German Bread Casserole with Cheese and Onion Käseschnitten Recipe
Käseschnitten are simple German cheese toasts that save the day when there’s only yesterday’s bread left in the bread bin. Slices of bread are baked with a mixture of cheese, onion and a bit of sour cream until the top is golden and slightly crisp. It’s something between a Polish mushroom baguette and a French cheesy tartine – perfect for a quick, warm dinner.
This recipe turns simple leftover bread into a comforting, cheesy German classic with minimal effort. The combination of melted cheese, onion and a hint of mustard gives a deep, savoury flavour, while baking right to the edges keeps the bread soft inside and crisp on top.
Chef's tips
Use a well-melting cheese such as Gouda, Edam or Emmental for the best texture. Grate it yourself rather than using pre-grated cheese, which often contains anti-caking agents and melts less smoothly. Don’t skip spreading the mixture right to the crusts – it really prevents the bread from drying out.
How to serve
Serve 2–3 slices per person for a light dinner, with a green salad or sliced raw vegetables on the side. They also work well cut into smaller pieces and served on a platter as a warm party snack.
Ingredients
- wheat or mixed bread preferably slightly stale - 8 slices
- yellow cheese hard, well-melting, grated - 200 g
- onion medium - 1 piece
- sour cream 12–18% fat - 3 tablespoons
- mustard mild - 1 teaspoon
- chives chopped - 2 tablespoons
- butter for spreading on the bread - 20 g
- black pepper to taste
- sweet paprika for sprinkling - 0.5 teaspoons
- salt to taste, carefully, the cheese is salty
Preparation
- Preheat the oven to 200°C (top and bottom heat). Line a baking tray with baking paper.
- Peel the onion and cut it into very small dice. Chop the chives.
- In a bowl, mix the grated cheese, sour cream, mustard, onion and chives. Season with pepper and, if needed, a little salt. The mixture should be thick but spreadable.
- Lightly spread the bread slices with a thin layer of butter on one side and place them on the tray, buttered side up.
- Put a portion of the cheese mixture on each slice and spread it in an even layer right to the edges so the bread doesn’t dry out while baking.
- Sprinkle the top with sweet paprika for colour.
- Place the tray in the preheated oven and bake for 10–12 minutes, until the cheese melts, starts to bubble slightly and browns in spots.
- Serve immediately after taking out of the oven, while the cheese is hot and stretchy.
Storage
Baked Käseschnitten taste best straight from the oven. If you have leftovers, cool them completely, store in an airtight container in the fridge and reheat briefly in the oven or toaster oven to restore crispness.
