A hearty plant-based take on the classic grilled cheese sandwich, this version pairs homemade (or store-bought) vegan cheese with sautéed veggies and golden, crisp bread. It’s dairy-free, nut-free, can be gluten-free if you choose the bread accordingly, and relies on simple, everyday ingredients that come together in about 25 minutes.
Ingredients (serves 4)
- 1 large carrot
- 1½ tbsp oil, divided
- 4–5 tbsp vegetable broth or water
- 1 onion, diced
- 1 batch (about 200 g) vegan cheese sauce, or ~7 oz store-bought vegan cheese
- 2 oz (56 g) fresh baby spinach
- 4 slices sandwich bread (gluten-free if needed)
- ½ tbsp soy sauce (gluten-free if needed)
- ½ tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ⅓ tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp Italian seasoning
- Sea salt and black pepper, to taste
- Cayenne pepper (optional)
Method
- Cook the carrot: Slice the carrot lengthwise into ~¼-inch strips. Heat half the oil in a skillet, add the carrot and a pinch of salt. After a few minutes add the broth or water so it doesn’t burn. Cover and cook over medium heat until tender, about 12–15 minutes, flipping halfway.
- Sauté onion and spinach: In another pan, heat the remaining oil and cook the diced onion 4–5 minutes until nicely browned. Add the spices, soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, and spinach. After about 60 seconds of wilt, turn the heat off and set aside.
- Prep the bread: Drizzle both sides of the bread slices lightly with oil and sprinkle with a little garlic powder. Warm them briefly in a pan or on a grill.
- Assemble: Spread a generous tablespoon of vegan cheese sauce on two of the slices. Add the spinach-onion mix and carrot strips. Add another layer of cheese sauce and top each with the remaining bread slice.
- Grill: Cook the sandwiches on medium heat in a skillet or grill for 2–3 minutes per side until golden brown and crisp. Remove and serve.
Tips & Variations
• You can use any veggies you like in place of or in addition to the carrot and spinach – zucchini, sweet potato, peppers, tomatoes, mushrooms and squash are all good choices.
• If you don’t want to make your own vegan cheese sauce, quality store-bought vegan cheeses like Follow Your Heart or Daiya work well too.
• Toasting the bread a little before assembly helps prevent sogginess and gives a crunchier sandwich.
Full recipe here: https://elavegan.com/vegan-grilled-cheese
