A grown up grilled cheese with sautéed mushrooms, onions, and chard on chewy ciabatta. A touch of applewood smoked horseradish sauce adds bold heat.

Do you ever find yourself in a lunchtime rut, constantly reaching for the same old sandwich day after day? Are you looking for a way to elevate your midday meal with a burst of flavor and texture?

Look no further than this humble Chard and Mushroom Toasted Cheese Sandwich. This sandwich may be simple in concept, but its execution is packed with savory and wholesome goodness.

Get ready to tantalize your taste buds and impress your colleagues with this delicious creation.

Grilled cheese sandwich made with chard and mushrooms on a ciabatta roll.

I love grilled cheese sandwiches, especially when it is a grown up version. This one uses Rainbow chard from my favorite CSA and a wonderful applewood smoked horseradish sauce plus some sauteed onions and mushrooms. All piled on a chewy ciabatta roll.

Sneaking in veggies like this instead of a typical salad or vegetable side is a great way for me to eat healthier.

It takes a little longer than your basic grilled cheese, but I think you will like the combination of flavors and textures.

Broiler or Stove Top: Which is Best?

Technically this isn't a "grilled" sandwich since I broiled it to melt the cheese while keeping the bread soft on the outside.

If you want to add the same toppings and make it in a panini press or in a skillet or grill pan on the stove, be my guest.

Ingredients and Substitutions for Toasted Cheese Sandwich

Make this sandwich your own by swapping ingredients

chard: rainbow, Swiss, spinach, kale
onion: yellow, or even red or green
mushrooms: fresh white or button
ciabatta rolls: or your favorite bread
cheese: anything that melts well, Monterey Jack, cheddar, gruyere, Swiss, provolone
creamy horseradish sauce: mustard, wasabi, mayonnaise, butter
olive oil: or other neutral oil

If you want to use canned mushrooms instead of fresh, add them with the chard leaves, not the stems. They do not need to cook as long.

Recipe

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Ingredients

1 bunch chard
1 teaspoon olive oil
½ onion (sliced in strips)
4 ounces white or button mushrooms (sliced)
4 ciabatta sandwich rolls
4 slices cheese (1-2 ounces each) (such as provolone, swiss, or cheddar)
creamy horseradish sauce (to taste)

Instructions

Cut the stems from the chard and chop finely. Chop the leaves in strips.
1 bunch chard
In a skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and cook 4-5 minutes until beginning to turn brown.
1 teaspoon olive oil, ½ onion
Add the chopped chard stems and sliced mushrooms. Cook until the mushrooms begin to sweat and soften.
4 ounces white or button mushrooms
Add the chard leaves and cook until the chard is soft.
While the chard is cooking, place the ciabatta roll halves on a broiler pan face up. Put a slice of cheese on the bottom halves.
4 ciabatta sandwich rolls, 4 slices cheese (1-2 ounces each)
Broil on high until the cheese is melted and bread is toasty, 4-5 minutes.
Place bottom half of roll on a plate, top with ¼ of the chard mixture and add horseradish to taste. Top with other half of the bun and serve.
creamy horseradish sauce