I’m probably pushing my limits here.
Not just with the combination — but with the squash. SO MUCH SQUASH!
I can’t help it. I love squash and I like to dress it up, especially with brown sugar. One of the best things about butternut squash is its versatility: it works equally well in sweet or savory preparations. That’s exactly the idea behind this indulgent grilled cheese.
I’m all about autumn grilled cheeses, and really grilled cheeses any time of year. But in fall they’re extra perfect: sweaters, crunchy leaves, cozy comfort food. Last year I made a caramel apple grilled cheese that leaned dessert-like, and another favorite was a Brussels sprouts grilled cheese I made over and over. It’s a great way to sneak in vegetables while still getting that melted-cheese satisfaction.
This sandwich is pure trouble — in the best way.
Inside: roasted garlic, which I can never get enough of. It becomes sweet, almost buttery and deeply caramelized — the perfect complement to savory cheese. I keep roasted garlic on hand because it elevates everything; mashed with a little salt, it’s a concentrated, sweet garlic spread.
The squash is caramelized in coconut oil, brown sugar and a touch of nutmeg. Instead of cubing or pureeing it, I sliced it into thin planks so you can bite cleanly through a thin layer of squash — a plank of squash in a sandwich. It sounds odd, but it works amazingly well.
It is weird. But FANTASTIC.
I used coconut butter on the sandwich after reaching for coconut oil and grabbing the butter by accident. Happy accident: coconut butter — the pureed meat of the coconut — adds substance and a subtle coconut flavor that plays nicely with both sweet and savory elements. It doesn’t change the texture much here, but it layers in extra flavor.
And then there’s cheese. Lots of fontina for its melt and creaminess. Fontina is my go-to: it melts beautifully and brings a mild, buttery flavor that pairs perfectly with the sweet-savory squash and roasted garlic. Of course, use whatever cheese you prefer.
This is my quintessential fall sandwich until the next seasonal obsession arrives — and given my short food attention span, that will probably be soon.
Caramelized Butternut, Roasted Garlic + Coconut Butter Grilled Cheese
2
appropriately, 1 obnoxiously
35 mins
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Ingredients
- 2 bulbs roasted garlic
- 1/2 butternut squash, peeled and cut into slices
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 4 slices whole grain bread
- softened butter for spreading
- 6 ounces fontina cheese, freshly grated
- 2 tablespoons coconut butter
Instructions
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Squeeze the roasted garlic cloves into a bowl and mash them with a pinch of salt. Set aside.
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Heat a large skillet over medium-low. Season the squash slices with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Add the coconut oil to the skillet and, once hot, add the squash. Cover and cook 5 minutes, flip and cook 5 minutes more. Sprinkle in the brown sugar and cook another 5 minutes, flipping once or twice, until the squash is caramelized and golden.
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To assemble sandwiches, spread the outsides of each bread slice with softened butter. Spread the insides with the mashed roasted garlic. Add a handful of grated cheese, then the squash slices and a drizzle or small crumbles of coconut butter. Top with more cheese and the remaining bread. Cook in the same skillet over medium-low until the cheese is melted and the bread is golden brown, about 5 to 6 minutes.
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So much texture.