This Fig Jam Grilled Cheese with Honey is a grown-up spin on a classic childhood favorite! This sandwich with crispy sourdough bread lined with sweet fig jam, sticky honey (or agave), and melty vegan cheese will be your new favorite lunch!
Grilled Cheese! Truth be told, this was never one of my favorite childhood meals. I know a lot of people who practically lived on them growing up but...I don't know? Something about the texture of American sliced cheese in bread just did not do it for me. I like sandwiches that have a lot going on. This is definitely in that camp!
How to Make a Fig Jam Grilled Cheese with Honey
I am guessing most of you have made a grilled cheese before, so today we're focusing on some easy ways to increase flavor (+ crispiness) of the iconic sandwich.
If you've never tried it, I highly recommend testing out fig jam for this recipe. A lot of grocery stores sell it in the cheese department, as it pairs very well!
Peppery arugula is another fun way to add more interest to the sandwich overall. It adds a nicely bitter contrast to the sweet jam and melted cheese.
Honey may seem strange in this recipe, but trust me. Adding it to the pan while the sandwich is cooking adds a crispy outer coating and another contrasting note. Figs + honey are a match made in flavor heaven, but feel free to use agave to keep things vegan.
Are figs vegan?
Figs are one of my favorite fruits, so I often purchase them whenever I see them pop up at the store. I also do not live a strictly vegan lifestyle, but rather one that is plant-based.
Many people do not think of figs as "vegan" because during pollination, a wasp will die during the process. Reasons for living a vegan lifestyle vary widely, including wanting to reduce animal cruelty, improving global food systems, and fighting climate change.
If you consider figs to be antithetical to your diet, feel free to try another jam in place of figs here! I am not the authority on this topic, so here is another resource if you'd like to learn more.
For another fig/honey recipe, try this Cinnamon Sugar Fig Toast with Ricotta!
The Best Bread for Grilled Cheeses
I love sourdough pretty much all the time, so that is my bread of choice for this crusty grilled cheese A traditionally shaped sandwich load loaf (as in, not a rounded country loaf) is helpful when making this Fig Jam Grilled Cheese with Honey to insure even coverage of the fillings. Feel free to experiment with other styles and shapes of bread, just know you may need to adjust the ingredient quantities to fit. I highly recommend going heavy on the jam!
I hope you enjoy this Fig Jam Grilled Cheese with Honey! Please be sure to leave a comment or review if you give it a try 🙂
Looking for more sandwich recipes? Try this!
Fig and Honey Grilled Cheese
Ingredients
- 2 slices sourdough bread
- 2 TBS fig jam or other jam of choice
- 2 slices deli-style cheese I used vegan cheese from Aldi!
- Salt and pepper
- Handful tender greens like arugula
- Oil for skillet
- 2 TBS honey
Instructions
- Spread 1 TBS jam on each slice of bread. Lay cheese slices on one piece of bread, on top of the jam. Sprinkle a few pinches of salt and pepper onto cheese. Place greens on top of cheese and press sandwich halves together, so the jam holds everything in place.
- Add 1 TBS oil to a skillet over medium-high heat. Place sandwich in skillet and press to insure full contact with the hot surface (it should sputter a bit when you add it in). To get a head start on melting your cheese, optionally place a lid on top of the skillet so that the cheese melts more quickly. Let cook for 3-5 minutes on each side. Drizzle some honey/agave on the outside of the sandwich before flipping (it will heat up and become crisp).
- Once sandwich is golden and brown on both sides, remove from the skillet, slice into triangles, and eat immediately!
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