Nisha Vora’s “adult grilled cheese” with chili crisp from her cookbook Big Vegan Flavor reinvents the classic with a sophisticated twist. It combines fermented cashew cheese and chili crisp, offering rich umami and spicy flavors.

The use of shredded vegan cheese ensures a melty, gooey interior, while sourdough bread provides a crisp and hearty base. When cooking, starting the sandwiches in a cold pan helps achieve an evenly browned crust without burning. This recipe allows for versatility with toppings like fig jam for sweetness, pickled red onions for tang, or spicy pickled jalapeños.

Adult grilled cheese

The adult grilled cheese with chili crisp is an upgraded version of the classic sandwich. It features fermented cashew cheese, spicy chili crisp, and versatile toppings like pickled red onions or fig jam. Perfect for a flavorful and satisfying meal.

a picture of several vegan grilled cheese sandwiches paired with chili crisp. pickled onions, and more

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Servings

Ingredients

3 tablespoons vegan butter softened at room temperature
8 slices sourdough sandwich bread or soft sandwich bread of choice
12 to 16 tablespoons fermented cashew cheese
4 tablespoons chili crisp of choice or to taste
Mix-and-Match Toppings see notes
1 cup 85 g shredded vegan cheese, more as desired

Instructions

Butter one side of each slice of bread, a generous teaspoon per slice.
On half of the bread slices, on the unbuttered side, spread a generous amount of fermented cashew cheese, 3 to 4 tablespoons (enough to generously cover each slice).
Add 1 tablespoon chili crisp (less for mild heat) on top, but strain it first so you get the crispy stuff and minimal oil; use a clean spoon each time you dig in so you don’t contaminate it. Add your toppings of choice, followed by the shredded cheese (if using), about ¼cup (21 g) per slice.
Top with the remaining slices of bread, buttered side facing up. Flip the sandwich over so that the side with the shredded cheese faces down.
Add one sandwich to a cold medium skillet, or two sandwiches to a cold large skillet (starting with a cold pan helps with slow, even cooking so your bread doesn’t burn before the cheese melts).
Turn the heat to medium, cover with a lid, and cook for 4 to 5 minutes (the steam helps the cheese melt better, but check the bottom occasionally—if the bread is browning but the shredded cheese isn’t near melting, reduce the heat). Flip, cover, and continue to cook until the other side is golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. If not done yet, flip again, and cook, uncovered, until the second slice of bread is golden brown on the bottom, 1 to 2 minutes.
For the next sandwiches, wipe out the pan and reduce the heat to medium-low to prevent burning and cook for about 3 minutes per side.
Transfer the grilled cheeses to a sheet of parchment paper to prevent sogginess. Serve warm.

For the Mix-and- Match Toppings

Sweet and savory (my favorite)	Chopped Medjool dates (1 large date per sandwich) or Fig jam (a thin layer per sandwich)
Salty, tangy, and crisp	2 to 4 tablespoons pickled red onions, drained, or sauerkraut
Spicy, tangy, and crisp	1 to 2 tablespoons pickled chilis, drained, or store-bought pickled jalapeños
Fresh, sharp, and oniony	2 to 3 scallions, thinly sliced
Spicy, tangy, and funky	Spread 1 teaspoon gochujang (per sandwich) on top of the cashew cheese