Vegan Cheese Toastie
The best vegan toastie uses a block-style vegan cheese based on coconut oil, grated finely and given a teaspoon of water to help it melt. Vegan cheese melts more slowly than dairy, so you cook it slightly longer at the same heat, about 5 minutes in a standard toastie maker, and use vegan spread or olive oil on the outside instead of butter.
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Recipe: Vegan cheese toastie
Ingredients
- 2 slices vegan white or wholemeal bread (check the label for milk or butter)
- 60g block vegan cheese (cheddar-style), finely grated
- 1 tsp cold water
- 1 tsp vegan mayonnaise
- ½ tsp English mustard (optional)
- 2 tsp nutritional yeast (optional, for a savoury depth)
- 10g dairy-free spread, or 1 tsp olive oil for the outside
Method
- Preheat the toastie maker with the lid closed until the ready light comes on.
- In a bowl, toss the finely grated vegan cheese with the water, mayonnaise, mustard and nutritional yeast until it clumps together slightly.
- Spread or brush the outside of each slice with the dairy-free spread or oil.
- Place one slice spread-side down on the bottom plate. Pile on the cheese mix, pressing it into an even layer with a 1cm border.
- Top with the second slice, spread-side up, and close the lid gently.
- Cook for 4½–5 minutes. The outside should be deep golden; if your machine runs hot, check at 4 minutes.
- Rest for 2 minutes before cutting, so the cheese can finish softening and set slightly.
Which vegan cheeses melt in a toastie
Most supermarket vegan cheeses in the UK are made from coconut oil and starch (potato, tapioca or modified starch) rather than nuts. Their melt depends on the ratio of those two. In practice, the categories behave like this:
| Type | Melt in a toastie | Best use |
|---|---|---|
| Block, coconut-oil based (cheddar or mozzarella style) | Good when finely grated; softens and stretches slightly | The main cheese |
| Pre-grated vegan "melting" blends | Usually the most reliable melt | Easy everyday option |
| Vegan slices | Soften well but can stay rubbery at edges | Layer two slices, folded to fit |
| Cashew or nut-based soft cheeses | Go creamy rather than stretchy | Spread on as a sauce layer |
| Hard "parmesan" style vegan cheese | Barely melts | Flavour only, in small amounts |
Finely grating increases the surface area so the coconut fat liquefies faster. The teaspoon of water turns to steam in the sealed plates and helps hydrate the starch, which is what turns vegan cheese from chalky to gooey. The vegan mayo adds fat and acidity that make it taste more like a dairy melt. For how dairy cheeses compare, see the best cheese for toasties.
The outside: spread, oil or nothing
Dairy-free spreads brown well and taste closest to butter. Olive oil gives a crisper, more fried finish. On a toastie maker with a healthy non-stick coating you can also go dry, though the colour will be paler. Our butter or mayo for toasties guide explains the browning science, and vegan mayo on the outside works just as dairy mayo does.
Avoid aerosol oil sprays on non-stick plates. Many contain lecithin and propellants that build up as a sticky film over time, a common reason toasties start sticking to the plates.
Other machines and methods
In a deep fill toastie maker, use 90g cheese and cook for 5½–6 minutes. On a panini press, allow 5–6 minutes. In a frying pan, cover with a lid for the first 2 minutes to trap steam and help the melt (see the frying pan toastie method), then cook uncovered. In the air fryer, 170°C for 9–10 minutes, turning halfway.
Vegan fillings that work
- Vegan cheese and onion: add ½ finely sliced small red onion or 2 spring onions to the cheese mix.
- Beans and cheese: 3 tbsp baked beans (most UK tins are vegan) with 40g cheese; drain off some sauce first.
- Smoky tempeh or vegan ham: 2 thin slices with a smear of mustard.
- Mushroom and thyme: brown the mushrooms first, as in our mushroom and gruyère toastie.
- Hummus and roasted pepper: no cheese needed; 2 tbsp hummus and a few strips of jarred pepper, patted dry.
The toastie filling ideas page has more combinations you can adapt.
Mistakes to avoid
- Thick slices of vegan cheese: they stay firm in the middle. Grate it.
- Cutting straight away: vegan cheese continues to soften for a minute or two off the heat.
- Turning up the heat to speed it up: the bread burns before the cheese melts. Longer at normal heat is the answer.
- Non-vegan bread: many soft loaves and brioche contain milk, butter or egg. Check the ingredients.
FAQs
Why won't my vegan cheese melt?
Usually the pieces are too thick, the toastie hasn't cooked long enough, or the cheese is a low-fat or nut-based type that doesn't stretch. Grate finely, add a teaspoon of water and give it an extra minute.
Is it safe to use the same toastie maker for vegan and dairy toasties?
For most vegans a properly cleaned machine is fine. If you're cooking for someone with a dairy allergy, clean the plates thoroughly first, as melted cheese residue can hide around the edges. See our cleaning guide.
Can I make a vegan toastie in a microwave toastie maker?
Yes. Use the pre-grated melting type of vegan cheese and add 30 seconds to your usual timing; our microwave toastie maker guide gives timings by wattage.