Melted Havarti Sandwich with Microgreens & Apricot Preserves

This sweet and savory melted havarti sandwich with microgreens & apricot preserves is a tasty and healthy meal that can be served hot or cold.  It’s the PERFECT sandwich for spring or summer!  Pack this sandwich to your next picnic to enjoy a dish packed full of bright and fresh flavors.

Keep reading to learn how to make this sandwich ahead of time for grab-and-go meals, discover substitutions to keep the flavors exciting and find resources for growing microgreens at home.

Why this is the perfect microgreens sandwich

Sometimes a sandwich is more about the fixin’s than the meat!  Don’t get me wrong, the grilled chicken is definitely an important component of this dish, but the microgreens, apricot preserves and creamy melted havarti are what makes this sandwich extra special.

One of my favorite things about this sandwich is that the ingredients can be prepared ahead of time.  I can cook the chicken, harvest the microgreens and have the sandwich ingredients fully ready to go the day before. While the recipe is simply delicious as written, it is very versatile and can be tweaked for many different taste preferences or available seasonal produce.

Meet the ingredients

Microgreens | Sourcing fresh microgreens can be tricky, but if you like growing them on your own be sure to check out the tips a little further down in this post! Today I used a rainbow mix that includes radishes, kale and broccoli.  

Goat cheese | This is optional, I realize that not everyone loves the tanginess of goat cheese.  Buy a block of quality goat cheese or even a package of crumbles.  Measure with your heart and add as much as your tastebuds can handle!

Havarti cheese | If you aren’t able to find havarti cheese, feel free to substitute any soft white cheese that melts gloriously and has a mellow flavor.

Apricot preserves | Fruit on a sandwich or salad might sound odd, but this dressing is sweet and perfect for summertime.  Personally, I have never made apricot preserves, I just buy it pre-made  from the grocery store or farmer’s market.

Bread | Oh, the bread.  So many possibilities!  White, wheat, whole grain, gluten-free.  Anything will work!  I even tried making this on a sourdough flatbread and loved it.  

How to make the sandwich

Gather the ingredients and let’s get started! If the microgreens are store-bought, I recommend washing them in a produce wash and then drying them in a salad spinner.  Slice or shred the cooked chicken and crumble the goat cheese.  Pop open the jar of preserves.  This is possibly the easiest recipe to make EVER!

Create an open-faced sandwich and layer the bread with chicken and sliced havarti cheese.  I like my sandwich served hot, and there are a few ways to achieve this.  It can be grilled, broiled or convection baked in an air fryer.  I’m going to give you the broiler method here, but see the tips below for the other methods!

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  Place the sandwich bread slices on the baking sheet and add the chicken, followed by the havarti slices.  Broil the sandwich until the cheese is bubbly and lightly browned, like a pizza.  This takes about 6-10 minutes, and I strongly recommend keeping an eye on it!

Once the sandwich has been heated and the cheese is nice and bubbly, it’s time to assemble this masterpiece!  Add a few dollops of apricot preserves to the sandwich and dust with the goat cheese.  Sprinkle on a generous amount of microgreens and that’s it!  

Which microgreens are best in a sandwich?

Choosing the right microgreens for this sandwich is as easy as can be.  Today I am using a rainbow mix that contains radishes, kale and broccoli.  I like greens that have a little spicy bite to them.  Any combination would be perfect!  A more mellow and mild flavor that would be delicious are alfalfa greens. 

The microgreens in this sandwich were one ounce of rainbow mix seeds were sown in a 1020 microgreens tray using a potting soil medium.  The blackout time was four days and they were harvested on day twelve.  

How to serve this sandwich 

My favorite way to serve this sandwich is broiled, topped with melted havarti cheese and a great big side salad. When I want to keep my lunch on the lighter side, I will skip the sourdough (I know, it seems like such a shame!) and instead make this sandwich as a generous salad.  

Pair this sandwich with homemade oven fries, fresh fruit or a simple pasta salad.  If this is being served at a brunch or as an entree, try serving it with a glass of chilled Riesling to bring out the subtle flavors of the microgreens.

Can this melted havarti sandwich with microgreens & apricot preserves be vegetarian?

On the (frequent) occasion I don’t have grilled chicken available or don’t feel like cooking some, this sandwich can be made completely vegetarian.  Omit the chicken and add your favorite protein, such as roasted chickpeas or hard boiled and sliced egg.  I think a generous slather of hummus would taste mouth watering and help hold the microgreens together.

Can this sandwich be made on the stovetop?

Who doesn’t love a good panini?  Whether you have a press or not, this sandwich can definitely be made with a skillet and a stovetop.  Preheat the skillet over medium heat and add a tablespoon of butter.  Swirl the butter around as it melts and bubbles to lightly coat the pan.  

Layer the bread, followed by the havarti and chicken.  Add the top slice of bread and use a panini press or the bottom of a heavy skillet or cooking pot to push down on the sandwich, flattening it slightly and allowing the bottom to caramelize.  Flip the sandwich over once it reaches the desired toastiness and do the same thing to the other side.

Remove the sandwich from the heat and place it on a serving plate. Open the top piece of bread, and layer the goat cheese, dollops of apricot preserves and microgreens.  Fold it back together and voila! 

Can this sandwich be made in an air fryer? 

When summertime heat has the air conditioner working overtime, I will “broil” this sandwich in the air fryer.  Preheat the air fryer to 360-390 degrees and place the sandwich open faced on the insert.  Layer the bread, followed by the havarti and chicken.  The sandwich will cook for about five minute, but keep an eye on it to prevent burning! It is ready to be served with the havarti has bubbled and browned slightly.

While the sandwich is hot, layer goat cheese and dollops of apricot preserves.  Add the microgreens and fold the sandwich closed, securing with a toothpick if needed.

Helpful resources for growing microgreens for a salad

Learning a new skill, such as growing microgreens, can feel intimidating at first.  Here is a list of resources that will help you to start successfully growing and harvesting microgreens in your own home!  

• Learn How to Grow Microgreens at Home: a step-by-step guide | Unsure what materials you need to get started growing microgreens at home or what variety is best for you? This is the perfect place to start your research.
• The Ultimate Microgreen Cheat Sheet | Bookmark this guide and refer back to it when starting new varieties of microgreens!  This comprehensive guide will walk you through exactly how to grow over thirty popular varieties of microgreens.
• Love this recipe? Check out 10 of the Tastiest Ways to Enjoy Microgreens for more delicious and simple ideas!

Recipe notes:

Any bread can be used for this sandwich including flatbreads, pitas, sourdough, sandwich bread or whichever is your favorite!  I made this sandwich the first time on a baguette, then served it again on a sourdough tortilla and it was every bit as tasty!

This sandwich can be made gluten free by substituting gluten free bread or serving it as a salad rather than a sandwich.

Apricot preserves are my favorite ingredient in this recipe, but omit them if the thought of fruit on a sandwich sounds bleh.  Instead, try using a lemon vinaigrette, tahini or generous smear of hummus.

—————————————————————————————————————————- RECIPE CARD

MELTED HAVARTI SANDWICH WITH MICROGREENS & APRICOT PRESERVES

Prep time: 4 minutes

Cooking time: 6 minutes

Total time: 10 minutes

Servings: makes 2 sandwiches

Ingredients

1 cup microgreens 

1/4 cup goat cheese

2 slices havarti cheese

4 tablespoons apricot preserves

4 slices bread

Instructions

1. If the microgreens are store-bought, wash them in a produce wash and dry them in a salad spinner.  Slice or shred the cooked chicken and crumble the goat cheese. 
2. Create an open-faced sandwich and layer the bread with chicken and sliced havarti cheese.  I like my sandwich served hot, and there are a few ways to achieve this.  It can be grilled, broiled or convection baked in an air fryer.  I’m going to give you the broil method here, but see the tips below for the other methods!
3. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  Place the sandwich bread slices on the baking sheet and add the chicken, followed by the havarti slices.  Broil the sandwich until the cheese is bubbly and lightly browned, like a pizza.  This takes about 6-10 minutes, and I strongly recommend keeping an eye on it.
4. Once the sandwich has been heated and the cheese is nice and bubbly, it’s time to assemble this masterpiece!  Add a few dollops of apricot preserves to the sandwich and dust with the goat cheese.  Sprinkle on a generous amount of microgreens and that’s it!  

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 Written by Meg | Ninnescah Homestead