Let’s be honest, some recipes are just plain ugly. Some of my favorite pasta dishes and soups will never make it to Bon Appetit magazine because of their looks–but that doesn’t mean they aren’t delicious and worth sharing.
These gluten-free cheese crackers are of those ugly-but-delicious recipes that you’d never find in Bon Appetit or Saveur, or scrolling through Pinterest or foodgawker. But life is too short to worry about aesthetics all of the time, and this recipe is one of our absolute favorites!
This appetizer was originally my late grandmother’s recipe, which my mom scribbled down on a notecard because she liked it so much. My Nana called it “black & gold.” I renamed it something a bit more descriptive so you’d know what you were getting.
Also, the original recipe was a bit decadent for an everyday gathering and it wasn’t gluten-free. So I made a couple of small changes before sharing it here. First, I substituted greek yogurt for most of the mayonnaise. And I used one of my favorite gluten-free crackers in place of Triscuits.
These gluten-free cheese crackers are just as good as the original–Eric has tested and approved 🙂 But enough chatting, let’s get onto the recipe!
Onion, Olive, & Cheese Crackers (Gluten-Free)
Makes 15 crackers
Ingredients:
- 15 gluten-free seed crackers*
- 1/2 small onion, finely chopped
- 4 black olives, finely chopped
- 1/2 c. grated cheddar cheese
- 2 tbsp. low-fat plain greek yogurt
- 1 tbsp. mayonnaise**
Instructions:
- Preheat your oven to 425F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Place crackers on the baking sheet, evenly spaced.
- In a small bowl, combine the onion, olives, cheese, greek yogurt, and mayonnaise.
- Top each cracker with 1-2 teaspoons of the cheese mixture.
- Bake for 7-10 minutes, until cheese is melted but not brown.
- These don’t store well as the crackers get soggy. If you want to make them ahead of time, make the cheese mixture and store in a covered bowl in the fridge, then bake just before serving.
Notes:
*For crackers, I like the Mary’s Gone Crackers brand. Be sure to use a sturdy cracker that holds up well to heat and moisture–I wouldn’t recommend a super starchy cracker, like rice crackers.
**I highly recommend using Primal Kitchen’s avocado oil mayonnaise in this recipe as it’s much healthier and tastier than other brands. You can substitute the mayonnaise with another 1-2 tsp. plain greek yogurt if you don’t like the flavor of mayonnaise!
But tell me, what’s your favorite ugly-but-delicious recipe? And what’s an old family recipe that you either hate or can’t get enough of? Another family recipe that I love is my mom’s spinach, onion, and pine nut pizza. I’d love to make it again someday, once I find a good gluten-free crust recipe!