Ham & Cheese Toastie
Butter-crisped bread, melted cheese, good ham. The toastie — no bechamel, no fuss, no leftovers.

Ingredients
- 4 slices Bread
- 100 g Ham
- 100 g Melting cheese
- 30 g Butter
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard (optional)
Method
- Butter one side of every bread slice — these buttered sides face OUT and become the crust.
- Spread a thin layer of mustard on the unbuttered side of half the slices.
- Layer the ham and cheese over the mustard and close each sandwich, buttered sides facing out.
- Cook the sandwiches in a dry skillet over medium-low heat, pressing gently with a spatula, until the first side is deep gold, about 4 minutes.
- Flip the sandwiches and cook until the second side is deep gold and the cheese is fully molten, 4 more minutes.
- Rest the toasties for one minute — molten cheese forgives nothing — then halve and serve.
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About Ham & Cheese Toastie
The ham and cheese toastie is a British lunch fixture, and this recipe keeps it deliberately pure: buttered bread, good ham, melting cheese, and a whisper of Dijon, with no bechamel and no elaboration. It's a griddled sandwich rather than a grilled one, cooked in a dry skillet so the buttered outer faces crisp directly against the pan into a deep golden crust. The mustard, spread thin on the inside, is the quiet upgrade that keeps the richness from turning one-note.
The whole thing lives or dies on two details this version gets right: the butter goes on the outside of the bread to become the crust, and the sandwich is cooked slowly over medium-low so the cheese turns fully molten by the time the bread is deep gold. Bite in and you get a shattering buttery crust giving way to stretchy melted cheese and savory ham, sharpened by the Dijon underneath. It's a twelve-minute lunch or a quick bite that needs nothing more than a good pan and a little patience. Rest it a minute before cutting, because molten cheese, as the recipe warns, forgives nothing.
Ham & Cheese Toastie: frequently asked questions
How many calories are in Ham & Cheese Toastie?
A serving has about 533 calories — 24.4g protein, 28.6g carbs, 35.5g fat, 1.5g fiber. Figures are estimated from the ingredient amounts and will shift with your portions and brands.
Is Ham & Cheese Toastie gluten-free?
As written, no — it contains Bread. You'd need a certified gluten-free swap for that ingredient to make it gluten-free.
Is Ham & Cheese Toastie dairy-free?
Not as written — it uses Butter. Swapping it for a plant-based alternative makes it dairy-free.
Do I need every ingredient to make Ham & Cheese Toastie?
The core ingredients are essential, but you can leave out dijon mustard — it's optional and mainly there for extra flavor or finish.
How many servings does Ham & Cheese Toastie make?
This recipe makes 2 servings. In the app you can scale it up or down and the ingredient amounts adjust automatically.