10-Minute Welsh Rarebit Recipe – Easy Cheese Toast, Perfect Comfort Food!

Welsh Rarebit (aka Welsh Rabbit) is a classic British dish of smooth, velvety, and savory cheese sauce that’s broiled on toasted bread. It’s hearty, satisfying comfort food that whips up in just 10 minutes.

The first time I heard of Welsh Rarebit (aka Welsh Rabbit) was in 2010. I was at the library with my then 6-year-old niece for our regular Saturday “girls’ day out” after grabbing a hot cocoa at Tim Hortons. She was happily playing her favorite game on the computer – Miss Spider – and I was contentedly thumbing through a stack of old cookbooks.

It was then that I happened on a recipe for a dish called “Welsh Rabbit”. I had heard of it before, but I never knew exactly what it was. I always assumed it was rabbit stew or something similar. And because I wasn’t too keen on the idea of eating bunny I never explored the recipe any further.

After reading the recipe in that old cookbook, I was surprised to find that it didn’t include rabbit or meat of any kind. Actually, it looked quite delicious. Welsh Rarebit is basically fondue on toast!

I’ve been making different versions of this dish since then. Sometimes I’ll top it with a poached egg. Other times I’ll wilt some greens like spinach or kale and use them as a bed for the cheese sauce. I’ve played with the type of beer and used lager (light-colored beer) instead of a dark ale. It’s always delicious.

Is Welsh Rarebit the Same as Cheese on Toast?

Well, yes and no.

It is cheese on toast, but not just plain cheese on toast.

It’s a delicious thick and creamy savory cheese sauce on toast.

And the sauce makes all the difference! It’s smooth, rich, creamy, and packed with flavor.

What is Welsh Rarebit?

Also called Welsh Rabbit, this classic British dish is comprised of a complex-flavored velvety-smooth cheese sauce on toasted bread.

The sauce is magic.

It starts out with a roux (butter + flour) and then has a liquid added. Typically, a dark ale is used, but you can also use a lager (a lighter colored beer) or even milk. Spices and seasonings commonly include some form of mustard (like mustard powder or Dijon mustard), Worcestershire sauce, and paprika and/or cayenne pepper. And then lots and lots of cheese!

My favorite cheese to use for Welsh Rabbit is sharp white cheddar. But use what feels right to you.

Also, I like to add a splash of heavy whipping cream at the end to make the cheese sauce extra smooth, but this is optional.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Fast. You’re just 10 minutes away from the best cheese toast of your life.
• Affordable. It’s mostly made of bread and cheese. And you can even use day-old bread since it’s toasted anyway.
• Forgiving. You can use any type of bread you have on hand and whatever kind of cheese you think will be good. I’ve also swapped out the porter for lager, or milk, or chicken stock and had great results each time.

The Best Easy Welsh Rarebit Recipe

Ingredients

Beer Cheese Sauce:

• Unsalted butter
• All-purpose flour
• Porter beer (dark ale)
• Worcestershire sauce
• Dried mustard powder
• Onion powder
• Salt and black pepper
• Cayenne pepper (optional)
• Sharp white cheddar
• Heavy whipping cream

Other:

• Sliced sourdough or rye bread
• Minced fresh chives

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Add the butter to a medium saucepan over medium heat. Once melted, whisk in the flour.
2. Continue cooking for 30 seconds.
3. Add the porter, whisking until smooth, and bring to a boil (about 10 seconds).
4. Stir in the Worcestershire, dried mustard powder, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper.
5. Whisk in the shredded cheddar a handful at a time until melted and well-combined.
6. Remove from the heat and whisk in the cream until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
7. Place the toasted bread slices on a baking tray. Drizzle the cheese on top of the toast.
8. Broil until the cheese is light golden (stay with it, this happens fast). Sprinkle the chives on top and serve warm.

What to Serve with Welsh Rarebit

• Cherry tomatoes (fresh or try roasted tomatoes with balsamic and garlic)
• Salad greens dressed with vinaigrette (make the best salad dressing recipe)
• Garlic Roasted Mushrooms
• Creamy Brussels Sprouts Salad

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xoxo, Faith

10-Minute Welsh Rarebit Recipe (aka Welsh Rabbit)

By: Faith Gorsky

Welsh Rarebit (aka Welsh Rabbit) is a classic British dish of smooth, velvety, and savory cheese sauce that’s broiled on toasted bread. It’s hearty, satisfying comfort food that whips up in just 10 minutes.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 5 minutes mins

Course Lunch

Cuisine British

Servings 4 servings

Calories 459 kcal

Ingredients

 

US CustomaryMetric

 

1x2x3x

Beer Cheese Sauce:

• ▢ 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• ▢ 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• ▢ 3/4 cup porter beer dark ale, at room temperature
• ▢ 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• ▢ 1 teaspoon ground mustard powder
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• ▢ 1/4 teaspoon salt
• ▢ 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• ▢ 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper optional
• ▢ 6 ounces sharp white cheddar shredded
• ▢ 2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream

Other:

• ▢ 4 large slices sourdough bread toasted lightly
• ▢ 1 tablespoon minced fresh chives for garnish

Instructions

 

Beer Cheese Sauce:

• Add the butter to a medium saucepan over medium heat. Once melted, whisk in the flour and continue cooking for 30 seconds.
• Add the porter, whisking until smooth, and bring to a boil (about 10 seconds).
• Stir in the Worcestershire, dried mustard powder, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper.
• Whisk in the shredded cheddar a handful at a time until melted and well-combined.
• Remove from the heat and whisk in the cream until the mixture is smooth and creamy.

To Make the Cheese Toast:

• Preheat the broiler.
• Place the toasted bread slices on a baking tray. Drizzle the cheese on top of the toast.
• Broil until the cheese is light golden (stay with it, this happens fast).
• Sprinkle the chives on top and serve warm.

Faith’s Tips

• To Make This Without Beer: Omit the beer and use milk, vegetable stock, or chicken stock instead. Add 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice along with the spices.
• If You Need Less Than 4 Servings: You can make the cheese sauce and just pour it onto 1 slice of toast and broil it. Store the leftover cheese sauce in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. You don’t have to reheat the leftover cheese sauce; simply spread it on toast (it will be thick) and broil.

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

10-Minute Welsh Rarebit Recipe (aka Welsh Rabbit)

Amount Per Serving

Calories 459 Calories from Fat 225

% Daily Value*

Fat 25g38%

Saturated Fat 14g88%

Trans Fat 0.2g

Polyunsaturated Fat 1g

Monounsaturated Fat 6g

Cholesterol 66mg22%

Sodium 851mg37%

Potassium 156mg4%

Carbohydrates 40g13%

Fiber 2g8%

Sugar 4g4%

Protein 18g36%

Vitamin A 773IU15%

Vitamin C 1mg1%

Calcium 348mg35%

Iron 3mg17%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Keyword Cheese Toast, Welsh Rabbit, Welsh Rarebit, Welsh Rarebit Recipe

Tried this recipe?Let me know how it was!

This post was first published on An Edible Mosaic on February 9, 2010. I updated it with more information on October 6, 2022.