Sweet Potato and Toasted Pecan Grilled Cheese
Updated November 6, 2022
Andrew Scrivani for The New York Times
- Total Time
- 10 minutes
- Rating
- Comments
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Ingredients
8 slices country white bread
2 cups toasted pecans, crushed
Leftover mashed sweet potatoes
8 slices aged Swiss cheese
Leftover French fried onions from green bean casserole
Chili powder, to taste
4 tablespoons butter, softened
Nutritional analysis per serving
48 grams carbs; 83 milligrams cholesterol; 884 calories; 29 grams monosaturated fat; 13 grams polyunsaturated fat; 21 grams saturated fat; 68 grams fat; 1 gram trans fat; 11 grams fiber; 608 milligrams sodium; 28 grams protein; 9 grams sugar
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Heat nonstick skillet over medium heat.
- Step 2
Layer on the bottom slice of bread one slice of Swiss cheese, a schmear of sweet potatoes, crispy onion, a tablespoon of crushed pecans, a couple pinches of chili powder and another slice of cheese. Place slice of bread on top.
- Step 3
Spread both sides of bread with softened butter and griddle each side slowly, until golden and insides are melted and gooey.
Private Notes
Comments
Placement of the word "crushed" is the key. A tablespoon of crushed pecans means to measure already crushed pecans. "Two cups of pecans, crushed" means to measure then crush. Crushing reduces the volume so recipes usually give a generous measure to allow for different sizes and packing of the nuts in the cup.
If each sandwich requires a tablespoon of crushed pecans, why does the recipe call for two cups?
I won’t lie- I went rogue. We don’t like Swiss so I used Gouda. I used butternut squash instead of sweet potato (roasted in olive oil, salt, pepper, and a few grub grinds of garden garlic then mashed, amazing). We stole the Mayo idea and spread that on the bread. Sprinkle on those toasted pecans and holy cow, so good. Yes, not the recipe here but I think food is meant to be experimental! I think if you have/like these ingredients you will definitely like this recipe as is.
I used this recipe as inspiration and made this as a quesadilla instead of a grilled cheese. Our sweet potato casserole has apples and pecans in it (no marshmallows) so I spread that on the bottom and used cheddar cheese on top of that which is what we had in the house. I made a dip for the quesadilla by combining homemade cranberry sauce with some yogurt and hot honey. Absolutely delicious and a great way to use up leftover sweet potatoes or sweet potato casserole.
Why white bread (ick)?
If you don't want to make the French fried onions, you could substitute jarred fried shallots from an Asian market. I like to keep them on hand to add to salads and egg sandwiches. Freshly made is always better, but if time is short they are very good.