Air Fryer Grilled Cheese: Quick, Easy, And Delicious!

Grilled cheese sandwiches are a beloved comfort food for many, but the process of making them can be messy and time-consuming. Using an air fryer to make grilled cheese is a quick and easy alternative that gives you the perfect level of crunchiness and gooeyness in just a few minutes.

Air fryer grilled cheese with mayonnaise

Air fryers are a great way to make grilled cheese sandwiches with minimal prep and easy cleanup. You can use your favourite type of bread and cheese, and even add extra toppings to personalise your sandwich. Here is a recipe for a grilled cheese with mayonnaise.

Ingredients:

• 2 slices of bread (white, wheat, sourdough, or potato bread)
• 2-3 slices of melting cheese (Cheddar, Havarti, American, or Monterey Jack)
• 1 tablespoon of mayonnaise
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Optional toppings:

• Sliced or sundried tomatoes
• Bacon
• Pulled pork
• Sliced ham
• Brown sugar
• Tuna salad
• Chicken salad
• Sliced sour apple

Method:

• Preheat the air fryer to 375-400°F.
• Spread the mayonnaise on one side of each slice of bread.
• Place one slice of bread, mayo-side down, in the air fryer basket.
• Top with the cheese slices.
• Place the other slice of bread, mayo-side up, on top of the cheese.
• Air fry for 3 minutes.
• Flip the sandwich and continue cooking until both sides are golden and toasted, for 2-4 minutes.

Tips:

• Preheat the air fryer while assembling the sandwich to save time.
• Place the sandwich mayo-side down into the air fryer basket to promote browning and reduce sticking.
• Use a heat-safe spatula to flip the sandwich.
• Adjust the cooking time as needed, depending on your desired level of toastiness.
• If making two sandwiches at the same time, you may need to increase the cooking time by 1-2 minutes per side.
• To prevent the top slice of bread from flying off, secure the sandwich with a toothpick before placing it in the air fryer. Remove the toothpick before flipping.

Air fryer grilled cheese with butter

Ingredients

• Butter (salted or unsalted)
• Bread (white, wheat, sourdough, or potato bread)
• Cheese (cheddar, Havarti, Monterey Jack, Gruyère, or low-moisture mozzarella)

Optional Ingredients

• Mayonnaise
• Tomato
• Bacon
• Ham
• Brown sugar
• Jalapeno

Instructions

• Preheat your air fryer to 370-400°F.
• Spread butter on one side of each slice of bread.
• Place one slice of bread, butter-side down, in the air fryer basket.
• Top with cheese slices.
• Place the other slice of bread, butter-side up, on top of the cheese.
• Air fry for 3 minutes.
• Flip the sandwich and continue cooking until both sides are golden brown and the cheese is melted, for an additional 2-4 minutes.

Tips

• Preheat the air fryer while assembling the sandwich to save time and get the hot air circulating for the best results.
• Place the sandwich butter-side down into the air fryer basket to promote browning and reduce sticking.
• Flip the sandwich halfway through using a heat-safe spatula.
• Adjust the cooking time as needed, depending on your desired level of toastiness.
• Secure the sandwich with a toothpick before air frying to prevent the top slice from flying off.
• Personalize your grilled cheese with additional toppings such as sliced tomatoes, bacon, ham, or a sprinkle of brown sugar.

Air fryer grilled cheese with a variety of cheeses

Making grilled cheese in an air fryer is a quick and easy way to achieve the perfect texture: a crispy, golden exterior with a soft, gooey, melted cheese filling. This method is also a safer way for kids to make their own grilled cheese sandwiches if they're not yet ready to use the stove.

Ingredients

• Bread: Choose a sturdy, thicker cut bread, like sourdough, rustic Italian, Texas toast, or a rustic loaf. Avoid pre-sliced bread, as it may not toast as evenly.
• Cheese: Go for a combination of flavoursome cheese, like sharp cheddar, and a good melting cheese, such as Monterey Jack, Gruyère, Fontina, Havarti, or low-moisture mozzarella. Freshly grated cheese will give you the creamiest melt, but pre-grated or sliced cheese also works.
• Butter or Mayonnaise: Butter will give you that classic, buttery, crispy golden crust. Salted or unsalted butter can be used, and it should be at room temperature to make it easier to spread. Mayonnaise can also be used instead of butter, adding moisture and promoting browning for a crisp but not dried-out sandwich.

Method

• Preheat your air fryer to between 370-400°F.
• Assemble the sandwiches: Spread butter or mayonnaise on one side of each slice of bread. If using butter, you can add a thin layer of mayo to the inside of the bread for extra creaminess. Place the cheese on the non-buttered/mayo-ed side of the bread and top with the other slice (butter or mayo side up). Secure the sandwich with a toothpick to prevent the bread from flying off while air frying.
• Air fry: Place the sandwiches in the air fryer basket, leaving a little space between them. Air fry for 2-4 minutes.
• Flip the sandwiches: Air fry for a further 2-6 minutes, depending on your desired level of brownness. If the bottom of the sandwich is not yet golden, flip again and air fry for another 1-2 minutes.
• Serve: Remove the toothpicks and serve. For the ultimate comfort food combo, serve your grilled cheese with tomato soup.

Tips:

• If you don't have any softened butter, spread mayonnaise on the outside of the sandwich instead.
• If you want to add extra toppings, try sliced or sundried tomatoes, bacon, ham, sautéed mushrooms or onions, pickles, or candied jalapeños.

Air fryer grilled cheese with toppings

Ingredients:

• 8 slices thick white bread (or Texas toast, sourdough, or rustic bread)
• 4 slices sharp cheddar cheese, thinly sliced
• 4-8 slices of Swiss, provolone, American, Monterey Jack, Gruyere, Fontina, or Havarti cheese
• Butter (salted or unsalted) or mayonnaise
• Toppings of your choice (see below for suggestions)

Method:

• Preheat your air fryer to 370-390°F.
• Butter one side of each slice of bread. You can also use mayonnaise instead of butter.
• Add your desired toppings to the non-buttered side of the bread. Suggested toppings include:

• Sliced tomato
• Bacon
• Ham
• Sautéed mushrooms or onions
• Pickles
• Sauerkraut
• Candied jalapeños

• Top your sandwich with one slice of cheddar cheese, then add your second choice of cheese.
• Place the second slice of bread on top, with the buttered side facing outwards.
• Secure the sandwich with a toothpick to prevent the top slice from flying off during cooking.
• Place the sandwiches in the air fryer basket or on the rack in a single layer. You may need to cook them in batches.
• Air fry at 370°F for 2-3 minutes, then flip and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes, or until golden brown.
• Remove the toothpick and serve.

Tips:

• If you don't want to use butter, you can spray the top of the bread with oil after placing the sandwich in the air fryer, then spray the other side after flipping.
• If your air fryer has a strong fan, the top slice of bread may fly off. Secure each sandwich with a toothpick before air frying, then remove the toothpick before flipping.
• Grating the cheese beforehand will help it melt faster and give you a better cheese pull.

Air fryer grilled cheese with soup

Ingredients

• Butter (or mayonnaise)
• Bread (white, sourdough, potato, French, or rustic bread)
• Cheese (Cheddar, Havarti, Monterey Jack, Gruyère, or Mozzarella)

Optional Ingredients

• Tomato soup
• Bacon
• Pulled pork
• Ham
• Brown sugar
• Pickles
• Sauerkraut
• Sautéed mushrooms
• Onions
• Candied jalapeños
• Jam

Instructions

• Preheat the air fryer to 375-400°F.
• Soften the butter at room temperature.
• Grate the cheese.
• Assemble the sandwiches by spreading butter on one side of each slice of bread.
• Place one slice of bread, butter-side down, in the air fryer basket.
• Top with cheese slices.
• Place the other slice of bread, butter-side up, on top of the cheese.
• Air fry for 3 minutes.
• Flip the sandwich and continue cooking until both sides are golden and toasted, for 2-4 minutes.
• Serve with a soup of your choice.

Tips

• Preheat the air fryer to save time and get the hot air circulating for the best crisp and golden grilled cheese.
• Place the sandwich with the buttered-side down to promote browning and reduce sticking.
• Flip the sandwich halfway through using a heat-safe spatula.
• Adjust the cooking time as needed for a more lightly toasted sandwich.
• Personalize grilled cheese with additional toppings such as sliced or sundried tomatoes, bacon, pulled pork, sliced ham, or a sprinkle of brown sugar on top of the cheese.

Frequently asked questions