Toasty, Cheesy Bliss: Quick, Easy, And Delicious

The cooking time for a cheese toastie depends on the method used. In a frying pan, it takes around 4-6 minutes in total to cook, frying each side for 2-3 minutes. In a toaster oven, it takes around 6 minutes.

Use a nonstick frying pan or grill pan for the best results

How to Make the Perfect Cheese Toastie

Cheese toasties are a quick, easy, and delicious snack or meal. They are also incredibly versatile, as you can use a variety of cheeses, breads, and fillings to create your perfect toastie.

While you can use a sandwich press, toastie maker, or oven to make your cheese toastie, using a nonstick frying pan or grill pan on your stove will give you the best results. This is because you get more control over the cooking process, and you can achieve a superior golden, buttery crust.

Step 1: Choose Your Bread and Cheese

The first step is to select your bread and cheese. For the bread, you want to choose a sturdy, good-quality loaf that will hold together well when cooked and create a strong case for the melted cheese. Sourdough, whole-grain, granary, or white bread are all good options, with slices around 1.3–1.5 cm thick.

For the cheese, a combination of two or more types of cheese works best. Choose one cheese that melts well, such as mozzarella, gouda, Swiss, or Monterey Jack, and another that has a strong flavour, like vintage cheddar, Gruyère, or Red Leicester. You can also add a third type of cheese for extra flavour or stretch.

Step 2: Prepare the Bread and Cheese

Butter your bread, spreading it on one or both sides, depending on your preference. If you only butter one side, it should be the side that will be in contact with the pan. It is best to use room-temperature butter for easier spreading.

Grate your cheese, using a large-hole grater if you are using a soft cheese to prevent it from melting too quickly. Divide the cheese between your slices of bread, placing it on the unbuttered side. You can also add any desired fillings at this stage, such as chopped spring onions, apricot jam, or sliced tomato.

Step 3: Cook the Toastie

Heat your nonstick frying pan or grill pan to hot but not smoking. Place your sandwich in the pan and cook for a few minutes on each side, pressing down gently with a spatula. Keep the heat low to allow the cheese to melt fully without burning the bread.

Cook until the cheese starts to melt and the bread turns a golden brown. You may need to flip the sandwich a few times to ensure even cooking.

Step 4: Serve

Once your toastie is cooked to perfection, remove it from the pan and cut it diagonally in half. Serve immediately while it is still hot and the cheese is oozy. Enjoy!

Toast the bread before adding cheese to avoid sogginess

Toasting your bread before adding the cheese is a simple yet effective way to ensure your cheese toastie is crispy and not soggy. Soggy bread is a common issue with grilled cheese sandwiches, especially when using soft sandwich bread. However, pre-toasting the bread eliminates the risk of sogginess and guarantees a perfectly crispy sandwich.

Toasting the bread first makes it sturdier and drier, reducing the chances of it becoming soggy when paired with the cheese. It is a simple step that can make a big difference, especially if you're using soft sandwich bread. Pre-toasting the bread ensures that both the inside and outside of your sandwich will have the desired crispness.

Even if you opt for sturdier, specialty breads like sourdough, ciabatta, or focaccia, pre-toasting is still beneficial. It ensures that the inside of your sandwich maintains a desirable crisp-meets-chewy texture, even with all that gooey cheese. By toasting the bread first, you can achieve maximum crispiness and enhance the Maillard reaction flavour from the inside out.

Additionally, toasting the bread before adding the cheese allows you to create a barrier between the bread and the cheese. This can be done by spreading a layer of butter or flavoured cream cheese on the bread before adding the cheese. This extra step further protects against sogginess and adds a boost of flavour.

Remember, when making a cheese toastie, it's important to use a good-quality bread that will hold together better during cooking and create a stronger case for the melted cheese. Whether you choose white, whole-grain, or granary bread, toasting it first is the key to avoiding sogginess and achieving the perfect cheese toastie.

Use a combination of cheeses for flavour and melt

The ultimate cheese toastie needs the perfect pull factor. While some cheeses ooze, others crisp up, some become stringy, and others turn silky or split, leaving a pile of oil. Therefore, the type of melt will profoundly impact your toastie experience.

Cheeses also have their own individual personalities and flavours, so my top tip for toastie perfection is to mix and match two or more cheeses for the best-behaved, most delicious creation. Here are some suggestions:

• Mozzarella for stretch and another for flavour (Gruyere and vintage cheddar are great options)
• Low-moisture mozzarella or smoked scamorza for a guaranteed cheese pull. Add another variety for some flavour complexity
• Gruyere for a smooth, rich, fatty melt. It will brown and bubble under a grill
• Comte and other Alpine-style cheeses for a smooth, rich, and fatty melt. Comte will brown and bubble under a grill
• Fontina for a softer, buttery, silky melt with some pull
• Fresh mozzarella, fior di latte, or burrata can be fabulous in a toastie, but they may make the bread soggy. Pat down any excess brine before adding to the bread and don't cut the slices too thick
• Taleggio, raclette, or Section 28 Monte Rosso for a silky, oozy melt. A little goes a long way in terms of taste. Remember to remove the rind
• Camembert for a gooey melt. Buy it from Normandy in a traditional wooden box for bolder flavour and better meltability. Goes well with smoked tomato chutney or fig jam
• Cheddar for a bite. Due to its acidity, it will release some oil. Young cheddar usually melts better than older cheddar. Mix it with other cheeses for a better melt
• Parmigiano reggiano, manchego, or pecorino romano for salty flavour bombs. Sprinkle the crust with thinly grated cheese for a crispy crunch

When combining cheeses, grate them and mix them together in a bowl before building your toastie.

Cook on a low heat for around 6 minutes

When making a cheese toastie, it's important to cook it on a low heat for around 6 minutes. This will give the cheese enough time to melt fully without burning the bread.

To ensure the cheese toastie cooks evenly, cover the pan with a lid. This will also help the cheese to melt faster.

If you're making more than one toastie, cook them in batches so that you don't overcrowd the pan. Depending on the size of your pan, you can cook one or two sandwiches at a time.

Keep an eye on the toastie as it cooks, and if it's browning too quickly, simply remove the pan from the heat and turn down the heat before continuing to cook.

Once the cheese is starting to melt and the bread has turned a golden brown, it's time to take the toastie out of the pan. This should only take about 6 minutes, but keep a close watch to ensure it doesn't burn.

Finally, let the toastie cool for a couple of minutes before tucking in. This will ensure that the cheese is the perfect, gooey consistency when you take your first bite.

Serve with soup, salad, or pickles

A cheese toastie is a quick and easy meal to make, and it goes well with a variety of side dishes. Here are some ideas for serving your cheese toastie with soup, salad, or pickles:

Soup

A classic pairing for a cheese toastie is soup, especially tomato soup. The creamy, melted cheese and crispy bread go well with the tangy, warm soup. It's a comforting and satisfying combination that's perfect for a quick lunch or dinner. You can also try other types of soup, such as lentil soup or roasted tomato soup, for a different flavour profile.

Salad

If you're looking for something lighter or more refreshing to serve with your cheese toastie, a salad is a great option. Try a baby spinach salad with some added extras such as apple, watercress, or crunchy homemade coleslaw. The sharpness of the spinach pairs well with the saltiness of the cheese, and the crispness of the vegetables provides a nice contrast to the toasted bread.

Pickles

For a tangy and crunchy side dish, serve your cheese toastie with pickles. Pickles provide a nice contrast in texture and flavour to the toastie. You can also try other pickled vegetables, such as pickled cucumbers or onions, for a different taste. Pickles are a great way to add a burst of flavour to your meal and cut through the richness of the cheese.

Cheese toasties are a versatile dish that can be served with a variety of sides. Whether you're looking for something comforting, refreshing, or tangy, there are plenty of options to choose from. Get creative and experiment with different combinations to find your favourite!

Frequently asked questions