These honey mustard broccolini melts came out of one of those nights where I had half a bunch of broccolini in the fridge and not much else going on. I wasn’t expecting much. Turns out roasting broccolini with Dijon and honey until the tips go a little crispy, then piling it on thick sourdough with sharp white cheddar, is genuinely one of the better things I’ve made in my toaster oven. It’s fast, it’s filling, and it doesn’t feel like a sad desk lunch.
The toaster oven is really the right tool here. It gets hot enough to properly roast the broccolini — not just steam it — and it handles the cheese melt and bread crisping without you having to babysit anything. If you’ve got a decent toaster oven baking pan with a flat surface, the whole thing fits in one go (mostly). A good compact toaster oven with a broil setting makes the last step even better, but it’s not strictly required.
The sauce does double duty: it coats the broccolini during roasting and acts as the spread on the bread. Slightly caramelized from the heat, tangy from the mustard, a little sweet. It works. Use thick-cut sourdough if you can — flimsy sandwich bread will just go soggy under the weight of everything. This is a two-slice-of-toast dinner, not a snack, and I mean that as a compliment.
Toaster Oven Honey Mustard Roasted Broccolini and White Cheddar Melts on Sourdough
Crispy sourdough toast topped with honey mustard roasted broccolini and melted sharp white cheddar. Ready in about 25 minutes and honestly better than it has any right to be.
Ingredients
Instructions
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Preheat your toaster oven to 425°F on the bake or roast setting. Line the toaster oven pan with foil — broccolini likes to stick.
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Whisk together the Dijon, honey, apple cider vinegar, garlic powder, and 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a small bowl. Set aside about 1 tablespoon of this sauce for spreading on the bread later.
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Toss the broccolini with the remaining sauce, the other tablespoon of olive oil, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes if using. Spread it in a single layer on the prepared pan.
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Roast for 10 to 12 minutes, until the broccolini stems are tender and the tips are starting to go a little dark and crispy. That char is the whole point — don't pull it too early.
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While the broccolini roasts, brush or spread the reserved honey mustard sauce onto both slices of sourdough. Place them on a second piece of foil or directly on the toaster oven rack if your pan is occupied.
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Once the broccolini is done, pull it out and set it aside briefly. Lay the sourdough slices on the pan, top each with half the cheese, then pile on the roasted broccolini. Press it down gently so it doesn't topple.
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Return the pan to the toaster oven and bake another 5 to 6 minutes until the cheese is fully melted and the bread edges are deep golden. Switch to broil for the last 60 to 90 seconds if you want the cheese a little bubbly and spotted — totally worth it.
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Squeeze fresh lemon juice over both melts right before serving. Eat immediately.
Notes
Broccolini works better here than regular broccoli because the thinner stems roast faster and fit more easily on toast. If you only have broccoli, cut it into very small florets and add a couple extra minutes of roasting time. The honey mustard sauce is pretty flexible — more Dijon if you want it sharper, more honey if you want it sweeter. Leftovers don't really keep well as assembled melts, but you can store the roasted broccolini separately and build fresh toast the next day. Sharp white cheddar is my preference but Gruyère melts even more dramatically if you have it around.
Nutrition
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Written by
Emma is a home cook who loves coaxing big flavor out of a toaster oven — from crispy roasted vegetables to easy weeknight dinners and sweet treats. She develops and tests Toastera's recipes for small-appliance kitchens.
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