Vegan Welsh Rarebit

Course: after dinner treat, High tea, Lunch, Snack, Supper, tea time

Cuisine: Welsh

Prep Time: 15

Cook Time: 10

Total Time: 25

Servings: slices

Calories: 190kcal

Author: Jacq

This is a nice quick and easy Vegan Welsh Rarebit recipe which creates a delicious fancy grilled cheese toast. Traditionally, Welsh rarebit was served as an after-dinner snack or as a nibble at the end of a dinner party, where the hostess would serve small pieces of rarebit to guests along with after-dinner coffee or tea. Our Scottish family enjoys rarebit for lunch or dinner, accompanied by a nice bowl of homemade soup.

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US Customary - Metric

Equipment

Toaster [for toasting the bread]
non-stick saucepan [for preparing the rarebit sauce]
Cheese grater
Cutlery knife or butter knife
Baking tray [for sitting the rarebit on]
Oven grill or broiler [or an air fryer, for finishing the rarebit]

Ingredients

Toast:

6 slices bread, toasted [toast the bread before using for the recipe, we used Co-op farmhouse seeded bread]
1 tablespoon margarine [we used Flora dairy-free, use more if necessary]

Rarebit sauce:

25 grams plain flour [or all-purpose flour, or wholemeal/wholewheat flour - if using a brown flour add an extra 1-2 tablespoons of milk]
25 grams margarine [we used Flora dairy-free]
14 tablespoons dairy-free milk [we used soya milk]
1 tablespoon vegan Worcestershire sauce [or soy sauce or liquid aminos]
½ teaspoon mustard powder [we used Coleman's powdered mustard]
½ teaspoon garlic powder or granules [or onion powder, or a few pinches of vegetable stock or bouillon powder]
25 grams nutritional yeast flakes [or dairy-free cheese - add more cheese to taste]

Topping:

30 grams dairy-free cheese [we used Violife original grated, but if preferred you can omit the cheese and replace with nutritional yeast flakes but use less and just sprinkle some over each rarebit toast before broiling]
6 cherry tomatoes or 2-3 large tomatoes [optional, can replace with sliced spring onions [green onions] or chives]

Instructions

If you have not done so already toast the bread and spread with margarine -using more if necessary.
6 slices bread, toasted, 1 tablespoon margarine
Switch your oven grill or broiler on to pre-heat to a high heat.

Prepare the rarebit thick sauce: [this can be done in advance]

Melt the margarine in the saucepan.
25 grams margarine
Add the flour and stir well. Cook and stir for 2-3 minutes over a low-medium heat and be careful not to burn the flour.
25 grams plain flour
Next over a medium heat, slowly add the milk stirring constantly to achieve a smooth consistency.
14 tablespoons dairy-free milk
Stir through the Worcestershire Sauce.
1 tablespoon vegan Worcestershire sauce
Next, stir through the mustard powder and garlic powder.
½ teaspoon mustard powder, ½ teaspoon garlic powder or granules
Remove the pan from the heat and stir through the nutritional yeast flakes and season with salt and pepper to taste.
The rarebit sauce or spread will be nice and thick but if you think the mixture is a bit too thick you can thin it down with 1-2 tablespoons of extra milk.
25 grams nutritional yeast flakes

Assemble rarebit:

Cover the toasted bread slices with the rarebit sauce.
Sprinkle the vegan cheese evenly over each slice of toast. Alternatively, sprinkle a little extra nutritional yeast flakes over each slice instead of the cheese.
30 grams dairy-free cheese
If using the tomatoes - top the toast with the tomato slices.
6 cherry tomatoes or 2-3 large tomatoes

Toast the rarebit slices:

Place the rarebit onto a baking tray or directly on to the grill or broiler shelf and toast for 3 minutes over a high heat. The rarebit is ready when the bread edges are nicely golden and crunchy, and the cheese has melted. The tomato slices and sauce will also be hot once ready.
Do keep your eye on the rarebit as it grills or broils as it can quickly burn if left for too long - exact toasting times will depend on your grill or broiler.

Serving variations:

For a traditional Buck Rarebit a poached or fried egg is placed on top of the rarebit when it is dished up. However, as this is a vegan rarebit you could add slices of avocado or smoked tofu to the rarebit before grilling. See recipe notes and FAQ sections above this recipe for more serving variations.

Notes

Nutritional information is for guidance only and is not an exact calculation as ingredients vary.
This recipe creates 6 slices of rarebit which will feed 6 people for a snack or if the rarebit is served along with sides. For bigger portions double the recipe.
This recipe can be prepared in an air-fryer. First, toast the bread according to your air-fryer instructions, however its usually just a case of placing slices of bread in a single layer in your air fryer basket and switch to a medium-high setting and checking every few minutes to see how the bread is toasting. Once toasted to your liking, spread the rarebit topping over the least toasted side and then add the rarebit to the air-fryer and continue air-frying until the cheese is nicely melted.
Welsh rarebit is best eaten soon after it has been prepared, but it can be stored within the refrigerator for a day or so. To reheat place it back under the grill just until it's reheated and crisped up.
We love our easy and quick Home-Made Tomato Soup with our rarebit for lunch or for a light dinner along with a crisp green salad.

Nutrition