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The classic cheese on toast but with added flavours – Welsh Rarebit – is a comfort food favourite. It’s a simple, quick and easy snack or light lunch.
Picture the scene, cold outside, a good book, a hot cup of tea, now tell me, what’s the perfect savoury snack? A few years ago I may have said cheese on toast (classic! Of course!)
More recently, I’m very happy to report that the delicious variation that is Welsh Rarebit has come into my life, and it is so good.
Cheese, egg, mustard, Worcestershire sauce and beer (yes, you heard that right), all mixed together and melted onto slices of bread and toasted. Heaven and perfect for a chilly afternoon.
Why you’ll love this Welsh Rarebit recipe
⭐️ Quick and easy
⭐️ Comfort food classic
⭐️ Works for breakfast, lunch or dinner
What is Welsh Rarebit?
This is a traditional Welsh dish dating back centuries, said to have come about to fill the tummies of people who couldn’t afford meat, and started out with the tongue-in-cheek name ‘Welsh Rabbit’ (a nod to the fact that there was no rabbit, perhaps?)
It’s essentially elevated cheese on toast, with a thick paste-like cheesy mixture that includes a few other simple but very tasty ingredients. Believe me, it’s totally worth the extra effort!
Welsh Rarebit Ingredients
- Cheese – The best cheese for Welsh Rarebit is mature cheddar, although you could use another strong-ish one. This recipe also works best if you grate the cheese yourself rather than buying pre-grated.
- Egg – An egg give the classic, fluffy texture.
- Beer – You’ll just need 4 tbsp of a dark stout or ale.
- Worcestershire sauce – This adds a rich tang to the flavour.
- English mustard – Just a teaspoon of this gives plenty of flavour.
- Bread – The mixture here makes enough for 4 slices of bread.
- Freshly ground black pepper
How to make Welsh Rarebit
1. Stir the cheese, egg, stout, Worcestershire sauce and mustard together in a bowl, along with a little black pepper, as per the full recipe below.
2. Toast the bread under the grill on each side, then spread the mixture on the toast and grill until bubbling and golden brown on top.
Leftovers
In the fridge The cheese mixture will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days, ready for when you want a slice!
Best Beer for Welsh Rarebit
Dark malty beers make the most flavourful rarebit but it will work with any beer you have in at home already too.
Welsh Rarebit with beer vs without
A little adds a lovely flavour and is a more traditional Welsh Rarebit recipe, however if you’re making this for children or you simply don’t want to use alcohol, you can swap this for milk instead.
More comfort food classics…
Comfort Food
How to make the PERFECT Jacket Potato
Soup
Chicken Soup
Vegetarian
Cheese and Onion Pasties {Greggs Style}
Comfort Food
Bubble and Squeak
FAQ
This would be delicious with some salad on the side and some chutney. If you want a larger meal, you could serve it alongside some soup, or if it’s brunch, how about some bacon?
Let me know how you got on and what you thought of these recipes. Please rate the recipe using the ⭐️ below.
Also I’d LOVE to see your cooking creations. If you’d like to share yours with me, you can tag me on Instagram (@tamingtwins).
Welsh Rarebit {Easy Classic}
Ingredients
- 200 g (7 oz) Mature cheddar cheese, Grated
- 1 Egg
- 4 tbsp Dark stout or ale
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp English mustard
- 4 Thick slices of bread
- Freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Heat the grill to high.
- Stir the cheese, egg, stout, Worcestershire sauce and mustard together in a bowl, along with a little black pepper.
- Toast the bread, under the grill, for a few minutes on each side then spread the mixture on the toast and grill for 2-3 minutes until bubbling and golden brown on top.
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Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation. Nutritional values are per portion unless otherwise stated.
This post was originally published on December 24, 2025 and updated later to make improvements.
Quick and easy!
Thanks.
Glad you enjoyed it Jodi!
Can’t wait to make this at home – it’s been a long time since I had this but I’ve always loved it too. Thanks for bringing it back Sarah!