If there is one thing that we really love to eat in this house, it’s cheese. If you love cheese as much as me, then let me tell you, these grilled cheese and caramelized onion sliders are loaded with it! I’m talking lots of gooey, melty cheese! These sliders are great as a standalone, but equally as good with a hearty soup or chili. I like to think of them as a grown up version of a traditional grilled cheese sandwich. Of course there is nothing wrong with making a sandwich on the stovetop. But once in awhile it is nice to switch it up and give your recipes a makeover!

The Cheese

Let’s start by talking about the main ingredient of these grilled cheese and caramelized onion sliders. After all, you can’t very well have a grilled cheese without cheese right? There are so many different kinds of cheese to choose from, so the combination possibilities here are really endless. There are really two different criteria that I use when choosing my cheese for a grilled cheese sandwich: how well it melts and the flavor. You want to choose cheeses that melt well (and quickly) as well as find a good balance of flavor. For this slider, I chose to go with mozzarella, cheddar and havarti cheese. They all melt together very well and the flavors compliment each other. You can use any kind of cheese that you like here. Just cheddar alone gives you many choices!

The Grilled Cheese Compliments

While the cheese is certainly the main component of this recipe, it gets a little boost from some very simple ingredients. I find that adding some caramelized onions to this slider gives it a more grown up feel. The texture of the onion and cheese pair very well together. And don’t worry, once you have cooked the onion, it becomes very sweet so you won’t be overpowered by the flavor here. If you truly are not a fan of onion, then feel free to omit it. I would encourage you to at least give it a try though. You might be surprised how good it really is! The other flavor booster here is the topping. I happen to love the way that cheese and mustard taste together. And let me tell you, I am not really even a fan of mustard! But there is something to be said about the way that mustard brings out the cheesy flavors. If you have never put the two together, you are missing out! You could use any mustard that you like, but I like to use one with a little kick. Meet my friend, garlic aioli mustard. This mustard is tangy and absolutely delicious with cheese!

Assembling The Grilled Cheese Sliders

Ok, now that we have covered the main ingredients, it is time to put these babies together. Thinly slice your onion and sauté in some olive oil until they are soft and browned. You want to go low and slow here to allow the sugars to caramelize without burning the onion. Nobody wants to taste a bitter, burned onion! While they are cooking, grab some sweet Hawaiian slider buns and place the bottoms into a 9×13 casserole dish. Next, layer your cheese. It really doesn’t matter which order you place the cheese as it will all melt together anyway.

Once your cheese layer is done, evenly distribute the caramelized onions over the cheese. Make sure to pay attention that the onions are going onto each slider (sometimes it is hard to tell when they are covered in cheese).

Now it is time to put the tops of the slider buns back on. The final step in assembling is simply mixing together the topping (with that delicious mustard!) and evenly spreading it over the sliders. This will give your sliders so much flavor as well as help the top of the bread to toast a little. I like to finish mine off with a sprinkling of sesame seeds. I like the texture they add. You really won’t taste them, it is more for looks and texture. Pop the sliders in the oven and wait for the magic to happen. These gooey sliders are sure to become a family favorite! And if you are looking for the perfect thing to serve them with, then my crockpot chili is worth checking out! They are a match made in heaven! Happy cooking!