Mushroom Swiss Grilled Cheese (Printable)

Savory grilled cheese with sautéed mushrooms, Swiss cheese, and rye bread. A gourmet twist on a classic comfort sandwich.

# What you'll need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 1 cup cremini or white button mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
02 - 1 small shallot, finely chopped
03 - 1 clove garlic, minced

→ Dairy

04 - 4 slices Swiss cheese
05 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened, plus extra for sautéing

→ Bread

06 - 4 slices rye bread

→ Seasonings

07 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
08 - Salt and black pepper to taste
09 - 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves (optional)

# Preparation steps:

01 - Heat olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add shallot and sauté for 1 minute until softened.
02 - Add mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 to 7 minutes until golden and any liquid has evaporated. Stir in garlic and thyme; cook for 1 minute. Season with salt and black pepper. Remove from heat and set aside.
03 - Lay out rye bread slices. Place a slice of Swiss cheese on two of the bread slices.
04 - Spoon the mushroom mixture evenly over the cheese, then top with another slice of Swiss cheese. Cover with the remaining bread slices.
05 - Butter the outsides of each sandwich generously.
06 - Wipe out the skillet and return to medium-low heat. Add sandwiches and cook 3 to 4 minutes per side until bread is golden and cheese is melted, pressing gently with a spatula as needed.
07 - Slice diagonally and serve warm.

# Expert advice:

01 -
  • The earthiness of sautéed mushrooms makes this feel like a restaurant sandwich you can pull off in your own kitchen on a weeknight.
  • Swiss cheese melts into creamy pockets without getting greasy or overwhelming the delicate rye flavor.
  • It comes together fast enough that you can make it on a whim but tastes like you planned something special.
02 -
  • Don't rush the mushrooms, if you pull them off the heat too early they'll be soggy and watery instead of golden and concentrated.
  • Use medium low heat when grilling the sandwiches or the bread will burn before the cheese melts, patience here makes all the difference.
  • Softened butter spreads so much easier than cold butter and prevents you from tearing the bread when you're trying to coat it.
03 -
  • Press down gently with your spatula while grilling to help the cheese melt evenly and bond with the mushrooms, but don't smash it flat or you'll squeeze out all the filling.
  • If your skillet isn't big enough for both sandwiches, cook them one at a time and keep the first one warm in a low oven while you finish the second.
  • Wipe out any mushroom bits from the skillet before grilling the sandwiches or they'll burn and make the crust taste bitter.
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