14 Fruits You Should Be Adding To Grilled Cheese, According To A Chef

When savory meets sweet, something magical happens. The sugars, salty notes, and umami play off each other, seeming to elevate one another by exhibiting contrast. And when fruit and cheese dance, it adds another element of excitement. So, what better way to enjoy this dynamic duo than between two slices of grilled bread? 

As a vegetarian chef and recipe designer, I constantly seek ways to elevate grilled cheese, a beloved, meatless classic that's appreciated by children and adults alike. Yes, you can slap some American cheese between two slices of Wonder Bread and grill it, and just about everyone will eat it with a smile on their face. But in order to take it to the next level, to create a masterpiece that is both gourmet and comforting, you need to be selective about your ingredients and pairings. Including fruit is one way to do this. Since there are endless types of cheese and a multitude of fruit varieties, the combinations are extensive. However, they do all have something in common: Creamy, salty, and savory notes that go up against a punch of tangy, sweet, and tart flavors. But beware, if you start adding more ingredients beyond bread, fat, cheese, and fruit, you stumble into full-on sandwich territory, leaving the specialty of grilled cheese.

Fruit as a sweet addition to grilled cheese is a culinary game-changer, so I've gathered the top fruits you should be adding to grilled cheese sandwiches. Keep it simple, with quality, purposefully selected ingredients, and let the cheese and fruit do the talking.

What fruit is deeply flavorful, sweet, tart, and juicy? You guessed it, cherries. When considering cherries for grilled cheese, it's important to choose the correct variety. I would recommend tart cherries, as they will inhibit your sandwich from tasting too sweet as if a preserve or jam had been applied (which is also delicious on a grilled cheese but has a different mouthfeel and flavor profile). 

There are two types of tart cherries, and both will work magically on your grilled cheese sandwich. Amarella and Morello are both utterly delicious, with notes of tart sugars that have layers of flavors. Amarella range from yellow to orange to red, sometimes multicolored (similar to a peach or nectarine), while Morello are typically deep red. I enjoy using Morello because the deep color contrasts beautifully with the light cheese and bread.

Luckily, cherries go well with most cheeses. Pair tart cherries with gouda to bring out those caramel flavors, or couple with sharp cheddar to parallel that cheesy nip. Pecorino creates a beautiful contrast with tart cherries, as it almost brings a hint of spice while matching the tangy notes. Manchego is nutty and soft and can create a comforting, dessert-like flavor when coupled with fruit. Sourdough bread does a nice job of matching the tart and sour flavors of the cherries to bring more contrast to the flavor of the melted cheese.

Ah, Vermont in the autumn. There's certainly nothing like it, and while you may feel at home bundled in a flannel with a warm cup of cider, you may also notice that Vermonters just can't give the cheddar obsession a rest. As a Vermonter, I can proudly state that we put cheddar cheese on everything, including apple pie. Now, when I refer to cheddar cheese, it's always white, always aged, and always sharp. And the moment it melts on a sweet piece of apple pie, it's hard to keep a Vermonter from diving head-first into the plate. 

Try it in sandwich form by layering thinly sliced apples, sharp Vermont cheddar, and two slices of bread. Because both cheddar and apples have powerful flavors, you could opt for a heartier bread like multigrain. Be sure to pan-fry your apple grilled cheese in unsalted butter or mayonnaise until that cheddar is good and melted.

The crunch of the apples and the soft, melted cheese make a wonderful mouthfeel in combination. It's salty, sweet, tart, and bitey. Use Granny Smith apples for a tarter apple flavor, or Honeycrisp for sweeter notes. Just be sure those apples are firm, juicy, and fresh. For those who don't enjoy the intensity of cheddar cheese, opt for Brie. It's soft, buttery, nutty, and classically pairs well with fruit.

Fresh figs are more difficult to come by than the dried version, but if you can get your hands on the purple fruit, set a few aside for grilled cheese. Figs are seedy, which gives them a pleasing crunch. They have notes of currants, strawberries, and dates, making them incredibly sweet without too many tart undertones. Their honey-like sweetness makes figs the perfect candidate for a gourmet grilled cheese sandwich. Keep things mellow by using ricotta or burrata — these milky, mellow cheeses allow the fruit to shine.

In contrast, you could play up on the smooth sweetness of figs by using a tart cheese such as chevre. Whichever cheese you decide to pair with sliced figs in your sandwich, be sure to add a small amount of Parmesan Reggiano for a kick of salt and umami. This will give you that salty-sweet grilled cheese upgrade that your classic American cheese sandwich wasn't giving.

Grillmasters are already aware that serving grilled fruit is the ultimate sign of gourmet cooking. As fruits heat, their sugars begin to caramelize rapidly, creating an even sweeter and juicier mouthfeel. Stone fruit, in particular, does well grilled, so try using fresh or grilled peaches in your next grilled cheese sandwich. And for this one, be sure to grill your sandwich over open flames instead of toasting it in a pan on the stovetop. Start by lightly grilling halved peaches, and then cutting them into thin chunks or slices. Rip open a baguette and lightly toast the inside before smearing it with your cheese of choice and layering it with bits of peaches. Then, throw the whole thing back on the grill until the cheese has completely melted.

Choose mozzarella for a milky and fresh flavor that couples beautifully with the honey-like sweetness of peaches. Smoked gouda parallels the smokiness from the grill while delivering some sweet and nutty undertones. Cream cheese can be used alongside another, as it can soften the intensity of the other cheese while creating a creamy texture. This is a great technique if you are choosing a cheese, like blue cheese, that is known to steal the show. Blue cheese does hold up well, creating quite a bit of contrast with the sweet peaches — just be sure to not include too much so as to not overpower the senses. 

Goat cheese can take a milder approach with a soft nip. Camembert has a similar sweetness with stronger umami and caramel notes that complement grilled peaches.

While the wild blueberry grilled cheese may not be a wild concept to Mainers, those not living in the United States of America's most northeast corner may be surprised by the combination. Having lived in Maine for half a decade, I've discovered that anything, and I mean anything, can be flavored with blueberries. And honestly, most of it tastes pretty darn good. In my opinion, one of the best savory-sweet combinations using blueberries is pairing them with cheese. And what better way to do this than in a grilled cheese sandwich?

Choose wild Maine blueberries that are less tart, more mellow, and smaller. Their small size helps them to stay in place on the sandwich and creates a wonderful texture alongside the melted cheese. Choose cheddar for a bolder contrast, with sharp and salty notes. Brie is nuttier and milder but has a wonderful buttery texture that encompasses the blueberries wonderfully. 

Another strong suggestion would be to try gruyere in your blueberry grilled cheese. It's nutty and buttery like Brie but sharpens as it ages. Both fresh and sharp gruyere do well alongside those brightly colored berries. Use a tangy sourdough or a mellow-flavored white bread, so as to not overpower the berries and mild cheese.

By far, pomegranates make for the best texture when it comes to fruits you should be adding to grilled cheese. They are crunchy, bursting with flavor, and juicy when chewed. They seem to almost explode in your mouth and taste delicious both heated and at room temperature. Once you've gone through the process of deseeding the fruit, gather a handful to sprinkle into your grilled cheese before it hits the pan.

Pomegranates have a tart cherry-like flavor that almost resembles an ultra-sweet cranberry. This is why they hold up well when coupled with a sharp cheddar cheese, as both have strong flavors that play nicely together. Camembert can have undertones of tanginess, alongside a much softer umami and caramel finish, which complement and contrast the crunchy, seedy, bursts of tangy and sweet flavor. For a less intense cheese, try halloumi, which is fresh and has the tang of a mild feta. Just be sure to give it a moment or two to melt, as it keeps its form rather well. Adding pomegranate seeds to your grilled cheese, especially when selecting a complementary cheese, will change your sandwich game for life.

Blackberries are unique in that they are tart, crunchy, juicy, tangy, and sweet all at once. They also have a deeply whimsical color that will stain your white shirt in seconds but tends to look beautiful next to a white or off-white melted cheese and toasted bread. These berries range in size but do well crushed before adding them to your sandwich to release those juices and disrupt the fibrous center. Fontina cheese can be rather sharp depending on its age but is always buttery and nutty, giving it a complementary flavor to blackberries.

If you want to try something truly unique with your blackberry grilled cheese sandwich, use Swiss cheese. Swiss doesn't pair perfectly with every fruit, but somehow, this combination is unstoppable. Perhaps it's that nutty aroma that turns this sandwich into a woodsy flavor that could take on the name "the forager." Alternatively, try smooth and sweet Brie. Brie is always a safe bet in combination with fruits, especially those that are ultra sweet and tangy. Go beyond your blackberry grilled cheese by layering in some prosciutto and sage to create the ultimate gourmet sandwich.

The apricot is perhaps one of the fruits with the most honey-like flavor, which is why it's one of my favorite stone fruits to include in a grilled cheese sandwich. Fresh apricots are like no other fruit. They have a meaty texture, a fuzzy skin, and are tart yet smooth. Since they aren't overly juicy, apricots tend to hold up well in a sandwich, because their juices don't saturate the bread. Apricots have a deep and complex flavor, providing depth beyond the sugars. When picking an apricot at the grocery store, opt for those with a brighter color, closer to orange or gold. It should be relatively firm and plump, which indicates that it's ripe and juicy.

Slice your fresh or grilled apricots onto sourdough bread with sliced havarti. Havarti is mellow with undertones of hazelnut that just so happen to complement apricots in an exciting way. You could also try gruyere, which can also be nutty and sweet, or ricotta for an entirely different effect. Ricotta is mild, moist, spreadable, fresh, and grassy. It's a top pick for a lighter and more refreshing flavor, which can highlight the mellow flavors of the apricot without overpowering them.

Plums are very juicy, so much so that I highly recommend grabbing a few napkins or paper towels before biting into one. They have the honey-sweetness of stone fruit, with a very mild tang that gives them a kick of flavor. However, plums are less tart than most fruits, which is why they do best when paired with a bolder cheese when taking the form of grilled cheese.

Goat cheese is certainly buttery and mild but has a bold tang to it that is quite appealing. It helps give a kick to the mild plum when paired together, and because it doesn't melt in the same way a fattier and firmer cheese might, it helps to hold those juicy plums in place. White cheddar is salty with a bitey nip. Choose a white and aged variety for extra punch. Last but not least, gorgonzola is a strong, stinky cheese that needs the mellow flavors of plum to level it out. If need be, soften the gorgonzola with a little cream cheese or mozzarella. 

When selecting the type of plum for your grilled cheese, consider a satsuma plum for its bold flavor and tangy finish. However, most varieties will work when paired with one of these three cheeses.

Fresh currants pack a punch in the flavor department. These tiny tart berries are full of acidity and sugars, with a slight crunch from the seeds. They may not be a staple in your local grocery store, but be sure to check when they are ready for harvest in the summer. If you'd like to highlight the tangy berry, use a milder, milky cheese like mozzarella. For a richer and creamier experience, choose burrata. However, because currants are loaded with flavor, I would recommend taking advantage by using a stronger cheese.

Cheddar is my favorite pick to couple with currants on a grilled cheese sandwich. It's pungent, strong, salty, and the aged varieties provide umami. Its intensity parallels the intensity of currants, so it's best to use a mellow bread in order to let the flavors shine. Consider adding some gruyere to your cheddar for a mellow nuttiness to round it out. The flavor combination of a cheddar and gruyere grilled cheese sandwich topped with currents is unmatched. My last suggestion would be goat, because while it's mellow, it also has a nice tang to it that can complement the berries.

Pears are both a delicacy and quite finicky. Like avocados, they seem to have a sweet spot when ripe that doesn't last very long. And their "ripeness" is subjective, because some people enjoy a softer, sweeter fruit while others like the crunch and a tart flavor. Because they ripen off the tree, pears are usually picked when they are tart and firm. The easiest way to check if a pear is ripe is to feel for softness (but not mushiness) at the neck. Thinly slice the fruit before layering it onto your grilled cheese.

Brie and pears are a classic combination, and you can't go wrong with the honey-like sweetness and smooth mellow cheese. Camembert is another soft cheese that seems to play nice with pears, as it has mushroom-like undertones that help balance the sweetness. Cantal is a bit stronger and can be combined with the softer cheese in your grilled cheese or used on its own. Goat cheese also works well but doesn't have that ooey-gooey texture we all love in grilled cheese. Toasted brioche bread will help bring out the sweetness of the pear.

If you've never tried a persimmon, you're not alone. However, you should consider tracking one down to add to your grilled cheese, as it physically and flavorfully holds up well in a sandwich. Looking quite a bit like a tomato, persimmons are easy to slice, full of juices, and add a variety of texture to melted cheese and crunchy bread. Ripe persimmon fruits are honey-like in their sweetness but also have undertones of cinnamon and sweet squash. Pair with softer, mellow cheese so that the natural flavors of the persimmon can shine through. 

Fontina, which is buttery, nutty, and rich, is just about as flavorful as you'll want to go. Mozzarella or Brie are milder and walk in step with the fruit. Use sourdough with subtle tart flavors to balance the mouthfeel, and be sure to use unsalted butter when toasting your bread so it doesn't steal the show. You might even consider cinnamon bread to elevate those cinnamon notes in the fruit.

When it comes to fruit, cranberries are one of the most intense choices out there. Uncooked, they are massively tart, which is why I recommend cooking cranberries down a bit first. Cook the cranberries in a little water, maple syrup, and orange juice until they are soft. This will mellow them out, giving them enough sweetness to shine through that tart flavor, which hasn't gone away, but has just been tamed. Unsurprisingly, when pairing cranberries with a grilled cheese sandwich, I would recommend a stronger cheese, like an aged sharp cheddar.

On the softer side, you could try Brie. Just think about how often you've topped a baked Brie with Craisins; the two just work together. However, because of their intensity, you have the opportunity to get more creative. Try provolone cheese, which has a smokey flavor; or, go with Swiss, which is boldly nutty and sweet. Go for a hearty bread like a multigrain or whole wheat. Use just a smattering of cranberries, so as to not overwhelm the sandwich.

Some fruits are more commonly added to grilled cheese than others — and while you might see tomatoes and figs often, you'd never expect to see dragon fruit grilled cheese. However, it's taken the internet by storm, and now you'll have to try this unexpected fad. Dragon fruit is mellow and sweet with crunchy seeds. It can be sliced into slivers and added to your sandwich. You can find the tropical fruit in both bright pink and white, but I recommend using the former in order to make a statement.

Go bold with your cheese. You're almost always safe with cheddar when pairing cheese with fruit, but try going even bolder with blue cheese. If the hot pink tropical fruit and cheese combo is already a stretch for you, choose something more mellow like goat cheese. However, a little sprinkle of blue cheese or Parmesan can give it a pop of flavor to help bring the dragon fruit alive.