Crispy Cheese Toast

This cheese toast recipe is the one that finally gave me my childhood Sizzler Texas toast moment at home - crispy bottom, bubbling cheese on top, all on thick bread that holds up under the weight of all three cheeses. One hot sheet pan trick is all it takes, and it is ready before your coffee gets cold.

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This cheese toast recipe is what I think about when I remember the Texas toast we used to get at Sizzler when I was a kid. Thick, golden and cheesy, and I take mine just a little bit over the top in the best way. You can have it on the table in 20 minutes, start to finish, with bread you probably already have and cheese you may have rattling around in the drawer in your fridge.

This cheesy toast is easy enough to throw together on a weekday morning but good enough to eat as a quick snack or serve as cheesy garlic toast for dinner. I have made it both ways and neither version sticks around very long. If you love a good bread-forward breakfast, my creamy ricotta scrambled eggs were made for a moment like this.

What Is Cheese Toast?

Cheese toast is exactly what it sounds like: a thick slice of bread, a generous layer of cheese on top, and heat that turns it into something crispy and golden underneath with bubbly, browned cheese on top.

What is it not? It is not, as the Brits call it, a cheese toastie, or grilled cheese in America. This is not a cheese sandwich. This is not buttered toast with a few shreds of cheese melted on top. This is a proper, generous, stands-on-its-own kind of toast that works at breakfast, brunch, lunch, or dinner. This is your new obsession.

Why you'll love this recipe

• Crispy - The hot sheet pan method crisps the buttered bottom from the moment the bread hits the pan.
• Cheesy - Three cheeses give you the stretch of mozzarella, the sharpness of Parmesan, and the deep savory flavor of Romano all in one bite. Or choose your cheesy weapon.
• Simple - A few ingredients, one bowl, one pan, and 20 minutes.
• Versatile - Serve it for breakfast, turn it into cheesy garlic toast for dinner, or pair it with a salad for lunch.
• Crowd Friendly - Four thick slices come together at the same time. Or double the recipe and make two pans. You'll eat them.

Ingredients & Substitutions

Here is a look at what you need to make this crispy cheese toast. It's not much. Let's go over a few of the important ones and where you can make changes if needed.

• Bread - Thick-cut bread is key. It needs to be sturdy enough to hold up under a generous layer of cheese without getting floppy. I use my homemade sandwich bread, which is exactly the right thickness for this. Texas toast from the store works beautifully too.
• Mozzarella - Shredded mozzarella gives you that stretchy, melty pull when you bite in. Pre-shredded works fine here.
• Parmesan and Romano - These two bring the depth of flavor. Finely grated is the move - it blends into the mixture more smoothly and browns beautifully on top. If you can only find one, use Parmesan.
• Other cheeses - All that being said, use whatever cheese you like for your cheese toast. It is just that - your cheese toast.
• Mayonnaise - I want to say this clearly: this is not mayo toast. The mayo is doing a specific job here. It binds the cheeses together into a spreadable mixture and helps the top get that gorgeous, even golden brown. Do not skip it and do not reduce it. I tested as many times three tablespoons for four slices is exactly right.
• Butter - Softened butter goes on the bottom of the bread before it hits the hot pan. This is what gives you that crispy, golden underside that makes the whole thing so perfect. Of course you can use margarine or your favorite vegan butter.

See recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.

Variations

Once you have made this once, you are going to start thinking about ways to take it in different directions. Here are a few I love:

• Cheesy Garlic Toast - Add ¼ to ½ teaspoon garlic powder to the cheese mixture, or finely grate one small clove of fresh garlic directly into the mayo before mixing. This version is unbelievable alongside pasta or soup.
• Spicy - Mix in a pinch of spices like red pepper flakes or a little smoked paprika.
• Herb forward - Add finely chopped fresh basil or chives along with the parsley at the end.
• Extra cheesy - Add a small handful of shredded sharp cheddar cheese to the mix for a slightly different flavor profile.

The Hot Sheet Pan Method

This is what separates this crispy cheese toast from every other version you may have tried. You preheat the sheet pan right along with the oven at 400°F. When you are ready to bake, you pull that hot pan out and place the bread directly on it, buttered side of the bread down.

The moment that cold bread touches the hot metal, the butter starts to sizzle and the toasting begins before the bread even goes back in the oven. By the time the cheese is bubbly and starting to brown on top, the bottom is already a beautiful deep golden brown, and so crispy!

Do not skip this step. It makes all the difference. There are a lot of breakfast and brunch recipes that use a hot pan method for crispy results, like my accordion potatoes and my roasted potatoes and this one belongs right alongside all of them.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Follow these simple steps and you will have crispy, cheesy, golden toast on the table in about 20 minutes.

Step 1: Place a large sheet pan in the oven and preheat to 400°F. Let the pan heat up the entire time the oven preheats - this is not optional.

Step 2: Spread a thin, even layer of softened butter over one side of each slice of bread. Place the slices buttered side down on a piece of parchment paper or foil while you make the topping.

Step 3: In a medium bowl, combine the shredded mozzarella, Parmesan, Romano, and mayonnaise. Stir until the cheeses are evenly coated and the mixture holds together and is spreadable.

Step 4: Divide the cheese mixture evenly between the four slices of bread, about half a cup per slice. Spread it all the way to the edges. Every edge.

Step 5: Carefully pull the hot sheet pan out of the oven. Transfer the bread slices directly onto the hot pan, buttered side down. Work quickly and carefully - that pan is very hot.

Step 6: Bake for about 15 minutes, or until the bottoms are crisp and deeply golden and the cheese on top is melted, bubbling, and beginning to brown in spots. If you want more browning, put it under the broiler just for a minute. It can go from perfect to burnt quickly.

Finish: Remove from the oven and sprinkle lightly with flaky sea salt and a little finely chopped fresh parsley. Serve immediately. 

What to Serve with Cheese Toast for Breakfast

I love to serve this with my ricotta eggs and crispy prosciutto. I crumble a little prosciutto on my cheese toast, pile on some soft scrambled eggs, and it is the best open face breakfast sandwich situation. Texture and flavor are out of bounds!

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