Bread Too Thick For The Toaster? Break Out The Air Fryer

There are very few things in life as simple and satisfying as good bread, and when toasted, the carbohydrate is brought to another comfort level. Whether slathered with butter or jam or used for sandwiches or crostini, a well-toasted slice of sourdough, white, wheat, rye, or pumpernickel just can't be beat. And while a slim slice is sometimes enough, there are plenty of moments in which only a thick slab will suffice.

In those instances, it can be tough to get an even level of toastiness, particularly because most home toasters just can't accommodate more substantial pieces of bread. Fortunately, if you're the proud owner of an air fryer, you already have the solution. Instead of pan-frying or trying to jam your toast into skinny slots, you can simply turn on your trusty device — the same one you use for making perfect vegetables and proteins — and have your ideal, consistently toasted bread (and bagels, too) thanks to yet another useful air fryer hack.

Air frying toast couldn't be simpler. Simply set your air fryer to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and lay your slices on the surface of your air fryer basket. You can also take this opportunity to use a basket liner if you have one on hand. Buttering your bread will help promote a crisp, flavor-packed and golden slice, just as it would if you were pan-frying, but you can always add it afterwards if you prefer.

The time your bread takes to fully toast will depend on the thickness and your desired doneness, but about 4 minutes should get the job done. Take a quick break at the halfway mark to flip for more even browning on both sides. While these are guidelines for a good starting point, you can easily experiment with different temperatures, times, and variations in the size of your slices to help you determine your ideal — which may also vary based on your use for the bread.

Talk about a blank slate. Warm, crispy bread is one of the most adaptable foods out there, serving as the perfect platform for countless toast toppings, from peanut butter to custard to beans.

At breakfast, simply smear on your favorite butter or jam and pair it with coffee. For a more substantial meal, thick-cut toast makes an ideal stage for your spinach and cheese scramble, and it provides high walls to protect your egg in a hole. Or, use it to pile on some smoked salmon, mashed avocado, and poached eggs for a protein-packed stack. At lunchtime, thick toast can help you create open-faced sandwich perfection with pastrami and horseradish butter. If you're in the mood to deep fry, it's also the ideal sturdy vehicle for crispy Thai or Chinese shrimp toast.

During dinner hour, Texas toast is a great accompaniment to your favorite mains, especially when made into easy garlic bread, or it can be turned into a rich patty melt with slow-cooked meat and caramelized onions. And of course, there's always the classic midnight snack — cinnamon toast — which can also be air fried to perfection.