white cheddar, parmesean, shredded mixed cheeses, some sort of deli cheese, and Velveta on hand. We live like 15 minutes from Wisconsin… Kraft singles would be a travesty of cheese. Many weekend meals consisted of my dad broiling slices of french bread with mixed cheeses on top, while my brothers preferred going with sharp cheddar and Velveta on wheat bread for a truly cheese-oozing treat.

Over the years, I’ve experimented with many breads, cheeses, and forms of frying (butter vs. oil vs. mayonnaise). Medium soft cheeses tend to result in a more melty texture, and I like to mix a couple of cheeses that have varying intensities in flavor. For bread, I actually like the nutty flavor that a whole grain bread gives to the sandwich, plus it holds up to all of the heat. And you won’t catch me using anything but butter in the pan. Slapping down a pad of butter, just slightly toasting one side of the bread, and then flipping them and adding more butter to the pan gives you crispiness all throughout the bread which I think is key. Plus butter gives you the best flavor. I then add a generous amount of cheese to the slightly toasted sides, and throw the two halves together. Toast on both sides and you’re golden.

Today, I also am adding in a caramelized onion chutney. The sweet and salty flavor of the chutney is perfect when paired with creamy cheese and nutty bread. I have tried other jams, apples, and meats in the mix, but I have to say this is my favorite combination.

What are your favorite ways to make grilled cheese? I hope you’ll try this one and let me know what you think! As always, if you want to try out a box of surprise groceries next month and cook along with me, you can try Degustabox for only $10 this month! Click the link below for the offer.

HOT SALE! Only $9.99 for your first Degustabox! Try today, shipping is FREE! Enjoy the always delicious Degustabox surprises.

See below for the recipe for caramelized onion chutney grilled cheese.

Thank you to Degustabox for sponsoring the blog post. All recipes and opinions about the products and Degustabox are my own.