Traditional Welsh Rarebit Recipe - Culinary Ginger (2024)

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Traditional Welsh Rarebit Recipe is an open-faced grilled cheese or cheese on toast. Toasted bread slices are topped with a savory cheese sauce made from beer, cheese, butter, mustard, then browned in the oven to golden, bubbly perfection. This may just be the tastiest grilled cheese ever!

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This easy, comfort food is basically a grown-up grilled cheese made with with beer, mustard and cheese. What’s not to love?

As a kid, cheese on toast, as we Brits call it, was one of my favorites things to eat. It was also a meal when my parents were out that I could make myself. Then I met Welsh rarebit.

What is the difference between cheese on toast (grilled cheese) and Welsh rarebit?

Cheese on toast is just that, cheese melted on top of bread. A grilled cheese is cheese melted between 2 slices of bread cooked in a pan. Welsh rarebit is a toasted slice of bread topped with a cheese and beer sauce and broiled/grilled until the top is bubbly.

Why do they call it Welsh Rarebit?

In Welsh it is called Mochyn Du.The recipe is over 2 centuries old and common in Southern and Western England and the rarebit/rabbit part is the cheese sauce that is poured over toasted bread.

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Welsh Rarebit origin is a little sketchy, but it is said the dish was a way to highlight the Welsh wheat bread and cheese. Some say that toasted cheese is so popular in Wales that it spread like rabbits, others say only the wealthiest of people could afford to eat rabbit, so they alternative ‘Welsh rarebit’ was born. A much more appetizing name I think and since there is no rabbit in the dish, a more befitting name.

The best bread for Welsh rarebit

A good, hearty, thick sliced bread is optimal for this recipe. A bread that can hold up to the weight of the cheese sauce and not turn soggy on you. Sourdough or grain bread are all good choices.

Welsh rarebit without beer

If you don’t want to serve beer to your kids, you can substitute the beer for milk.

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What do you serve with Welsh Rarebit?

I serve this Welsh Rarebit with a side of Warm Cherry Tomato and Basil Salad. You can also serve with a simple lettuce salad or a vegetable of your choice.

National Welsh Rarebit Day

Yes, it has a National Day and falls on 3rd September every year. I don’t know why, but there seems to be a National holiday for just about any food and dish, so why not.

Welsh Rarebit Cheese

A good sharp white cheddar is best for this recipe. If you can find a Welsh cheddar, even better. A grocery store with a large cheese department will most likely have white Welsh cheddar. I found it at my Kroger store. I have also seen it Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s.

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Leftover cheese sauce

Sometimes when I make this, I have sauce leftover. It keeps well in a sealed container refrigerated for up to 4 days. Then you can enjoy Welsh rarebit for days.

Traditional Welsh Rarebit Recipe – Step by Step

Toast bread slices until browned on both sides.

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Melt butter in a saucepan until bubbling.

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Whisk flour into the melted butter and cook for 1 minute to cook out the flour taste.

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Whisk dark ale, Worcestershire sauce and mustard powder into the flour mix.

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Add white sharp cheddar cheese and stir until completely melted and smooth.

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Spread the cheese sauce onto the slices of toasted bread. Broil until melted, brown and bubbly.

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If you’ve tried this Traditional Welsh Rarebit Recipe or any other recipe on the blog then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how it turned out in the comments below. I love to hear from my readers!

Yield: 4

Traditional Welsh Rarebit Recipe

Traditional Welsh Rarebit Recipe - Culinary Ginger (11)

A thick slice of bread is topped with a savory cheese sauce made from beer, cheese, butter, mustard and broiled to bubbly perfection.

Prep Time5 minutes

Cook Time15 minutes

Total Time20 minutes

Ingredients

  • 4 slices thick bread
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • ⅓ cup (79 ml) dark beer/ale, room temperature
  • ¾ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 teaspoon mustard powder
  • 2 cups/8 ounces (226 grams ) aged/mature/sharp white cheddar cheese, grated

Instructions

  1. Toast the bread on both sides.
  2. To a saucepan, add the butter over medium heat.When the butter is melted and sizzling, whisk in the flour and cook for a minute. Continue whisking until the flour is well mixed and not lumpy.
  3. Slowly pour in the ale while whisking, then the Worcestershire sauce and mustard powder. Use a spatula and stir in the cheese until it is completely melted and the sauce is smooth.
  4. Remove from the heat and transfer to a bowl to slightly cool and thicken.
  5. Preheat broiler (oven grill).
  6. Spread the cheese sauce on all of the slices of bread. Broil until bubbly and browned. Serve immediately

Nutrition Information

Yield

4

Serving Size

1

Amount Per ServingCalories 409Total Fat 27gSaturated Fat 15gTrans Fat 1gUnsaturated Fat 9gCholesterol 76mgSodium 564mgCarbohydrates 21gFiber 1gSugar 2gProtein 17g

This nutrition calculation is provided by Nutronix that is only a guideline and not intended for any particular diet.

Traditional Welsh Rarebit Recipe - Culinary Ginger (2024)

FAQs

What is the difference between Welsh rarebit and Scottish rarebit? ›

Scottish Rarebit started with buttered, toasted bread. Slices of cheese were placed on top to be broiled. Welsh Rarebit was similar to the Scottish version only the bread had both butter and mustard. There have been several versions added over the years.

How do you make James Martin Welsh rarebit? ›

Put the cheese, mustard, Worcester sauce and Tabasco sauce in and stir until melted. Beat in the egg yolks and flour and gently cook for a further 2 minutes. Evenly spoon over the bread and bacon then spoon the cheese mix all over and bake for 5 minutes until golden and bubbly.

What can I use instead of beer in Welsh rarebit? ›

You can use your favorite local beer, mustard, and any strong Cheddar cheese in this recipe. If you don't like beer, you can replace it with milk; it will still taste great! This traditional Welsh rarebit recipe is comfort food at its best.

What is Welsh rarebit made of? ›

Cheese on toast is made by grilling slices of pure cheese on toasted bread whereas welsh rarebit is a grilled cheese based sauce made from cheese, flour, beer and often added egg.

Is Welsh rarebit discontinued? ›

We've discontinued our Welsh Rarebit, Robert. We're glad you enjoyed it though and will take note that you'd like to see it back!

What is another name for Welsh rarebit? ›

The original 18th-century name of the dish was the jocular "Welsh rabbit", which was later reinterpreted as "rarebit", as the dish contains no rabbit. Variants include English rabbit, Scotch rabbit, buck rabbit, golden buck, and blushing bunny.

What is a Welsh toastie? ›

Toastie Welsh Rarebit! Rich cheesy sauce served with slices of toasted bread with a salad of nettles, alexanders, sea radish and sorrels dressed with vinaigrette.

What kind of beer is best for Welsh rarebit? ›

The type of beer used in Welsh rarebit can be a contentious subject; some prefer the bold flavor of a porter, while some like the more subtle bitterness of a brown ale.

What is Welsh Buck or elegant rarebit? ›

Classic Welsh, Buck Rarebit or Elegance. Elegance being Classic Welsh with addition of poached egg and rashers of bacon. Buck being just the egg added. Which ever you have you will not be dissappointed.

What is the best beer to use in Welsh rarebit? ›

A lighter ale would work nicely, as would a brown ale. I've also seen recipes that use darker porter beers. Often eaten as a main course or high tea, Welsh rarebit makes a light, yet filling meal when served alongside a nice green salad.

What is elegant rarebit? ›

An indulgent twist on the more traditional Welsh Rarebit. This savoury treat is expertly made by combining our West Country Farmhouse Cheddar with Worcestershire sauce, mustard, a whole egg and a drop of Fortnum's Ale with dry-cured bacon. A favourite in our restaurants.

What is a Welsh rarebit in France? ›

"Le Welsh" (Welsh rarebit or rabbit) is a dish often found on the menus of brasseries in the North, especially near the coast. This old substitute dish originated in Wales and, according to the "legend", came to the Opal Coast during the 1st World War.

What are the different types of rarebit? ›

There are, in fact, three types of rabbit/rarebit: Welsh, English and Scottish.

What does Welsh rarebit taste like? ›

The Cheese Sauce

“It's typically a cheese sauce, like a bechamel or mornay, and you can flavor it from that point however you wish.” Common inclusions in recipes for rarebit are elements that deepen and enhance the cheese sauce flavor such as beer, Worcestershire, mustard, cayenne, or nutmeg.

What is cheese on toast called in Scotland? ›

The perfect Burns Night dish if you're short on time Credit: Liz & Max Haarala Hamilton. Welsh rabbit and rarebit are the same dish – hot cheese served on toast – but the original 18th-century name was supposed to be a joke (there was no rabbit in it at all) so it became known as rarebit.

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