Egg and Cheese Toasts
Egg and Cheese Toasts are a quick snack or side that you’ll want to make again and again. They’re ultra-easy to throw together using your toaster oven (or air fryer) and perfect for dunking in soup or pairing with a crisp green salad.
If you can’t get enough easy egg recipes, try this egg toast (it’s like Egg-in-a-Hole) or muffin tin frittatas next.
Barely a recipe, these egg and cheese toasts are so much fun! I originally stumbled across them in my favorite cookbook Vegetarian Cooking For Everyone by Deborah Madison.
The egg is what makes these toasts different from your basic cheesy toast. It’s lightly beaten and combined with shredded cheese.
As everything bakes on the toast, the egg lightens up the cheese. Making it less gooey and more puffed and golden. Sounds delicious right? It is!
Ingredient Notes
Sliced Bread: Any heartier sandwich bread will work. We’ve used sourdough, whole wheat, and rye bread. Avoid slices with large holes as the egg mixture will just fall through them and onto the pan.
Shredded Cheese: Cheddar, pepper jack, or gruyere are good options. Or you can try mixing two types of cheese together like mozzarella and parmesan.
How to Make Egg and Cheese Toasts
1. Start by lightly toasting the bread or broiling for 1 to 2 minutes on each side.
2. Then preheat the oven to 400°F. If using a toaster oven, adjust the cooking rack to the bottom placement and select the BAKE setting.
3. While the oven heats up, add the egg to a small bowl and beat with a fork until the yolk and white are combined. Stir in the cheese, fresh herbs, and a few pinches of salt and black pepper.
4. Spread the mixture over the bread all the way to the crusts. Then sprinkle them with cayenne powder. The cayenne adds a hint of spice and beautiful red color.
5. Bake until the cheese and egg mixture is puffed, bubbly, and starting to brown about 10 to 12 minutes.
How do you make egg and cheese toast in an air fryer?
- Preheat the Air Fryer to 340°F.
- Skip pre-toasting the bread, prep the egg and cheese mixture, and spread it across the bread slices.
- Carefully add the topped bread to the warm air fryer basket.
- Air Fry at 340°F until the bread is toasted and the eggy mixture is golden, puffed, and cooked through about 8 to 10 minutes.
- Let rest for a few minutes then add your favorite toppings and devour!
Since all air fryers are a little different and things like the size or type of bread might affect how the toast cooks, check on it early and adjust the cooking time as needed.
Cheese Toast Variations
The toasts are great on their own but also incredibly versatile and easy to customize with any type of bread, cheese, and seasonings you want. Think of them like blank savory canvases for all of your favorite toppings!
Below you’ll find our basic recipe plus a few flavor variations we think you might enjoy.
1. Faux-Monsieur
- Use Gruyere for the cheese.
- Spread the toasted bread with dijon mustard, and add a layer of veggie sandwich slices (we used Tofurky Smoked Deli Slices). Then bake as directed.
- *This rich and decadent toast was inspired by a reader named Ron who generously shares his cheesy creations with us 🙂
2. Tomato Toast
- Use a combination of shredded mozzarella and parmesan cheeses tossed with Italian seasoning.
- Once baked, layer the toast with tomato slices and sprinkle with oregano, salt, and pepper.
- Add a drizzle of balsamic glaze if you’re feeling extra.
3. Honey Apple Walnut
This sweet and savory combo is the perfect way to start the day! To make it, bake your cheesy toast as directed in the recipe and top with:
- crisp apple slices
- a generous drizzle of honey
- and a handful of toasted cinnamon walnuts.
Whether you make them as a snack, soup dipper or load them up for a quick breakfast, I hope you love these cheesy toasts as much as we do!
More Cheesy Inspiration
- Toaster Oven Grilled Cheese
- Apple and Havarti Grilled Cheese
- Air Fryer Grilled Cheese
- Jalapeño Popper Grilled Cheese
- Toasted Caprese Sandwich
- Toaster Oven Baked Grilled Cheese
Egg and Cheese Toasts
Enjoy this savory toast as a quick snack or pair with a crisp salad or bowl of soup for a light and delicious lunch.
Ingredients
- 2 Slices Bread
- 1 Large Egg
- 1/2 cup (2 ounces) Grated Cheese, like cheddar, pepper jack, or gruyere
- 1 teaspoon finely chopped Fresh Herbs, like thyme or rosemary
- Salt and Black Pepper
- Pinch Cayenne (optional)
Instructions
- Lightly toast bread or broil for 1 to 2 minutes on each side.
- Preheat oven to 400°F. If using a toaster oven adjust the cooking rack to the bottom placement and select the BAKE setting.
- Crack the egg into a small bowl and beat with a fork until the yolk and white are combined. Mix in the cheese and fresh herbs if using. Add salt and pepper as desired. Spread mixture over the bread all the way to the crusts. Sprinkle with cayenne.
- Bake until the cheese and egg mixture is puffed, bubbly, and starting to brown, about 10 to 12 minutes.
Notes
Air Fryer Directions: Preheat Air Fryer to 340°F. Prep egg mixture and spread across untoasted bread slices. Carefully add to the heated air fryer basket. Air Fry at 340°F until browned, toasted, and cooked through about 8 to 10 minutes.
Adapted from the Baked Cheese on Toast with Wine recipe from Vegetarian Cooking For Everyone.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 2 Serving Size: 1 ToastAmount Per Serving: Calories: 220Total Fat: 12.9gSaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 123mgSodium: 343mgCarbohydrates: 12.5gFiber: 2.1gSugar: 1.9gProtein: 13.9g
This was delicious. I will definitely be making this for all my family. So fast to make and very easy.
Woohoo! Glad to hear it was a winner, Karen! Thanks for taking the time to let us know 🙂
Very very nice…. thank you SO much!
Glad you enjoyed it, Alan! And thanks for taking the time to leave a comment to let us know. 🙂
Happy Cooking!
~ Brie
This is my new favorite snack! Quick, easy, cheap yet so delicious! A drizzle of hot sauce on it is good too! Check the bottoms often they can burn fast while the top isn’t as dark. Have you tried using different variety of breads? Thanks for the amazing recipe!
Our pleasure, Mitch and thank you for taking the time to leave a comment and for your tips!
We tend to use sourdough bread mostly but have done rye and wheat. I’ve been meaning to make a batch using cinnamon raisin bread for a fun savory-sweet combo.
To keep the bottoms from getting too toasty you might want to try moving the pan to the middle rack (if you’ve got multiple rack placements) that way the bread bottoms won’t be as close to the heating elements.
OMG!! These look fabulous, I’m gonna try my hand at making these. Thank you
Thanks so much, Amy, I hope you enjoy them as much as we do! 🙂