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These Bacon Cheddar Toasts are perfect for snacking, serving as appetizers, breakfast, or truly any occasion! They are incredibly simple to prepare and can be made ahead of time, making them ideal for entertaining!
Why You’ll 🫶🏻 these Toasts
What’s not to love about the combination of bacon, cheese, and bread? Add some onion and horseradish for a little kick, and you will impress even the most discerning of guests. Before baking, store them in the freezer for up to two weeks. Then, bake them in the oven whenever you need a quick appetizer, snack, or savory toast to accompany a meal.
Key Ingredients for Bacon Cheddar Toasts
Bacon boasts a deep, savory taste that combines smokiness with a hint of saltiness, delivering a delightful crispness when prepared. I use lean center-cut bacon because it is easier to chop.
Cheddar Cheese has a distinct, sharp flavor that can range from mild to extra sharp. I use white Cheddar in this recipe. It offers a creamy and rich flavor, but without any added color.
Onion adds another layer of strong and savory flavor that, once cooked, becomes sweet and mild.
Horseradish adds a bold and zesty flavor. Combined with the creamy richness of the cheddar and the smokiness of the bacon, the spicy kick of horseradish creates a truly unforgettable taste experience.
White Bread provides a nice texture that complements the melted cheese mixture, making it a good choice for this snack. I use a thinly sliced bakery-style white bread that’s not too soft.
Equipment Needed
17.9-inch x 12.9-inch rimmed baking sheet
Box grater
Tips for Making Bacon Cheddar Toasts
- Grate the cheese using a box grater or rotary grater. Freshly grated cheese does not have added stabilizers, and it melts very well.
- Purchase center-cut bacon. It is a lean cut of bacon, and since it contains less fat, the chilled bacon can be easily chopped.
- Reserve the trimmed crust for another use, such as fresh bread crumbs for Skillet Broccoli Macaroni and Cheese with Garlic Breadcrumbs.
Substitutions
- Alternatives to Cheddar cheese are Colby Jack, Gouda, and Monterey Jack, all of which can offer comparable flavors and textures.
- You can replace pork center-cut bacon with turkey bacon or vegetarian bacon, using the same measurements for both.
- Use a firm sourdough loaf to add another layer of flavor.
Serving Suggestions
These toasts are an ideal make-ahead appetizer for cocktail parties, family get-togethers, or holiday gatherings. They are also delicious when served with scrambled eggs or alongside a bowl of soup, such as Tomato-Fennel Soup or Carrot-Apple Soup.
A similar simple toast appetizer you might enjoy…
Goat Cheese Toasts with Garlic and Herbs de Provence
Source for Bacon Cheddar Toasts: Adapted from Gourmet Today by Ruth Reichl
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Bacon Cheddar Toasts
Ingredients
- ½ pound (8 ounces) sharp white Cheddar cheese, coarsely grated
- ½ pound (8 ounces) chilled center-cut bacon, finely chopped
- 1 small yellow onion, finely diced (about ½ cup)
- 2 tablespoons course cut bottled horseradish, mild or extra hot
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 14 very thin slices of firm white sandwich bread
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375℉. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside. Trim the crusts off the bread slices and reserve them for another use, such as making fresh breadcrumbs.
- In a medium bowl, combine the cheese, bacon, onion, horseradish, salt, and pepper until well blended. Place about 1 ½ tablespoons of the cheese mixture onto each slice of bread, spreading evenly to the edges. (Unbaked toasts can be prepared up to 2 weeks in advance and frozen, layered between sheets of wax paper in an airtight container. Thaw in the refrigerator before baking.)
- Place the toasts on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 25 minutes or until the edges begin to brown. Transfer the toasts to a cutting board and slice in half diagonally. Sprinkle with parsley and serve warm. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
