Open Faced Brie Sandwich with Balsamic Caramelized Apples & Onions

Open Faced Brie Sandwich Ingredients

You’ll need the following ingredients to make these open faced baked brie sandwiches topped with balsamic caramelized apples and onion:

• Onion
• Green apple
• Vegetable oil
• Butter
• Sugar
• Salt
• Water
• Balsamic vinegar
• French baguette
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Brie cheese

Although it may seem like a lot of ingredients, these baked brie sandwiches are really made with just 3 components: bread, brie, and the caramelized topping. You’ll use vegetable oil, butter, sugar, salt, water, and balsamic vinegar to caramelize the apple and onion. We also recommend drizzling the bread with olive oil before toasting, for extra moisture and flavor. Then, you’ll simply assemble the sandwiches with brie and the balsamic caramelized topping.

How To Make Open Faced Brie Sandwiches With Caramelized Onion & Apple

It’s easy to make an open faced brie sandwich with caramelized onion and apple, although it does require some prep time. This recipe can be made in about 4 steps: caramelize the onion and apple with balsamic vinegar; slice and toast the bread; top the bread with brie and melt it in the oven; then top the sandwiches with the caramelized onions and apples.

1. Prepare the onion and apple. You’ll want to cut the onion into thin strips and slice a small apple into super thin wedges, about an eighth-inch thick. Start by cutting the apple into quarters, then slicing wedges from each quarter and removing pieces of the core as needed.
2. Make the caramelized topping. Heat vegetable oil and butter in a large pan over medium-low heat until the butter is melted, then add the onion. Once the onions begin to turn translucent, about 10 minutes, stir in the salt and sugar. After another 10 minutes or so, when the onions are softened, add the apple slices with water and balsamic vinegar. Then cook until the apples are softened and the onions are caramelized, about 20 more minutes.
3. Prepare the bread and brie. Slice the bread both lengthwise and crosswise into squares or rectangles. Drizzle each piece with extra virgin olive oil, then broil on low for about 4 minutes until lightly toasted. Meanwhile, slice the brie into rectangles (about an eighth- to a quarter-inch thick), starting from the center of the wheel and working outwards. Then remove the rind from each piece of cheese.
4. Assemble the open faced sandwiches. Lay the brie in a single layer across the top of each piece of bread, then broil on low for about 2 minutes until the cheese is melted. Then top each sandwich with a serving of the caramelized apples and onions and serve.

As far as timing goes, you can slice and toast the bread while the apples and onions are still cooking. You’ll also want to prepare your brie so that it’s ready to go. Then you can melt the brie onto the bread under the broiler once the caramelized apples and onions are ready. Since it only takes a few minutes to melt the brie, the caramelized topping will still be nice and hot when it goes on the sandwiches.

Customizing This Recipe

Depending on the occasion (see serving suggestions below), you may want to turn this open faced brie sandwich recipe into tapas or small bites. Or, you may even want to make larger servings to enjoy for lunch. Here’s the good news – you can easily customize the size and shape of these sandwiches to fit your needs! Just follow these suggestions:

• Size the brie properly to fit in a single layer across the slices of bread. Whether you slice it into circles, squares, rectangles, or triangles, you’ll want an even layer of cheese that fills the whole surface of the bread – but also doesn’t hang off the edges.
• Adjust the amount of caramelized onions and apples on each sandwich based on how you’re serving them. If you’re going for tapas-like small bites that can be eaten as finger foods, go lighter on the topping to avoid making a mess! If you’re serving these for lunch, you can go heavier on the topping for a more filling meal and serve the sandwiches with a fork and knife.
• Any kind of fresh bakery bread works fine for this recipe, but we suggest sticking with a classic French baguette to complement the brie cheese. There are also tons of different ways you can slice a baguette to make smaller or larger servings, so it’s perfect for customizing this recipe.

Serving Suggestions

Since these open faced brie sandwiches with balsamic glaze coated onions and apples are elegant and upscale, they’re perfect for special occasions like:

• Dinner parties, served as a shared appetizer
• Holidays, made into finger foods for easy snacking
• Date nights, served as an appetizer or lighter meal
• Tapas parties

Smaller bites can be served as a finger food, but if you make these into larger open faced sandwiches for a light meal or shared appetizer we recommend serving them with a fork and knife.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

What makes an open faced sandwich with brie so good? The crunch of the toasted baguette with a soft, fluffy inside topped with gooey brie cheese and melt-in-your-mouth balsamic caramelized onions and apples has so many layers of delicious textures, flavors, and aromas. Every bite of these open faced sandwiches is well balanced. The flavor of the brie really comes through, paired with the sweetness of the caramelized topping for a delectable appetizer or lighter meal.