Masala Grilled Cheese with Coriander Chutney

Name: Masala Grilled Cheese with Coriander Chutney
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 25 min
Ingredients: 1 handful Coriander; 1 handful Spinach; 1 cm3 piece Fresh Ginger; 1/2 clove Garlic; 2 Fresh Chillies (use more/less as you prefer); 1 tbsp Raw Peanuts (use raw sunflower seeds for nut-free option); 1/4 Lemon (juiced); 2 tbsp Water; 1/2 Red Onion (sliced into rings); 1 tsp Sunflower Oil; 1/4 tsp Mustard Seeds (rai); 1/4 tsp Cumin Seeds (jeera seeds); 1/8 tsp Ground Coriander (dhana); 1/8 tsp Ground Cumin (jeera); 1/4 tsp Turmeric (haldi); 1/4 tsp Chilli Powder (mirchi); 4 slices Sourdough Bread (or bread of choice); 6 tsp Margarine; 4 slices Cheese (I use Violife dairy-free slices); 1/2 Large Tomato (sliced)

Updated June 25, 2022

Masala grilled cheese is a Indian upgrade on the childhood classic. This tasty recipe features spiced onions and is served alongside a quick coriander chutney.

Total Time 25 mins

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masala grilled cheese sandwich with coriander chutney

The other day, I decided to relive the joys of my childhood and enjoy a grilled cheese sandwich. But after just one bite, I realised it was lacking something: heat!

That’s how this masala grilled cheese sandwich was born. My desi upgrade on the childhood classic includes sliced tomatoes and onions cooked with Indian spices. It’s the perfect recipe to fuse my Gujarati heritage with my British upbringing, and trust me when I say it’s to die for.

I like to serve this sandwich alongside a quick coriander chutney. You don’t want to skip this part. It’s packed with flavour and is the perfect accompaniment to the grilled cheese! And please don’t be off-put by the long ingredients list – it’s worth it for the amazing flavour!

three masala grilled cheese sandwiches stacked on top of each other

a grilled cheese sandwich being dipped into green chutney

How to make masala grilled cheese step-by-step:

First we’ll prepare the chutney by blending coriander, spinach, ginger, garlic, chillies, lemon juice and raw peanuts (photos 1 and 2). The raw peanuts are important for giving the chutney a thick texture. For a nut-free option, substitute raw sunflower seeds!

Then we’ll prepare the masala onions by sauteing sliced onions (photo 3) with the following flavours:

Cumin seeds/ jeera seeds
Mustard seeds/ rai
Turmeric/ haldi
Ground coriander/ dhana
Ground cumin/ jeera
Chilli powder/ mirchi

process shots 1-3 for masala grilled cheese

Now it’s time to assemble the masala grilled cheese! Layer up buttered bread in a frying pan with cheese, masala onions (photo 4) , tomato slices (photo 5), more cheese, and another slice of bread. Make sure to put the buttered sides of the bread on the outside of the sandwich to help it toast up nicely!

Then we’ll cook the masala grilled cheese until golden and crisp (photo 6) and serve alongside the coriander chutney. Yum yum YUM yum yum.

This recipe makes 2 sandwiches but I am totally not judging anyone who makes and consumes them both. In fact if you do this you’re my kinda person 😉

process shots 4-6 for masala grilled cheese

Tips for making the perfect grilled cheese:

I’ve eaten a lot of grilled cheese sandwiches in my time, so naturally I’ve amassed some tips for making them perfectly:

Butter the bread generously and to the edges. This ensures the grilled cheese is perfectly golden and crisp.
Cook on medium-low heat. This allows time for the cheese to melt – you don’t want to rush a grilled cheese sandwich! Using a low heat to make grilled cheese is especially important when using dairy-free cheeses, as these often take longer to melt.
Use two layers of cheese. This is imperative for grilled cheese sandwiches with a filling like this one – the melted cheese acts like glue to hold everything in place!

close up of a toasted sandwich cut in half

Variations on this recipe:

To incorporate more vegetables into the dish, try adding chopped red, yellow, or green peppers to the masala onions. (Psst – if you’re a vegetable fanatic like me, you’ll love my hidden vegetable pasta sauce recipe!)
Add a layer of spinach to the toastie for some extra greens. The chutney that we are serving alongside the toastie does have some spinach in it, but you can also add a layer to the toastie for some extra greens! Just make sure to put all the fillings between the two cheese layers so they don’t fall out.
For a lighter option, use a tortilla instead of bread to make a masala quesadilla! Because Indian-Mexican fusion food should totally be a thing already.

a grilled cheese sandwich on a plate with a bowl of coriander chutney

a side view of a toasted cheese sandwich

If you like this recipe, you’ll love my easy pilau rice, sweet potato chickpea curry, and chilli mogo recipes. Let me know if you try them out!

Don’t forget to tag me on Instagram @shivanilf so I can see your creations. You can also keep updated with me on Facebook and Pinterest – I hope to see you there!

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5 from 5 votes