Vegan Grilled Cheese with Caramelized Onions and Red Pepper

This rich comforting Vegan Grilled Cheese with Caramelized Onions and Red Pepper is loaded with sweet and savory flavors.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

“SO DELICIOUS! I’m officially obsessed with this recipe! I used “Follow Your Heart” American cheese and it tasted so yummy with the onions and peppers! Thank you so much for this recipe! – Trixie”

❤️ Why You’ll Love It

• It is rich and comforting.
• It’s better than plain old grilled cheese. The caramelized onions and red pepper elevate the grilled cheese to another level.
• It is an easy weeknight meal.

🧾 Ingredients

• Onions: Yellow onion, sweet onion, or white onion all work.
• Olive oil: To cook the onion and red pepper.
• Salt: Enhances flavors. I like to use sea salt.
• Balsamic vinegar: I like to add a splash of balsamic vinegar to sweeten the onion. You could also use a sprinkle of sugar or brown sugar or leave it out.
• Red bell pepper: Adds sweetness.
• Vegan cheddar: My favorite brands of vegan cheddar are Daiya or Follow Your Heart.
• Vegan mayo: Adds a rich flavor. You could also use vegan butter.
• Bread: My latest favorite is a gluten-free sourdough bread. Use your favorite bread.

To see the full list of ingredients with measurements and instructions, see the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

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🔪 Instructions

Step 1: Add olive oil and sliced onions to a large pan. Cook over medium heat. Stir them every few minutes.

With caramelized onions, it’s all about slow and steady. If the onions start to stick, add a little water, like a quarter of a cup or so.

Step 2: Cook sliced onions in a pan until caramelized. Add brown sugar or balsamic vinegar to the frying pan near the end of cooking time to add flavor.

Step 3: Add chopped red pepper and cook until softened.

Step 4: Layer caramelized onions, red pepper, and vegan cheddar cheese on bread.

Step 4: Spread vegan mayo on the outside of the bread. Place in a frying pan.

Step 5: Cook the vegan grilled cheese on both sides until golden brown.

💭 Tips

• When making caramelized onion, slow and steady wins the race. For caramelized onions, you need some patience. It takes a good 20 minutes to get nicely browned onions – longer if you’re using more onions.
• If they take start to stick add a little water, like a quarter of a cup or so.
• Balsamic vinegar adds a wonderful flavor. I always add a couple of splashes near or at the end of the cooking time.

🍽 Serving

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• 3 Ingredient Chili

👩🏻‍🍳 Recipe FAQs

What is a vegan grilled cheese made of?

This vegan grilled cheese is made with vegan cheddar, vegan mayo, and gluten-free bread. It has the addition of caramelized onions and red pepper.

Is grilled cheese good without butter?

For this vegan grilled cheese, I like to cook it in vegan mayo or vegan butter. Vegan mayo adds a rich flavor.

🥪 Other Vegan Sandwiches

Take your vegan grilled cheese to the next level by adding caramelized onion and red pepper!

*This post was originally published on November 27, 2015. I updated the photos and added text.

📋 Recipe