When you're in the mood for something savory and cheesy, there is nothing more satisfying than Welsh rarebit. Originally referred to as Welsh rabbit when it was first ever mentioned in print, circa the 1700's, this easy dish remains the perfect marriage of flavor and texture. Essentially, it consists of a rich cheese sauce spooned over well toasted bread. (Usually it is then placed under the broiler until the cheese is bubbly and browned, but I prefer to dive right in while the cheese is still golden and velvety.) An incredibly simple dish, to be sure...but so much more than the sum of its parts.

Welsh rarebit on a white plate next to a blue and white dish towel.

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Ingredients for Welsh Rarebit
Instructions for Welsh Rarebit
Variations
Top tip
Related
Pairing
📖 Recipe

Ingredients for Welsh Rarebit

unsalted butter
all purpose flour
dry English mustard
kosher salt
fresh ground black pepper
ground cayenne pepper
Worcestershire sauce
stout
whole milk
sharp cheddar cheese
egg yolk
sturdy bread

See recipe card for quantities.

Instructions for Welsh Rarebit

Roughly grated cheddar cheese on a white plate next to a box grater.

Begin by coarsely shredding the cheddar cheese using the large holes of a box grater.

Thick sliced rustic bread sitting on a cutting board next to a bread knife.

Then cut the bread into thick slices.

Butter melting in a small steel saucepan on the stove.

In a small heavy saucepan, melt the butter over medium-low heat.

Melted butter and flour being whisked together in a small steel saucepan on the stove.

Then whisk in the flour and cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture is bubbling and foaming, about 2 to 3 minutes.

Dry mustard, salt, and pepper being tipped from a small glass bowl into a small steel saucepan containing a pale yellow mixture and a whisk.

Add the dry mustard, salt, pepper, cayenne, and Worcestershire sauce, whisking until smooth.

Dark brown liquid in a glass measuring cup being held over a small steel saucepan containing a tan mixture and a whisk.

Add the stout and whisk to combine.

White liquid being poured from a glass measuring cup into a small steel saucepan containing a brown mixture and a whisk.

Then add the milk and whisk again to combine.

Grated cheddar cheese being whisked into a tan mixture in a small steel saucepan.

Gradually add the shredded cheese, whisking constantly after each addition, until it is thoroughly melted and the mixture is smooth.

Egg yolk being tipped from a small glass bowl into a small steel saucepan containing a tan mixture and a whisk.

Add the egg yolk and whisk until well incorporated. Continue to cook, whisking occasionally, for 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat.

Toasted bread on a white plate next to a blue and white dish towel.

Toast the bread slices until golden brown.

Then spoon the cheese mixture over the toasted bread and serve immediately.

Hint: When it comes to finding a "good" whisk for making Welsh rarebit, it is helpful to choose one that will easily reach into the edges of your saucepan. In other words, a balloon whisk isn't really the best choice here, but a ball whisk is perfect for the job.

Variations

Welsh rarebit is a very simple dish, but there is always room for a little variation to suit your tastes (or the current contents of your cupboards):

Dry English Mustard...If you don't have the dry variety on hand, any English style mustard will do.
Stout...This is definitely my favorite choice when it comes to the beer element of this dish, but a porter or another dark ale are also excellent choices here.
Whole Milk...If you'd prefer your Welsh rarebit on the richer side, you can certainly substitute heavy whipping cream for the milk.
Sharp Cheddar...Another cheese that works particularly well in this dish is lancashire.

Top tip

Some recipes for Welsh rarebit do not include any egg yolk. And you could certainly omit it, if you must. However, I strongly recommend indulging in this final little flourish. A sunny bit of egg yolk not only brightens the color of the cheese mixture, it also imparts a lovely dimension of extra richness.

Looking for more easy comfort food recipes that lean heavy on the cheese? Try these:

Pairing

Apart from a simple glass of stout, these are my favorite drinks to enjoy alongside a plate of Welsh rarebit:

📖 Recipe

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Welsh Rarebit

Course Light Dinner, Snack

Cuisine Welsh

Keyword classic, comfort food, easy, quick, rich, vegetarian

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 15

Total Time 20

Servings 2 servings

Equipment

box grater
small heavy saucepan
good whisk

Ingredients

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
1 teaspoon dry English mustard
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
dash ground cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
¼ cup stout
½ cup whole milk
6 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, coarsely grated (about 1½ cups)
1 large egg yolk
4 thick slices sturdy bread, toasted until golden brown

Instructions

In a small heavy saucepan, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Then whisk in the flour and cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture is bubbling and foaming, about 2 to 3 minutes.
Add the dry mustard, salt, pepper, cayenne, and Worcestershire sauce, whisking until smooth.
Add the stout and whisk to combine. Then add the milk and whisk again to combine.
Gradually add the shredded cheese, whisking constantly after each addition, until it is thoroughly melted and the mixture is smooth.
Add the egg yolk and whisk until well incorporated. Continue to cook, whisking occasionally, for 2 to 3 minutes.
Spoon the cheese mixture over the toasted bread and serve immediately.