BEST 20 Minute Indian Chili Cheese Toast

Chilli cheese toast is a street food in India but is also just a snack found in many restaurants. When I was living in Mumbai for work, this was a popular item that was available in my work cafe. 

It is simple to make with a mixture of spices, finely chopped veggies, and cheese on toast.

With a few ingredients and a handful of spices, you have delicious cheese toasts ready! In Mumbai, I loved having it with my masala chai

This is one of those foods that brings back memories of Mumbai for me, like Indian Chinese food such as Chilli Paneer Noodles.

Like Paneer Bhurji Toast, it is a tasty quick treat!

What’s so good about it?

• Simple ingredients, big flavor | Easy bread toast recipe in which you can sneak in veggies!
• Quick to prepare |Ready in just 15-20 minutes  
• Versatile | Great for breakfast, lunch, or an easy snack!
• Vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free | Vegan option available (just sub for plant-based cheese and butter)

Ingredient Notes

Below are ingredient notes. Full ingredients and directions are in the printable recipe card at the end of the post. 

Bread: Any kind of bread works.  I particularly love using sourdough for this.  It produces a yummy, crunchy, sturdy toast that holds the toppings well.

Butter: Butter is what will give you a delicious crunch and flavor.  Ghee can work as a substitute for butter here.

Cheese:  I like using mozzarella cheese or pepper jack.  Cheddar cheese can work as well.  I’m a fan of keeping things simple when possible, so use what you have on hand. A mix of cheeses would also taste fantastic.

Use ready-made grated cheese or a block of cheese and a cheese grater for the best cheese melts.

Veggies:  I used bell peppers, tomato, onion, and green chilies. Chop them finely, it makes a difference in the absorption of the flavors of the masala and melted cheese.

You can use any mix of veggies and even add some more if you want.  If you can’t get the green chilies from an Indian store, jalapenos work just as well.

• Green chili or jalapeno – this gives some of the chili in the name chili cheese toast! Serrano pepper can also be used.
• Onions – adds texture and flavor
• Tomatoes – rounds out flavor
• Bell pepper/capsicum – gives a nice little crunch

Powdered spices: Chaat masala, garlic powder, and salt

• Chaat masala – a blend of spices
• Garlic powder – adds depth of flavor

Red chili flakes – for extra kick

Chaat masala, an Indian spice blend, is KEY here! It gives a unique flavor so I highly recommend that you don’t skip it.  It is readily available in Indian grocery stores. 

Making chaat masala at home with just 6 ingredients is very easy.

Preparation

• Prep veggies – finely chop/dice the vegetables. This is key for the flavor and mouth feel. It just tastes so good when all the small pieces mix well with the spices.
• Prepare cheese mixture – Mix shredded cheese, spices, and diced vegetables in a bowl
• Butter toast – butter both sides of the bread slices

Making It

These crisp toasts can be made stovetop in a frying pan or tawa, in an oven, or even in an air fryer.

Top bread slices – Top all slices of bread with chili cheese mixture

• Bake – Arrange buttered bread slices on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Place in a preheated oven and bake for 8-10 minutes until bread is golden brown and cheese has melted.

Check at 8 minutes to ensure not too toasted for your liking. 

• Stove Top – You can easily make this with a tawa or pan on the stove. If possible, use a pan that has a cover. You can then reduce the heat and cover the pan to encourage the cheese to melt more quickly.

On the tawa, I like to toast both sides. So, I would butter both sides.  Then cook one side for 2-3 minutes on tawa.  Flip, add chili cheese mixture, and cover for 1-2 minutes to help the cheese melt quickly.

• Air fryer – Place in on baking tray or air fryer basket at 400F for 4-6 minutes.

A yummy variation of cheese chili toast is to uses garlic butter. It produces a delicious cheesy garlic bread kind taste with a unique flavor of spices and veggies.

Serving Suggestions

This chilli cheese toast recipe can be used for a snack, light lunch, family brunch, or even an Indian high tea!

It is usually served alongside green chutney and tomato ketchup for dipping.  

It would be delicious with Masala Chai.

Have you tried this veg chili cheese toast recipe? If so, I would greatly appreciate it if you could take a moment to leave a comment and rate it with stars. It would mean a lot to me to hear how it turned out. If you’re on Instagram, feel free to tag me so I can see your creation. Thank you for your support!

Looking For Other Easy Lunch Ideas? Check Out:

Pav Bhaji Nachos

Jalapeno Paneer Corn Tacos

Aloo Tikki Burger

Spicy Inside Out Grilled Cheese

Tikka paneer tacos