Cheese is one of the most versatile foods that can be enjoyed in many different ways, but few top the humble cheese on toast.
While it may not be haute cuisine, there’s just something about the simple pleasure of a great hunk of melted cheese on a piece of toast that makes it irresistible if you need a quick, tasty bite in a hurry. But while cheese on toast might be basic, it needn’t be lacking in flavour – with experts saying you need just one added ingredient to elevate your cheese on toast and give it a wonderfully creamy, gooey and delicious flavour.
Food experts say adding Worcestershire sauce to cheese on toast will help to enhance its flavour, giving it a rich and slightly sweet kick that will perfectly complement the richness of the cheese.
Worcestershire sauce is typically made from a vinegar base and is flavoured with anchovies, molasses, tamarind, garlic, onion, sugar, salt and an array of spices. Together these ingredients create a slightly sweet and tangy flavour that pairs beautifully with cheese.
Food experts at The Kitchn say the addition of Worcestershire sauce is what “makes the dish” and recommend grating the cheese onto your toast instead of using slices, as sliced cheese can cause the sauce to pool or slide off.
Tara Holland, recipe tester at The Kitchn, said: “Cheese on toast has been an after-school staple snack for kids (and a post-pub miracle midnight munchie cure for adults) in the United Kingdom for decades, if not longer!
“This three-ingredient sandwich alternative is not only quick and easy to make, but also it’s gooey, flavourful, and comforting all in one hit.”
When it comes to adding the Worcestershire sauce, Holland said: “Some might say to toss the grated cheese in Worcestershire sauce before laying on the bread rather than drizzling the sauce on top before broiling. I am indifferent on this, but the latter saves washing up a bowl and I am all about less cleanup.
“Some don’t add any sauce before broiling, but I always add before and after. Another thing to bear in mind is if you use sliced cheese, the Worcestershire sauce either pools or slides off the cheese, so it is better to add it after broiling the cheese.”
Food website Tasting Table adds: “Worcestershire sauce won’t penetrate a thick slice of cheese as it broils, so it’ll either collect in puddles or slide off the cheese altogether.
“Worcestershire sauce pairs well with various creamy, meltable cheeses; it stands up to the sharpness of an English cheddar or the richness of Gruyere.
“While you can use regular sandwich bread, you’d benefit from a thicker, crustier bread that can withstand the weight of melted cheese and absorb Worcestershire sauce more efficiently.”