Breakfast Snacks & starters Turkish

Mushroom and cheese toastie

Mushrooms cooked until dry, sandwiched between two layers of melting cheese and toasted in buttered bread: a Turkish-style toastie that stays crisp.

Prep: 5 min
Cook: 12 min
Serves: 2
Difficulty: Easy

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How do you make a mushroom toastie that doesn't go soggy? In short: cook the mushrooms in a pan until their water has gone, let them cool a little, layer them between two lots of cheese and toast the sandwich with butter on the outside.

In Turkey a kaşarlı tost (cheese toastie) is a café staple, and mushrooms are one of the most popular additions. Raw mushrooms release water inside the sandwich and soak the bread, so pre-cooking them is the one step that really matters.

Servings 2

Ingredients

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For the filling

200 g button mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 tbsp olive oil
1 clove garlic clove, grated
½ tsp dried thyme
1 pinch salt
1 pinch black pepper

For the toastie

4 slices sandwich bread
100 g kaşar or mild cheddar, grated
1 tbsp butter, softened

Method

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Wipe the mushrooms with damp kitchen paper and slice thinly. Heat the olive oil in a frying pan over a high heat, spread the mushrooms in a single layer and cook for 6–7 minutes until their water has come out and evaporated.
Add the garlic, thyme, salt and pepper and stir for another minute. Tip onto a plate and leave to cool for a few minutes.
Spread a thin layer of butter on the outside of each slice. On the inside of two slices, layer half the cheese, then the mushrooms, then the rest of the cheese, and close with the other slices.
Cook in a sandwich press, or in a pan over a medium heat pressed down with a lid, for 2–3 minutes a side until golden and the cheese has melted. Cut diagonally and serve hot.

Enjoy!

The mushroom in this recipe

Button mushroom Agaricus bisporus

About this species Grow it at home Fresh mushrooms

Mushroom swaps

Oyster mushroom Pleurotus ostreatusTear into thin strips and dry-fry the same way.

Tips

Cook the mushrooms in a single layer over a high heat; crowded mushrooms stew.
Butter the outside of the bread so you don't need oil in the pan or press.
Split the cheese above and below the mushrooms so the filling doesn't fall out.

Storage

Best eaten straight away. The cooked mushroom filling keeps in an airtight container in the fridge for 2 days; assemble and toast just before eating.

Read our guide to storing mushrooms →

Why mushroom toasties go soggy

Button mushrooms are mostly water, and a few minutes in a sandwich press isn't enough to drive it off. Cooking them first in a wide pan over a high heat until no liquid is left keeps the bread crisp; putting cheese both under and over them holds the filling together.

Frequently asked questions

How do you make a mushroom toastie?

Cook sliced mushrooms in a pan until their water has evaporated, let them cool slightly, layer them between grated cheese, butter the outside of the bread and toast for 2–3 minutes a side.

Should mushrooms be cooked before going in a toastie?

Yes. Raw mushrooms release water inside the sandwich and make the bread soggy.

What cheese goes best with mushrooms in a toastie?

Turkish kaşar is traditional; mild cheddar, mozzarella or a mix of both melt just as well.

Can I make it without a sandwich press?

Yes. Use a frying pan over a medium heat and press the sandwich down with a lid or a heavy pan.

Which mushrooms work best?

White or chestnut button mushrooms are easiest. Oyster mushrooms torn into strips also work.

How long does it take?

About fifteen minutes: 7–8 minutes for the mushrooms and 4–6 minutes to toast.