Västerbottensost toast

Four crisp Swedish cheese toasts with melted Västerbottensost, chives and black pepper.

Preparation: 10 min · Cooking: 8 min · Total: 18 min · 4 servings

Ingredients

• 160 g Västerbottensost cheese — coarsely grated; keep chilled until topping the bread
• 240 g sourdough bread — four slices, about 60 g each
• 20 g butter — softened for spreading
• 10 g fresh chives — rinsed, dried and finely snipped
• 0.3 tsp ground black pepper — freshly ground

Instructions

1. Set up the baking tray

   Line a baking tray with parchment and place the four sourdough slices (240 g total) on it, leaving a little space between slices. Keep the cheese chilled until you are ready to top them.

2. Preheat the oven

   Preheat the oven to 200°C conventional (180°C fan), with a rack in the middle. Wait until the oven reaches temperature before baking.

3. Butter the bread

   Spread 20 g softened butter evenly over the four bread slices, then divide 160 g coarsely grated Västerbottensost evenly over them (40 g per slice). Keep the cheese on the bread, not the bare tray.

4. Bake the cheese toast

   Bake on the middle rack at 200°C conventional (180°C fan) for 6–8 minutes. Start checking at 6 minutes; remove the tray when the cheese is fully melted and lightly golden at the edges and the bread is crisp. If still pale, bake in 1-minute intervals.

   Cheese fully melted and lightly golden at the edges; bread crisp.

   Bake the cheese toast: 360 seconds

5. Snip the chives

   While the toasts bake, rinse, dry and finely snip 10 g fresh chives. Set aside for the hot toasts.

6. Check and season

   Use oven gloves to remove the hot tray. Check that the cheese is melted and the bread edges are golden, then scatter the 10 g chives and ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper evenly over the four toasts.

   Cheese fully melted and lightly golden at the edges; bread crisp.

7. Serve warm

   Transfer the four toasts to plates and serve immediately while crisp and warm. Contains milk and wheat; check the bread label for other allergens. Refrigerate any leftovers within 2 hours at 4°C or below.

Tips

• Start checking at 6 minutes; the visual cue matters more than the timer.

Common mistakes

• Do not bake for 42 minutes: the bread would burn before serving.

Substitutions

• A mature hard cheese can melt in place of Västerbottensost, but the distinctive Swedish cheese flavour will change.

Storage

Best eaten fresh. Cool promptly and refrigerate leftovers covered at 4°C or below within 2 hours; use within 24 hours.

Reheating

Reheat refrigerated toast on a tray in a preheated 160°C oven until hot throughout (74°C in the centre), then serve immediately; discard if left at room temperature over 2 hours.

About this recipe

Västerbottensost is a Swedish cheese associated with Västerbotten. This simple open toast is a modern serving suggestion, not a claim of a traditional named dish.

Editorial approval does not establish independent kitchen testing. Check allergens and follow safe food handling.