How to Make a Toastie in the Oven or Under the Grill
The oven is the best way to make toasties for a crowd: preheat a baking tray at 220°C (200°C fan), lay the buttered sandwiches on it, press with a second tray, and bake for 6 minutes, flip and bake for 4 more. Under the UK-style overhead grill you can do one side at a time in about 2–3 minutes each.
Quick answer: Oven: 220°C / 200°C fan / gas 7, preheated tray, 6 min, flip, 4 min, with a second tray on top as a press. Grill: high, 10cm below the element, toast the outside of one slice, assemble with that side out, and grill each side 2–3 minutes.
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Recipe: Oven-baked cheese toasties (makes 6)
Ingredients
- 12 slices medium-sliced white or wholemeal bread
- 300g mature cheddar, coarsely grated
- 60g salted butter, softened
- 2 spring onions, finely sliced, optional
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce, optional
- Black pepper
Method
- Put two large baking trays in the oven (one on the middle shelf, one on the shelf below) and preheat to 220°C, 200°C fan, gas 7, for at least 10 minutes.
- Mix the cheddar with the spring onions, Worcestershire sauce and a good grind of pepper.
- Butter one side of every slice to the edges. Lay 6 slices butter-side down on a board, divide the cheese between them keeping a 1cm border, and top with the remaining slices butter-side up. Press each one firmly.
- Take out the hot middle tray, lay the toasties on it, then place the second hot tray directly on top, base down, so it presses and browns the tops at the same time.
- Bake for 6 minutes. Lift off the top tray, flip each toastie with a fish slice, replace the top tray and bake for 4 minutes more, until golden on both sides and the cheese is bubbling at the edges.
- Rest for 1–2 minutes on the tray, then cut and serve.
Why the two-tray method works
Bread in a hot oven browns slowly on top and very slowly underneath if it sits on a cold tray. Preheating the tray gives you direct contact heat, like a pan, from the moment the toasties go on. Pressing with a second hot tray does the job of the top plate on a toastie maker: it flattens the sandwich, browns the top and helps the cheese glue the slices together. Without the top tray, add 2–3 minutes and expect a paler, puffier toastie.
Oven and grill timings
| Method | Setting | Time | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oven, two hot trays | 220°C / 200°C fan / gas 7 | 6 min + 4 min | 6–8 toasties, even results |
| Oven, one tray, no press | 220°C / 200°C fan / gas 7 | 8 min + 4 min | When you only have one tray |
| Oven, thick sourdough | 200°C / 180°C fan / gas 6 | 8 min + 5 min | Thick slices that need longer to melt |
| Overhead grill | High, 10cm from element | 2–3 min per side | 1–4 toasties quickly |
| Grill, open-faced cheese on toast | High | Toast 2 min, then 2–3 min with cheese | When you want it bubbling on top |
Ovens run hot or cold by 10–20°C, so check the first batch at the 5-minute mark. The toastie cooking time guide compares every method.
The grill method
In the UK "grill" means the overhead element in your oven or a separate eye-level grill. It cooks one side at a time, so the trick is to toast the bread first:
- Heat the grill to high for 3 minutes. Grill the slices on one side only until golden, about 1–2 minutes.
- Turn the slices over. Butter the untoasted sides lightly, then assemble the sandwich with the toasted sides facing in and the buttered sides facing out.
- Grill for 2–3 minutes until golden, flip with a fish slice, and grill the other side for 2–3 minutes.
Pre-toasting the inside gives the cheese a head start, because the grill alone heats only the outer surface. Watch it constantly: the gap between golden and burnt under a grill is under 30 seconds.
Batching for a crowd
- Prep ahead: assemble the toasties up to 4 hours before, cover and chill. Add 1 minute to the first side.
- Two trays of six: on a fan oven you can run two pairs of trays on two shelves; swap them halfway.
- Keep warm: finished toasties hold for 10 minutes on a wire rack in a 100°C oven. On a plate they steam and soften.
- Mix fillings: make a cheese base and let people add ham, tomato or pickle before baking. Our toastie filling ideas list has 40+ combinations, and kids' toastie ideas covers party-friendly ones.
Oven vs other methods
For one or two toasties the oven is wasteful: preheating a full-size oven uses more energy than the whole cook in a toastie maker or air fryer, as our electricity cost guide shows. For one, use a frying pan or an air fryer. For six or more, the oven wins because everything is ready at once. A 4-slice machine is the other crowd option; see best 4-slice toastie makers. Every method is summarised on how to make a toastie without a toastie maker.
Variations
- Ham, cheese and mustard: classic and easy to scale. See ham and cheese toastie.
- Croque monsieur: the oven is ideal because the béchamel top can bubble under the grill at the end. See croque monsieur toastie.
- Pizza toasties: passata, mozzarella and pepperoni; drain the mozzarella well. Recipe: pizza toastie.
- Christmas leftovers: turkey, stuffing and cranberry for a Boxing Day lunch. See Christmas leftovers toastie.
Mistakes to avoid
- Cold tray: the base stays pale and soggy. Always preheat the tray.
- Baking paper under a top tray: fine on the bottom, but trim it so no edges hang near the oven element.
- Walking away from the grill: set a timer for every side.
- Overfilling: oven toasties aren't sealed, so loose fillings like beans fall out. Use a sealed toastie maker for cheese and beans.
FAQs
What temperature should the oven be for a toastie?
220°C conventional, 200°C fan or gas mark 7 gives a crisp crust and a melted middle in about 10 minutes. Go 20°C lower for thick bread so the centre catches up.
Can I make a toastie in the oven without flipping?
Yes, if you use a hot tray on top as well as underneath, both sides brown together in around 8–9 minutes. Without a top tray you need to flip.
Is it better under the grill or in the oven?
The grill is quicker for one to four toasties but needs constant attention. The oven is slower to heat but more even and much easier for six or more.
Can I use a wire rack instead of a tray?
A rack lets air circulate so the underside crisps, but you lose the contact browning and the bread can sag. A preheated solid tray gives a more toastie-like result.