This blueberry brie and basil grilled cheese is the perfect grilled cheese for summer. Rich, buttery brie cheese, sweet, tart blueberry jam, and fresh, herbaceous basil are joined between two slices of whole wheat sourdough bread. It’s then cooked to golden brown, gooey, perfection! It’s a beautiful, addictive, symphony of flavors!
Your Grilled Cheese for Summer
This blueberry brie and basil grilled cheese screams summer!
Most people categorize grilled cheese as a winter food. It’s a hearty & comforting dish, typically paired with a bowl of warm, tomato soup. Perfect for chilly winter days. But, this gooey, delicious, classic comfort food deserves more than one season. It should be enjoyed all year round! So, I’m giving it a fresh spin making it totally summer appropriate!
My blueberry brie and basil grilled cheese combines fresh, summer flavors, like basil and blueberry jam, with creamy, funky brie and tangy goat cheese, to make the ultimate summer grilled cheese sandwich. It’s a beautiful combination of sweet, savory, gooey deliciousness. It’s addictive and so easy to make!
Ingredients
Here is what you’ll need to make this blueberry brie and basil grilled cheese sandwich:
- whole wheat sourdough bread, I picked mine up at our local Farmer’s Market. It’s a homemade, fresh loaf made in town (you could also check any local bread shops). A regular sourdough also works if you cannot find whole wheat. I recommend sourdough as it’s tart, light flavor pairs great with the rich, buttery brie and sweet blueberry jam.
- brie cheese, its rich, buttery, funky flavor is a match made in heaven with tart, sweet blueberry jam. Brie loves fruit flavors! It also melts incredibly well, creating the ultimate gooey grilled cheese experience.
- goat cheese, I pair creamy, tangy goat cheese with the brie cheese. It’s tart, tangy flavor goes well with the sourdough and adds an extra layer of creaminess. Goat cheese also pairs perfect with blueberry!
- blueberry jam, I purchased my jam from the local Farmer’s Market. It’s made with fresh blueberries and just a touch of honey, so perfectly sweet. I recommend buying a fresh, lightly sweetened jam of this kind (just check the ingredient list to see how it’s sweetened). You could always make your own homemade jam too!
- basil, adds a pop of freshness to round out the flavors in this sandwich and cut through the other rich flavors.
- honey or balsamic glaze, I top mine with a little balsamic glaze or honey as it’s sweet, rich flavor pairs great with this sweet, savory sandwich and adds a nice saucy component.
Tips to making this blueberry brie and basil grilled cheese
There are a few, important steps I recommend to achieving the perfect grilled cheese sandwich:
- Butter the outer sides of the bread to achieve that golden brown crust (As Jeff Mauro coined, crust to crust is a must”!). I also sprinkle a dash of garlic salt to properly season the bread and make the sandwich shine.
- Do not cook your sandwich on high heat. This causes a burnt outside and raw interior. Yuck! Instead, use a medium heat and allow the bread to slowly achieve its golden brown crust, which also allows the cheese to properly melt, becoming gooey perfection.
- Use a good cast iron skillet and plenty of oil so the outside of the bread can form that golden brown, crispy crust. I also cover the pan after I flip the first time, which allows the cheese to fully melt.
- For the ultimate gooey experience, after the bread is toasted on both sides in the cast iron skillet, I place the sandwich in a 400 degree oven for about 5 minutes to make the cheese extra melty.
- Allow to rest for 1-2 minutes before cutting so the cheese does not spill out everywhere.
variations
Here are some ways to customize this sandwich:
- use a flavored goat cheese; there are so many different flavors available at the store now, like garlic herb, honey bourbon, or even blueberry. It will add an extra layer of flavor!
- try a new flavor of jam; as a said before, brie (and goat cheese) love sweet and tart fruit flavors. Raspberry, blackberry, or apricot jams would also be magic!
- any crusty, hearty bread will work; I selected sourdough for it’s tart flavor, but if you don’t have it on hand, use what you do have! I recommend a nice, crusty bread that can hold up to the jam and cheeses, but a good multigrain or French loaf would also work great!
other delicious summer recipes
enjoy!
I hope you love this gooey, flavor explosion, summer grilled cheese. It’s a beautiful combo of sweet, funky, savory, creamy, crunchy, and tangy! We make it on repeat, it’s that good!
If you make this ultimate, summer grilled cheese, please share it or leave a comment below! I absolutely love to hear from you guys and your thoughts on my recipes. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram or pin it on pinterest. Sharing is caring! 🙂
Blueberry Brie and Basil Grilled Cheese
Ingredients
- 8 slices of whole wheat sour dough bread
- 1/3 cup blueberry jam
- 8 oz brie cheese cut into slices
- 4 oz goat cheese crumbled
- 8 large basil leaves
- 1-2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- Garlic salt to taste
- 1-2 tablespoons olive oil
Instructions
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Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees.
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Divide the blueberry jam between 4 slices of bread and top each slice with 2 basil leaves. Divide the brie and goat cheese between the other 4 slices of bread. Combine the blueberry jam and cheese slices of bread to create a sandwich. Slather the outside of both sides of the sandwich in butter and sprinkle with garlic salt.
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Heat about a tablespoon of olive oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium to medium low heat (the pan should be hot to properly heat the oil but not smoking). Add the sandwiches and toast for 3-4 minutes per side, or until golden brown and crispy. Remove the sandwiches from the pan and transfer to baking sheet.
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Bake the sandwiches for 2-3 minutes in the oven or until the cheese is gooey and fully melted.
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Let cool slightly. Cut each sandwich in half. Enjoy!
Recipe Notes
**These sandwiches pair perfectly with a drizzle of balsamic glaze or honey.
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