Sticky Date and Tamarind Chutney Sheese Toastie

Sticky Date and Tamarind Chutney Sheese Toastie

This toastie is genuinely one of our favourite things we've made in a while. The combination of sticky date and tamarind chutney with melted Sheese is just unreal, that balance of sweet, sour, and savoury all squished into a thick golden slice of bread. We kept going back to the pan to make another one, which is never a bad sign. It takes about 35 minutes but most of that is the chutney doing its thing, and trust us, it is absolutely worth every minute. Make this tonight, you will not regret it.

Cook: 35 min
Serves 2

Before You Start

  • Small frying pan
  • Microplane or fine grater (for garlic)
  • Spatula

Ingredients

  • 4 slices of thick, good quality sourdough bread
  • 150g - Sheese Grated Cheddar
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 red onion
  • 2 cloves of garlic
  • 1 small red chilli
  • ½ tsp ground ginger
  • 1 tsp ground coriander
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 9 Medjool dates
  • 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
  • 200ml water
  • 1 tbsp tamarind paste
  • ½ tsp salt

Method

1

Prepare the vegetables

  • Peel and finely slice the onion
  • Peel and grate the garlic
  • Cut the bread into thick slices (approx 1.5cm thick)
  • Pit the dates and finely slice the fruit
  • Trim, de-seed and finely slice the chilli
2

Make the chutney

  • Heat the olive oil in a small frying pan over medium heat
  • Add the onion with a pinch of salt and cook for 4-5 minutes until softened
  • Add the garlic and chilli and stir for 2 minutes
  • Add the ginger, coriander, cumin, and stir for 2 minutes
  • Add the dates, red wine vinegar and 200ml water to the pan
  • Simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally until thick and sticky
  • Add the tamarind paste and salt, stir into the chutney and take off the heat
3

Cook the toastie and serve

  • Spread butter over one side of each slice of the bread
  • Put one of the slices, buttered side down, in a frying pan over medium heat
  • Dollop 2 tbsp of the chutney onto the bread and spread evenly
  • Sprinkle over a generous amount of the Sheese grated cheddar
  • Place the second piece of bread on top, buttered side up
  • Use a spatula to flip the sandwich over, making sure both sides are golden and crispy
  • Transfer the toastie to a chopping board, cut in half and serve immediately

Tips & Variations

  • Make extra chutney: We always double the chutney batch because it keeps well in the fridge for a week and goes brilliantly on everything from wraps to grain bowls.
  • Go thick on the bread: Don't be shy with the slice size here. A thick cut gives you that contrast between the crispy outside and the soft, chutney-soaked inside that makes this so satisfying.
  • Adjust the heat: If you like things spicier, leave a few chilli seeds in. If you're making this for someone who can't handle heat, just leave the chilli out entirely and it's still absolutely delicious.

Why This Works

The trick here is getting that chutney properly sticky before it goes anywhere near the bread. Cooking the onions down slowly and letting the dates and tamarind caramelise together creates this incredible depth that turns a toastie from good to genuinely special. The Sheese melts beautifully against the sweet-sour chutney and gives you that proper gooey pull when you bite in.