Light Bites

Jamie Oliver’s Punchy Welsh Rarebit

Jamie Oliver's latest book, Easy Air Fryer, is packed with simple, delicious recipes, including his take on British classic, the Welsh Rarebit.

7 minutes prep, 10 minutes cook

Serves 2

Ingredients

2 large slices of good bread (1½cm-thick)

1 free-range egg

50g Red Leicester or Cheddar cheese

1 tbsp half-fat crème fraîche

1 heaped tsp English mustard

25g jarred sliced jalapeños

1 eating apple

1 little gem lettuce

Extra virgin olive oil

Red wine vinegar

Optional: Worcestershire sauce

1-drawer air fryer

Method

1. Place the bread in the air-fryer drawer and toast for 5 minutes at 200ºC.

2. Whisk the egg in a bowl until light and foamy, then finely grate in the cheese, a the crème fraîche, mustard and a pinch of black pepper, and mix well.

3. Remove the bread from the air fryer, flip over, spoon the rarebit mixture ov both pieces, then gently poke in the jalapeño slices. Return to the drawer and cook for 5 minutes at 200ºC, or until golden and bubbling.

4. While it cooks, finely slice the apple into rounds, then across into matchstick, Click the outer leaves off the lettuce, finely slice the inner base, and slice the inner tender leaves. Gently toss it all in a little extra virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar and seasoning, and plate up with the rarebit, add a shake of Worcestershire sauce, if you like, and enjoy!

Easy swaps

Feel free to swap in any good melty cheese of your choice. Some of my Great British faves are Westcombe Cheddar, Lincolnshire Poacher and Mrs Kirkham’s Lancashire. Adding jalapeños gives a punchy flavour hit, but you can swap in all sorts of fla bombs here – try a layer of chilli jam, chutney or even good old Branston Pickle under the rarebit mixture.

Nutritional information

Energy: 325kcal, Fat: 17.7g, Sat Fat: 7.8g, Protein: 14.5g, Carbs: 27g, Sugars: 9.6g, Salt: 1.8g, Fibre: 2.8g

Easy Air Fryer by Jamie Oliver is published by Penguin Michael Joseph © Jamie Oliver Enterprises Limited (2025, Easy Air Fryer). Recipe photography: © David Loftus, 2025