Our Cabbage Grilled Cheese is a less salty, lighter twist on a traditional Reuben. The cabbage and onions meld together for a sweet and savory umaminess. Apple provides a fresh-tart textural crunch, while the Cheddar is rich and tangy and ties the sandwich together with its melty goodness. And who can pass up toasty, crisp grilled bread? This comforting grilled cheese is packed with fiber and antioxidants, making it an easy choice for lunch or dinner. Keep reading for expert tips on ingredient substitutions and more.

Tips From the EatingWell Test Kitchen

These are the key tips we learned while developing and testing this recipe in our Test Kitchen to make sure it works, tastes great and is good for you too! 

• If you don't have red-wine vinegar, you can use cider vinegar, champagne vinegar or any other vinegar you have on hand.
• Cooking the cabbage and onions together until they’re super tender and falling apart makes them jammy and sweet, and a great complement to melty Cheddar and apple. 
• Spreading mayonnaise on the bread and before toasting it causes a Maillard reaction, which helps create a perfect golden-brown exterior. Plus, it spreads more easily and is less messy than butter.

Nutrition Notes

• Cabbage is a cruciferous veggie that’s loaded with filling fiber and antioxidants to help reduce disease risk, including cancer. When you eat cabbage you’ll also get a healthy dose of vitamin C to boost your immune system, and vitamin K for strong bones.
• Cheddar cheese is a good source of calcium and protein. It also provides probiotics—those beneficial gut bacteria that support a healthy body. It does also contain saturated fat and sodium, which is why you want to eat it in moderation. With that said, there is some evidence that the saturated fat in cheese is not as harmful as other types of saturated fat.
• Compared to refined-wheat bread, whole-wheat bread provides more fiber and antioxidants. This is because refined-wheat bread is made from wheat kernels that have been stripped of their nutritious outer layers. These layers contain the majority of the wheat kernel’s fiber, antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. Most refined-wheat breads have been fortified with vitamins and minerals, so they still provide nutritional value beyond carbohydrates.
• Don’t let the white flesh of apples fool you—they are loaded with fiber and antioxidants! As a result, there is evidence that regularly eating apples can reduce heart disease, diabetes and cancer risk and boost brain health. And because they’re low-glycemic, they won’t spike your blood sugar.