How to Toast Bread Without a Toaster (3 Easy Methods)

Toasters can take up precious counter space, so having alternative methods for toasting bread at home is important. Learn how to toast bread without a toaster in three different ways with some tips and tricks. 

Can You Toast Bread Without a Toaster?

Luckily, toasting bread without a toaster is easy! And there are several ways to heat your bread to get that golden and crispy crust. My favorite ways to heat bread are on the stove, in the oven, and under a broiler. 

How to Toast Bread on a Stove

Using a stove and pan to toast bread is a great option if you have one or two servings of bread. We tested several pans to get the best toast, and here are our tips:

• Carbon Steel Pan: Use medium heat with plain bread and low heat if you add butter. Toasting takes about two minutes total, flipping halfway. If you use frozen bread, you can add one to two minutes. 
• Nonstick Pan: It’s best to go low and slow with a nonstick pan to refrain from damaging the pan or burning the toast. Plain bread should toast on low heat for three minutes, flipping halfway (or five to six minutes total if your bread is frozen). Toasting with butter takes about one and a half minutes, flipping the bread halfway. 
• Cast Iron Pan: Since cast iron is very dense, we’ll need to preheat the pan on medium heat before putting the bread so it heats evenly. With plain bread, toast for three minutes, flipping halfway. For frozen bread, cook for a total of five to six minutes total and also flip halfway. When you use butter to toast, cook on low heat for two minutes, flipping halfway. 

We would not recommend using a stainless steel pan to toast bread because it tends to stick to the pan or burn butter too quickly to get a proper golden crust. 

How to Toast Bread In An Oven

If you want an easy, no-fuss method of toasting large amounts of bread, we recommend using the oven and a sheet pan. Set your oven temperature to 350 °F. Lay your slices in a single layer on a sheet pan and place them in the middle rack. Bake for six minutes and then turn the bread over. The tops will be still slightly pale because the bottoms will brown first. Then, bake for another six minutes. 

If you’re using frozen slices of bread, add two to three more minutes of baking or until it’s golden brown. 

Broiling Bread In An Oven

Broiling bread in an oven is the fastest way to toast bread in large amounts on a sheet pan, but don’t blink because it’ll go from golden brown to dark and burnt quickly. We recommend setting your broiler to 500 °F and closing the oven but only broil the top of the bread for one minute. Turn the bread slices over with tongs so you can toast the bottom side. Toast for another minute until golden. 

Can You Toast Bread In A Microwave?

While there are plenty of ways to toast bread other than a toaster, there are some ways we DON’T recommend using because you’ll end up with stale or hard bread. Some methods that aren’t worth trying are the microwave and the air fryer. The microwave gave us a stale texture. Using the air fryer also dried out our bread before toasting it properly and also caused it to fly around during cooking.

How to Toast Bread and Cheese Without a Toaster

Toasting bread and cheese without a toaster is simple too. We prefer using a nonstick pan on the stove or an oven. For the nonstick pan we use a lid to help create enough heat to melt the cheese. Use a low heat setting and add the bread with a slice of cheese on top and cover with a lid for about five to seven minutes or until the cheese melts and the bottom is golden brown.

You can also use an oven to toast bread and cheese. Preheat the oven to 350 °F and place the bread on a single layer on a sheet pan with sliced cheese on top. Bake for six to nine minutes or until the cheese is melted and the bottom is golden brown.

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How to Toast Bread Without a Toaster

Learn how to properly toast bread when you don’t have a toaster at home. Here are three different methods to help you get crispy and golden brown toast anytime.

Course Appetizer, Breakfast, Ingredient, Side Dish

Cuisine American

Keyword brunch, easy breakfast

Prep Time 2 minutes

Cook Time 12 minutes

Total Time 14 minutes

Servings 1

Equipment

• pan nonstick, carbon steel, or cast iron
• stove
• oven or broiler
• tongs
• fish turner optional

Ingredients

• sliced bread
• ¼ tbsp butter for each slice of bread, optional

Instructions

Pan on the stove

• Carbon steel pan: Preheat your pan to medium heat. Add your bread, cook for about one minute, and flip when the color is golden and crispy. Cook for another minute and remove once it’s golden brown. If you need more browning, cook for another 30 seconds. (If frozen, add another one to two minutes)

  Carbon steel pan with butter: Preheat your pan on low heat and add your butter. Once the butter is melted, add your bread, cook for one minute, and flip when the underside is golden and crispy. Add more butter and cook for another minute. Remove once it’s golden brown. 
• Cast iron pan: Preheat the pan to medium heat and add the bread. Cook for about one and a half minutes and flip when the underside is crispy and golden. Cook for another one and a half minutes or until the bread is golden brown. (If frozen, add another two to three minutes)

  Cast iron pan with butter: Preheat the pan to low heat and add butter. When the butter melts, add the bread and cook for one minute until the underside is golden. Flip and add more butter to the pan. Cook for another minute and remove when it’s golden brown.
• Non-stick pan: Preheat the pan to low heat and add your bread. Cook for one and a half minutes and flip when the underside is golden. Cook for another one and a half minutes and remove when the bottom is golden brown. If you want more color or crispiness, add another 30 seconds. (If frozen, add another two to three minutes of cooking time.)

  Non-stick pan with butter: Preheat the pan to low heat and add the butter. When the butter melts, add the bread and cook for about 45 seconds. When the underside is toasted, flip and add more butter. Cook for another 45 seconds to one minute and remove once it’s golden brown.

Oven (best for large amounts of toast)

• Preheat the oven to 350 °F.
• In a sheet pan, add the bread in a single layer so that none of the bread covers the others.
• Place the sheet pan in the middle rack and toast for six minutes. Flip all the pieces of bread and bake for another six minutes. (If frozen, add another one to two minutes)
• Once the bread is golden brown and crispy, remove the toast from the oven and serve.

Broiler (best for large amounts of toast quickly)

• Preheat the broiler to 500 °F.
• In a sheet pan, add the bread in a single layer without covering any of the pieces. Do not walk away from the broiler because this will go very fast.
• Place the sheet pan under the broiler and toast for one minute. Flip all the pieces of bread and cook for another minute.
• Remove the bread once the pieces are golden brown and crispy. If you want it more crispy, broil for an additional 15-30 seconds.

Notes

Use a fish turner to press the bread down slightly onto the pans while cooking to get an even and crispy layer.