Welsh rarebit in the air fryer is the British pub classic that turns four slices of country bread into a warm, filling lunch. It is not an ordinary cheese sandwich with a slice of cheese on top. The bread gets a thick layer of roux-based cheese sauce made from mature cheddar, dark beer, strong mustard and Worcestershire sauce, which is browned until the surface bubbles and takes on golden-brown patches.
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The whole dish is ready in 23 minutes. Fifteen of those go on grating the cheese and stirring the sauce together in a saucepan, and the air fryer only has to work for 8 minutes at 200 °C. The result is crisp bread, a creamy, spiced cheese topping and far more flavour than the short ingredient list promises.
Estimated reading time: 4 minutes
Table of Contents
Why I love Welsh rarebit in the air fryer
I have a weakness for dishes where a few cheap ingredients turn into something that tastes like far more. Welsh rarebit is a textbook example: bread, cheese, butter, flour and a splash of beer. The dark beer gives the sauce a malty depth, mustard and Worcestershire sauce add acidity and umami, and a pinch of cayenne pepper warms things up in the background without making the dish spicy.
In the air fryer I can both toast the bread and brown the cheese in the same basket, without switching on the oven grill. The circulating hot air gives a crisp bread that can carry the heavy cheese layer. That makes the dish a natural choice for a weekend lunch or a light dinner when the fridge is half empty.
Welsh rabbit with no rabbit and no ham
The dish was originally called Welsh rabbit, even though there has never been any rabbit in it. The name most likely began as a joke, and rarebit is a later spelling, which is the most common today. Nor should the dish be confused with a croque monsieur. There is neither ham nor a folded sandwich here, just an open slice of toasted bread with a spiced cheese sauce.
My kitchen test of Welsh rarebit
I tested the dish in my Cosori Dual Blaze at 200 °C fan. First I toast the four slices of country bread for 3 minutes, turning them after 2, so both sides turn lightly golden and crisp. Then I spread the cheese sauce on in a thick layer, almost all the way to the edge, and brown it for 5 minutes. That makes 8 minutes in the air fryer, and together with 15 minutes of preparation I end up at 23 minutes from start to serving.
The Dual Blaze has heating elements both above and below in the same basket, and you can feel the difference here: the underside of the bread stays crisp while the cheese bubbles on top. I keep a close eye on it for the last minute, because cheddar goes quickly from golden brown to too dark. The slices need to sit in a single layer, so in a smaller air fryer I make them in two batches. After resting for 1 minute, the cheese layer has set, and the slices can be lifted out with a spatula.
Let the beer roux simmer until it pulls away from the bottom of the saucepan before the cheese is stirred in, and give the finished sauce a few minutes to cool. A thick sauce stays on the bread, a thin one runs down into the basket.
Tips and tricks from the author: Morten Jensen
Common mistakes and how to avoid them
The most common mistake is a sauce that is too thin. If it has not simmered down, it runs over the edge while it browns, so let it get very thick, and let it cool a little before it goes on the bread. The next mistake is letting the sauce boil after the cheese has been stirred in. It can split then, which is why the cheddar should be melted over a low heat and added in two batches. The third mistake is skipping the toasting. Bread that has not been toasted on both sides first soaks up the sauce and turns soft, so give the slices their 3 minutes in the basket before the cheese layer goes on.
How to serve Welsh rarebit
The rich cheese needs something tangy and fresh on the side. Here is what I most often put on the table:
- A crisp green salad with a tangy dressing
- Tomatoes in wedges or slices
- Pickled gherkins, which add acidity to the rich cheese
- A few drops of Worcestershire sauce on top just before serving
- A glass of the same dark beer you used in the sauce
Storage and reheating
Welsh rarebit is best on the same day, while the bread is crisp and the cheese is soft. Leftovers keep for 1-2 days in the fridge if they are covered. Reheat them in the air fryer at 160 °C for 3-5 minutes, so the cheese turns warm and soft again. The dish is not suitable for freezing.
Welsh rarebit in the air fryer shows that a cheese sandwich can be much more than bread and cheese. With a thick sauce, toasted bread and 8 minutes in the basket, you have a British classic on the table. Try it the next time lunch needs to be warm and a little out of the ordinary.
FAQ
Use a strong, mature cheddar, which melts well and can still be tasted through the beer and mustard. A dark beer such as porter, stout or brown ale works best, as it gives the sauce a malty depth.
Yes. Swap the dark beer for alcohol-free dark beer or milk if you want to avoid alcohol or prefer a milder version. The method is the same.
The dish contains no meat, but classic Worcestershire sauce typically contains anchovies. Choose a Worcestershire sauce without anchovies if you want the dish to be fully vegetarian.
Recipe
Welsh rarebit in the Air Fryer
Cooking Guide
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Airfryer size
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Shopping list
Ingredients
How to make it
Preparation
- Grate 200 g cheddar on the coarse side of a grater.
- Melt 25 g butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in 25 g plain flour, and cook the roux for 1 minute, stirring constantly, without letting it take on any colour.
- Whisk in 1 dl dark beer a little at a time, so the sauce stays smooth and free of lumps. Let it simmer for 2 minutes, whisking, until it is very thick and pulls away from the bottom of the saucepan.
- Turn the heat down to low, and stir in the grated cheddar in two batches with a cooking spoon, until the cheese has melted and the sauce is smooth and glossy. Do not let the sauce boil once the cheese is in, as it can split.
Cooking in the air fryer
- Preheat the air fryer to 200 °C fan.
- Place 4 slices country bread in a single layer in the basket, and toast them at 200 °C for 3 minutes. Turn the slices after 2 minutes, so both sides turn lightly golden and crisp.
- Take the bread out, and spread the cheese sauce on top in a thick, even layer with a spoon. Spread it almost all the way to the edge, so the crust does not get too dark while the cheese browns.
- Put the slices back in the basket in a single layer, and cook them at 200 °C for 5 minutes, until the cheese layer is bubbling and has golden-brown patches. Keep an eye on them for the last minute, so the cheese does not get too dark.
Serving
- Lift the slices out with a spatula, and let them rest for 1 minute, so the cheese layer sets. Serve them warm.
Our notes for the recipe
The sauce needs to be really thick before it goes on the bread, otherwise it will run off while the cheese browns. Let it simmer down well before the cheese is stirred in, and give it a few minutes to cool. Toast the bread on both sides first, so it stays crisp under the cheese layer. Variation:
Swap the dark beer for alcohol-free dark beer or milk if you want a milder version or want to avoid alcohol altogether. If you want the dish to be fully vegetarian, choose a Worcestershire sauce without anchovies. Serving:
Serve Welsh rarebit with a crisp green salad, tomatoes or pickled gherkins, which add acidity to the rich cheese. A few drops of Worcestershire sauce on top just before serving is entirely classic. Portion size:
The slices need to sit in a single layer in the basket. If your air fryer is smaller, you can make the dish in two batches. The sauce can easily stand at room temperature in the meantime. About the dish:
Welsh rarebit was originally called Welsh rabbit, but there has never been any rabbit in the dish. It consists of toasted bread with a spiced cheese sauce and is made without ham, so it should not be confused with a croque monsieur.
Your notes for the recipe
Nutrition per serving (Guideline)
Important about shelf life and nutrition
Nutrition per serving (guideline): Calculations are based on data from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Shelf life (guideline): Shelf life data is provided, as far as possible, by public institutions, including national food authorities. Our information is therefore only indicative, and it is your responsibility to obtain and calculate accurate information about shelf life and nutrition for all recipes on airfryerkogebogen.dk
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