There are some foods that don’t need to be complicated to be delicious. A slice of bread, plenty of melted cheese, a little heat, and a few minutes are all it takes to create one of the simplest comfort foods around.
September 15 is National Cheese Toast Day, a day dedicated to celebrating the warm, crispy, cheesy combination that has been enjoyed in kitchens, diners, cafés, and restaurants for generations.
Cheese toast may be simple, but that is part of its charm. You can make it for breakfast, serve it alongside a bowl of soup for lunch, turn it into an afternoon snack, or enjoy it late at night when you want something warm without preparing an entire meal.
Whether you prefer classic cheddar melted over toasted bread or a loaded version topped with bacon, tomatoes, herbs, garlic, or several different cheeses, National Cheese Toast Day is the perfect excuse to turn on the oven and make a slice.
What Is National Cheese Toast Day?
National Cheese Toast Day is celebrated annually on September 15.
The holiday celebrates cheese toast in all its forms. At its most basic, cheese toast consists of bread topped with cheese and heated until the bread becomes toasted and the cheese melts.
But there are countless ways to make it.
Some people toast the bread first and then add cheese. Others place the cheese on fresh bread before putting everything under the broiler. Butter, garlic, seasonings, herbs, and additional toppings can transform the basic recipe into something completely different.
That versatility is one reason cheese toast remains such a popular comfort food.
You don’t necessarily need a complicated recipe or a long list of ingredients. If you have bread and cheese, you already have the foundation.
The History Behind Cheese Toast
Combining bread and cheese certainly isn’t a modern invention.
Bread and cheese have been staple foods in different cultures for centuries, so people naturally discovered that heating the two together created something particularly satisfying.
Many cultures developed their own variations.
Welsh rarebit, for example, became famous for serving a rich cheese sauce over toasted bread. Open-faced cheese sandwiches and cheese-topped breads became common in European and American kitchens as well.
Eventually, modern appliances made preparing cheese toast even easier.
Home ovens, broilers, toaster ovens, and eventually countertop appliances gave people quick ways to melt cheese while crisping bread.
The result was an inexpensive dish that could be prepared in only a few minutes.
Cheese Toast vs. Grilled Cheese
At first glance, cheese toast and a grilled cheese sandwich may seem almost identical.
They share the same essential ingredients: bread, cheese, and heat.
The biggest difference is usually how they’re prepared.
A traditional grilled cheese sandwich places cheese between two slices of bread and cooks the sandwich on a griddle or in a frying pan, usually with butter or another fat on the outside.
Cheese toast is generally open-faced.
A piece of bread is topped with cheese and heated from above or baked until the cheese becomes melted, bubbly, and sometimes slightly browned.
That exposed layer of cheese creates a different texture.
The edges can become crispy while the center remains soft and gooey.
Of course, there are no strict rules on National Cheese Toast Day. If your favorite version falls somewhere between cheese toast and grilled cheese, enjoy it anyway.
Why Cheese Toast Is Such Great Comfort Food
There is something comforting about melted cheese and warm bread.
Part of that comes from the combination of textures.
You get crispy toasted edges, soft bread underneath, and creamy melted cheese across the top.
Then there is the aroma.
Few kitchen smells can compete with bread toasting while cheese bubbles under the broiler.
Cheese toast can also bring back memories.
Maybe it was something your parents made when you were young. Perhaps you ate it with tomato soup after coming home from school. Maybe it was one of the first foods you learned to prepare yourself.
Simple foods often become some of our strongest food memories.
National Cheese Toast Day gives us a reason to enjoy one of those familiar favorites again.
Easy Classic Cheese Toast Recipe
You don’t need much to celebrate.
Ingredients
- 2 slices of your favorite bread
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 tablespoon softened butter
- Garlic powder, optional
- Black pepper, optional
- Chopped parsley or green onions, optional
Directions
Preheat your oven’s broiler or set a toaster oven to a high baking temperature.
Lightly butter one side of each slice of bread.
Place the bread on a baking sheet with the buttered side facing upward.
Toast for a minute or two until the bread begins to become lightly golden.
Remove the baking sheet and generously cover each piece of bread with shredded cheddar cheese.
Add a small sprinkle of garlic powder or black pepper if desired.
Return the bread to the oven.
Broil until the cheese has completely melted and begins bubbling around the edges. Watch it carefully because cheese can go from beautifully browned to burned very quickly under a broiler.
Remove from the oven, allow it to cool for a minute, and add parsley or green onions if desired.
Serve immediately while the cheese is still hot and gooey.
Choosing the Best Cheese
Cheddar may be one of the most familiar choices for cheese toast, but there is no reason to stop there.
Different cheeses completely change the flavor.
Sharp cheddar provides a bold, traditional flavor.
Mozzarella gives you the stretchy cheese pull everyone loves.
Pepper jack adds a little heat.
Monterey Jack melts beautifully and has a mild flavor that works well with additional toppings.
Swiss adds a slightly nutty taste.
Provolone gives cheese toast an Italian-inspired character.
Gouda can provide a rich, slightly sweet flavor.
You can also combine cheeses.
Try cheddar and mozzarella for flavor and stretch, or Monterey Jack and pepper jack for a creamy cheese toast with a spicy finish.
Experimenting is half the fun.
Don’t Forget About the Bread
The cheese may receive most of the attention, but good bread can make a huge difference.
Standard sandwich bread works perfectly when you’re craving something simple and nostalgic.
For something heartier, try sourdough.
French bread produces excellent cheese toast because it develops crispy edges while maintaining a softer center.
Texas toast provides a thick base that can handle plenty of cheese and toppings.
Whole-grain bread can add additional texture and a slightly nutty flavor.
You can even slice a baguette into smaller pieces and create bite-sized cheese toasts for appetizers.
The goal is to find a bread sturdy enough to support the melted cheese without becoming too soggy.
Delicious Cheese Toast Variations
Once you’ve mastered basic cheese toast, start experimenting.
Garlic Cheese Toast
Spread garlic butter over the bread before adding mozzarella and Parmesan. Finish with parsley for an easy side dish that pairs beautifully with pasta.
Bacon Cheddar Cheese Toast
Add cooked, crumbled bacon underneath a generous layer of sharp cheddar.
Jalapeño Cheese Toast
Top your bread with cheddar or pepper jack and thinly sliced jalapeños.
Tomato Basil Cheese Toast
Add sliced tomatoes, mozzarella, basil, and a little black pepper for a fresh Italian-inspired variation.
Pizza Cheese Toast
Spread a thin layer of pizza sauce over the bread before adding mozzarella and pepperoni.
It’s essentially a miniature open-faced pizza.
Three-Cheese Toast
Combine cheddar, mozzarella, and Parmesan for an especially cheesy version.
Breakfast Cheese Toast
Top cheese toast with a fried or poached egg.
Add bacon, sausage, avocado, or tomato to turn it into a filling breakfast.
Buffalo Chicken Cheese Toast
Add shredded buffalo chicken and mozzarella or Monterey Jack before baking.
Finish it with a drizzle of ranch or blue cheese dressing.
What Goes Well With Cheese Toast?
Cheese toast can certainly stand on its own, but it also makes an excellent companion to other dishes.
The classic pairing is tomato soup.
Dip crispy cheese toast into a bowl of warm tomato soup and you’ve got one of the ultimate comfort-food combinations.
Cheese toast also works well with chili, vegetable soup, chicken noodle soup, salads, pasta dishes, eggs, and breakfast potatoes.
Smaller pieces can even be served as appetizers at parties.
Make a Cheese Toast Bar
If you’re celebrating National Cheese Toast Day with family or friends, create a cheese toast bar.
Put out several types of bread, cheeses, seasonings, and toppings and allow everyone to create their own combination.
Topping possibilities could include:
- Bacon
- Pepperoni
- Tomatoes
- Jalapeños
- Caramelized onions
- Mushrooms
- Green onions
- Fresh basil
- Garlic
- Hot sauce
- Avocado
- Shredded chicken
- Parmesan
- Everything bagel seasoning
Everyone can build their own slice before the cheese toast goes into the oven.
It turns an incredibly simple food into a fun meal.
How to Celebrate National Cheese Toast Day
The easiest way to celebrate September 15 is obvious: make cheese toast.
But you can make the day more interesting by trying something new.
Use a cheese you’ve never tried on toast before. Buy a loaf of fresh sourdough from a local bakery. Experiment with different toppings. Make several varieties and have your family vote for their favorite.
You could also introduce someone else to your favorite recipe.
If you have children, let them create their own cheese toast combinations. It’s a simple way to get them involved in the kitchen.
And if cooking isn’t part of your plans, look for a local restaurant, café, diner, bakery, or pub serving a cheesy toast-inspired dish.
Fun Cheese Toast Facts
Cheese toast proves that great food doesn’t necessarily require complicated preparation.
The basic combination can be made with only two ingredients.
It can be eaten for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or as a snack.
Almost any cheese that melts well can be used.
Cheese toast appears in different forms across numerous cuisines.
It can be sweet, savory, spicy, smoky, or loaded with toppings depending on the ingredients.
And perhaps most importantly, it is extremely difficult to resist when you pull it from the oven and the cheese is bubbling.
A Simple Food Worth Celebrating
Not every food holiday needs to celebrate an elaborate dish.
Sometimes the simplest foods deserve their own day.
National Cheese Toast Day reminds us that comfort can come from something as basic as warm bread covered with melted cheese.
It’s affordable.
It’s customizable.
It’s quick.
And when prepared correctly, it’s absolutely delicious.
So on September 15, grab your favorite bread, choose a cheese, add whatever toppings sound good, and make yourself a hot slice of cheese toast.
Keep it classic with cheddar or create something completely new.
Either way, National Cheese Toast Day is a celebration that’s easy to enjoy.
What cheese would you choose for the ultimate slice of cheese toast?
Leave a ReplyCancel reply