Sometimes all you need is a good grilled cheese. When you’re gluten free, low FODMAP and vegetarian, though, a good grilled cheese can be a little harder to find. Enter, this low FODMAP caramelised onion and mushroom grilled cheese on gluten free bread.
Low FODMAP caramelised onion and mushroom grilled cheese
I’m sure you have questions about the phrases ‘low FODMAP’ and ‘caramelised onion’ in the same sentence. Fair enough!
Monash has actually had pickled onions on their app for a while now. I only noticed it when they added a low FODMAP threshold for pickled garlic. Naturally, I had to play around with ways to bring onion back into my diet. I developed this low FODMAP caramelised onion recipe, which uses a low FODMAP quantity of pickled white onion. It was inevitable, then, that the caramelised onion make its way into this grilled cheese sandwich.
What about the mushrooms? Mushrooms aren’t known to be a low FODMAP ingredient either. Well, today we’re using Oyster mushrooms. Oyster mushrooms are low FODMAP in 75g serves per person. Monash doesn’t have an upper limit or specify what FODMAP might be involved in higher quantities. So, you can stick with the 75g serving to be safe or experiment with higher quantities that work for you.
Onto the most important ingredient: cheese. I have used gruyere and a sharp cheddar for this recipe. We’ll go into more options below. The important thing to note is that hard cheeses are very low lactose and thus low FODMAP. Dare I say that hard cheeses are likely lower FODMAP than plant based, dairy free cheeses. These can have higher FODMAP ingredients to help with structure and textures.
Notes on the gluten free bread
Melty cheese and caramelised onions can really disguise all manner of breads. Toasties can soften older bread and the flavour of the bread melds into the other flavours.
I developed this recipe in partnership with Warburtons Gluten free bread. I used their Tiger Loaf for a deliciously white and fluffy yet surprisingly sturdy bread option. The ingredients list is fairly standard, but it does contain apple powder. I am not sure if it is low FODMAP, so using it makes either a low FODMAP or lower FODMAP grilled cheese.
FODMAP notes
These FODMAP thresholds are current as of December 2024. These thresholds are periodically updated to ensure the information in this article remains current.
First off, the caramelised onions. For this recipe, we are using pickled onion. Pickled onion has a low FODMAP threshold of 60g per person. In serves of 85g or more, it contains moderate amounts of fructan. As such, this recipe uses 60-80g pickled onion. I make my own, but you can easily use store bought. Just ensure it doesn’t have any high FODMAP ingredients added.
Next up, the mushrooms. This recipe uses Oyster mushrooms, which Monash says are low FODMAP in 75g serves. They don’t currently list an upper FODMAP threshold, nor specify what FODMAP the mushrooms might contain.
I use 75-125g mushrooms for this recipe. That works for me, but you are welcome to stick to the 75g limit set by Monash if you want to be cautious.
Maple syrup is low FODMAP in 50g serves which is 2 tablespoons. This recipe uses 1 tablespoon and serves 1 person. FODMAP Everyday write that maple syrup actually contains no FODMAPs, and the entry reflects Australian dietary standards rather than FODMAP data.
A note on the cheese
Cheese tends to cause a bit of confusion on the FODMAP diet because many people believe all cheeses are high in lactose. This is actually not the case; many hard cheeses are incredibly low lactose and thus low FODMAP.
We’ll go more into the best cheeses to use below, but I just wanted to outline the FODMAP thresholds of popular grilled cheese cheese choices here.
- Gruyere is low FODMAP in serves of up to 500g per person, according to Monash
- Cheddar is low FODMAP in serves of up to 500g per person, according to Monash
- Parmesan is low FODMAP in serves of up to 500g per person, according to Monash
- Swiss cheese is low FODMAP in serves of up to 500g per person, according to Monash
- Monterey Jack is low FODMAP in serves of up to 500g per person, according to Monash
- Pecorino is low FODMAP in serves of up to 500g per person, according to Monash
- Havarti cheese is low FODMAP in 40g serves. Monash doesn’t currently give an upper limit, but I will update the post if this changes.
- Mozzarella is low FODMAP in 40g serves. Monash doesn’t currently give an upper threshold, but I will update the post if this changes.
Best melting cheeses for a grilled cheese
I spent a lot of time on Reddit while researching this recipe. It seems that everyone has their own favourite combination of cheeses for a grilled cheese. You’re welcome to make this recipe your own, but here are the best cheeses for a good melt.
- Mozzarella. Anyone who has made pizza knows that mozzarella has great melting capacity. This might be personal preference, but I don’t want a mild cheese in my grilled cheese. So it melts well, but isn’t my choice here.
- Vintage sharp cheddar. If you could only have one cheese in your grilled cheese, let this be it. A good vintage cheddar combines the sharp cheesy flavour of a parmesan with the melting capacity of a melting cheese. The clear winner for me.
- Gruyere. Gruyere is a fantastic melty cheese with a nutty, sweet flavour. This is my melting cheese of choice when combined with cheddar. The only downside is it can be quite expensive in Australia (where I live).
- Monterey Jack is a good melting cheese that works well in Mac and cheese (among other things). It’s harder to find in Australia but very common in the USA.
- Other options are Havarti cheese, Taleggio, Raclette, Comte and young varieties of Gouda.
Tips for your low FODMAP caramelised onion and mushroom grilled cheese
- Mayonnaise on the outside crusts of bread helps give a uniform and golden brown crust to your grilled cheese.
- Freshly grated cheese is the only way to go here. Store bought grated cheeses contain fillers which stop the cheese from melting properly.
- I think thyme adds so much to this grilled cheese and I don’t recommend omitting it. In fact, I like to add it to both the caramelised onion and the mushrooms.
- A truffled or smoked cheddar would add an incredible new dimension to this grilled cheese.
- Unorthodox, but I think a smattering of low FODMAP pesto would also be a delightful addition.
- Ensuring the cheese has melted is a critical step to any good grilled cheese. Make sure you sprinkle the cheese evenly and on both pieces of bread for best results.
- Adding a splash of water and a lid goes a long way in melting your cheese. I promise it won’t make the bread soggy.
- Worst comes to worst: give your grilled 10-20 seconds in the microwave at the end. This will address any unmelted cheese with ease.
More gluten free melty cheese recipes
- Low FODMAP Mac and cheese
- Gluten free Varenyky with a cheddar potato filling
- Low FODMAP vegetarian Hamburger helper
- Low FODMAP vegetarian moussaka
- Gluten free buckwheat lasagne sheets made into low FODMAP vegetarian lasagne (a recipe in my buckwheat flour e-book)
Low FODMAP caramelised onion and mushroom grilled cheese
Ingredients
For the caramelised pickled onion:
- 10-25 g butter salted or unsalted
- 60-80 g pickled white onion (see FODMAP notes in the body of the post)
- 20 ml (1 tablespoon)* maple syrup
- 125 ml (1/2 cup water)* or as needed
- Salt to your tastes
- Splash of white wine vinegar to deglaze the pan (optional)
For the thyme mushrooms:
- 75-125 g Oyster mushrooms torn or chopped
- 3-4 + sprigs of thyme woody stems removed
- Seasoning to your tastes
- 10 g butter if needed
For the grilled cheese:
- 10-20 g butter just to grease the pan
- 25-50 g good melting cheese freshly grated (I used gruyere)
- 25-50 g sharp cheddar freshly grated (truffled would be delicious)
- 2 thick cut slices of Warburtons Tiger Bloomer loaf
To finish:
- 1-2 teaspoons Dijon mustard optional
- 1-2 teaspoons mayonnaise optional but creates a lovely browned crust
- Drizzle of truffle oil optional but very indulgent
- Sea salt flakes
Instructions
- Heat a saucepan or skillet over a low-medium heat. Add the butter, then stir in the pickled onions. Add the maple syrup and a pinch of salt and stir to combine.
- Cook the onions on a low heat for about 20 minutes or until golden brown and caramelised. Add the water in splashes every time the onions catch on the pan. You can use more or less water as needed.
- Once the onions are cooked, you can deglaze the pan with a splash of white wine vinegar (this is optional). Either way, decant the onions into a bowl.
- Place the mushrooms and thyme into the same saucepan or skillet. If there is no residual fat from cooking the onions, add a small amount of butter or oil. Season thoroughly and cook until softened or however you prefer your mushrooms. When you’re happy, decant the mushrooms into a bowl.
- Give the pan a wash and return it to a low heat. Add the butter and allow it to melt.
- Spread the Dijon mustard on one side of each piece of bread and the mayonnaise on the other side.
- Place the bread into the pan, mayonnaise side down. This will help create a golden brown crust on your bread. Allow the bread to warm for about 2 minutes, ensuring the heat is low.
- Spread the grated cheese evenly over both pieces of bread. Add a small splash of water to the pan, then quickly pop a lid on. Allow the steam to help melt the cheese for about 1-2 minutes.
- Spread the caramelised onion evenly over both pieces of bread. Place the mushrooms evenly on one piece of bread. Flip the side without the mushrooms onto the side with mushrooms. Use your spatula to press down and secure the pieces of bread together.
- Flip the grilled cheese to ensure the bottom piece of bread isn’t getting too much heat.
- If you suspect the cheese isn’t fully melted, you can leave the grilled cheese in the pan with the lid on (but the heat off) for a few minutes. Worst comes to worst, 20 seconds in the microwave will finish the melting.
- Drizzle some (optional) truffle oil over the grilled cheese and sprinkle with sea salt flakes. Serve warm for the best melty cheese experience.
Notes
- See FODMAP notes and tips in the body of the post.
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