Welsh Rarebit
A savoury sauce of cheese, ale and mustard, spread on toast and grilled until bubbling and golden.
AI assistance: the introduction, ingredient list, method, tips and FAQ on this page were drafted with an AI writing tool, working from long-established traditional methods. Named editor who reviewed it: owner to supply How we work
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 10 min
- Total
- 20 min
- Makes
- 4 slices
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Course
- Snack
- Cuisine
- Welsh
Welsh rarebit is far more than cheese on toast: the cheese is melted into a thick sauce with ale, mustard and Worcestershire sauce, then grilled on toast until it blisters. The dish was recorded as "Welsh rabbit" in the early 18th century (there is no rabbit in it). "Rarebit" came later.
Use a well-flavoured hard cheese. A mature Welsh Cheddar is ideal; some cooks mix in Caerphilly for a lighter, crumblier tang.
Ingredients
Cups use the King Arthur Baking ingredient weight chart. Weighing is more accurate.
- 25 g butter
- 25 g plain flour (US: all-purpose flour)
- 150 ml ale or stout, or milk
- 1 tsp English mustard
- 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce, plus extra to serve
- 175 g mature Cheddar, grated
- 1 egg yolk
- ground black pepper
- 4 thick slices of bread, sourdough or a good bloomer
Equipment
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Method
- 1
Melt the butter in a small saucepan over a low heat, stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute, stirring, to make a smooth paste (a roux).
Photo: Roger469 via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0, cropped - 2
Gradually whisk in the ale a little at a time until you have a smooth, thick sauce. Simmer gently for 2 minutes.
Photo: Saintfevrier via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0, cropped - 3
Take the pan off the heat and stir in the grated cheese, mustard and Worcestershire sauce until melted. Beat in the egg yolk and season with pepper. It should be thick enough to spread.
Photo: Annie Mole via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0, cropped - 4
Heat the grill to high. Toast the bread on both sides.
Photo: Unknown authorUnknown author via Wikimedia Commons, Public domain - 5
Spread the cheese mixture thickly over the toast, right to the edges so the crusts don't burn. Grill for 2–3 minutes until bubbling and speckled brown. Serve at once, with an extra dash of Worcestershire sauce.
Photo: Worm That Turned via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped
Tips
Make ahead: the cheese mixture keeps in the fridge for 3 days. Spread it straight from the fridge and grill a minute longer.
Buck rarebit: top each slice with a poached egg.
If it goes wrong
| Problem | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Sauce went stringy or oily | Cheese overheated | Add the cheese off the heat and stir only until melted |
| Topping slid off the toast | Sauce too thin | Cook the roux-and-ale base a little longer, or add more cheese |
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between Welsh rarebit and cheese on toast?
Rarebit is a cooked cheese sauce made with ale, mustard and Worcestershire sauce, spread on toast and grilled.
What is buck rarebit?
Welsh rarebit topped with a poached egg.
Can I make the cheese mixture ahead?
Yes. It keeps in the fridge for 3 days; spread it straight from the fridge and grill a minute longer.
Guides for this recipe
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Card photos: Balloon, spiral and ball whisks, Marie-Lan Nguyen via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.5, cropped; A wooden cooking spoon, Gre123gr via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped; Grating carrot over a salad with a flat grater, Brownretail via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0, cropped; A small stainless steel saucepan with a lid, Cooks & Kitchens from Darlington, UK via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0, cropped; Copper pans and a kettle on an old kitchen range, Silar via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped; A loaf of bara brith on a festive table, James Petts from London, England via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0, cropped; A round of bara planc, Welsh bakestone bread, split and spread with butter and jam, Bake Across Europe via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped; A bowl of meaty Welsh cawl with bread, Worm That Turned via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped. All credits: image credits.