Get ready to fall in love with air fryer grilled cheese! Perfectly-toasted bread stuffed with ooey-gooey melted cheese is easy comfort food for the whole family.
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I love a good grilled cheese as much as the next person, but I definitely don’t love standing over a hot stove, baby-sitting each sandwich to get it just right. So once I saw how easy it is to make air fryer grilled cheese, I was hooked!
Just assemble the sandwich, spread a little butter on the outside, and let the air fryer handle the rest.
You’ll flip the sandwich once to ensure it gets crispy on both sides, but that’s it! The result is perfectly-toasted bread stuffed with hot, melty cheese every time.
This recipe is a lifesaver when it comes to meals the whole family loves. My kids beg me to make grill cheese sandwiches in the air fryer at least once a week! And I’m happy to say yes when it’s this easy and delicious.
Why you’ll love Grill Cheese in the Air Fryer
- It’s the easiest way to make grilled cheese sandwiches!
- Made with just 3 ingredients you likely already have
- Ready in under 15 minutes
- No excess oil
- Cleanup is incredibly easy
- Kid-tested and approved
How to make an Air Fryer Grilled Cheese Sandwich
A full printable version of this recipe with ingredient measurements is available at the bottom of this post.
STEP ONE: Preheat the air fryer to 340 degrees F. You can make this recipe in an air fryer basket or air fryer oven (as shown).
STEP TWO: Place two pieces of cheese on a slice of bread, then cover with the other slice.
STEP THREE: Spread butter on the outside of both pieces of bread.
STEP FOUR: Place the sandwich in the basket and cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Secure with toothpicks or a small wire rack if necessary. I recommend this for basket air fryers.
STEP FIVE: Flip the sandwich, then cook for another 3 to 4 minutes until crispy and golden.
The best cheese for Air Fry Grilled Cheese
To be honest, I don’t think there’s a “bad” cheese to make grilled cheese with. Try them all if you want to! If you’re looking for suggestions, here are a few of my favorites:
- Cheddar: classic with just the right amount of flavor
- Mozzarella: never fails to give you that ooey-gooey texture
- American: easy to melt with a mild, cozy taste
- Havarti: superb melting with a flavor between cheddar and provolone
- Provolone: very creamy and always a crowd-pleaser
- Gruyère: great for mature palettes that are looking for a more complex flavor
- Pepper Jack: perfect if you want a little kick!
Grilled Cheese Air Fryer Tips
Have you ever heard of a toasted cheese sandwich? It’s similar to a grilled cheese, except it’s served open-faced. And if you don’t help the top piece of bread stay in place in the air fryer, you may unintentionally end up with one!
When you start cooking your grilled cheese in the air fryer, I suggest using toothpicks or a small wire rack to hold the top piece of bread in place.
Once it’s time to flip the sandwiches, you can remove the rack or toothpicks since the melted cheese will help hold everything together.
Ways to amp up your Air Fried Grilled Cheese
- Add a pre-cooked protein like ham, bacon, or prosciutto
- Layer on fresh ingredients like tomato, spinach, avocado, or even sliced granny smith apples
- Spread some pesto on the inside of the bread
- Punch up the flavor with roasted garlic, caramelized onions, or sun-dried tomatoes
- Give your sandwich a kick by adding sliced jalapeños or a sprinkling of red pepper flakes
What to serve with Air Fried Grilled Cheese
- Air Fried French Fries
- Broccoli Salad
- Instant Pot Glazed Carrots Recipe
- Quinoa Chickpea Salad
- The Best Corn on the Cob in the Air Fryer
How to reheat Grilled Cheese in the Air Fryer
You bet! The air fryer is a great way to warm up leftover grilled cheese, so the bread keeps that crunchy texture while the cheese gets perfectly melty.
- Preheat the air fryer to 340 degrees F.
- Lay the leftover grilled cheese in the air fryer basket.
- Cook for 3-4 minutes or until heated through.
I prefer to make this recipe with butter, but you could certainly make your air fryer grilled cheese with mayo if you like!
Just spread a thin layer of mayonnaise on the outside of the bread in place of the butter.
Alternatively, you could also use a combination of the two. Let the butter soften to room temperature in a ramekin, add some mayo, mix until well combined, and spread over your bread for the best of both worlds!
Other Air Fryer Comfort Food Recipes You’ll Love:
- Air Fryer Chicken Nuggets
- Air Fryer PB&J
- Air Fryer Bread
- Air Fryer Tuna Melt
- Air Fryer Garlic Bread
- Air Fryer Quesadillas
- French Bread Pizza in the Air Fryer
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Air Fried Grilled Cheese
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon butter room temperature
- 2 slices cheese your choice
- 2 slices bread your choice
Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer to 340 degrees.
- Make a sandwich with the bread, placing the two pieces of cheese on the inside.
- Spread both sides of the outside of the sandwich with the butter.
- Place in the basket and cook for 3 to 4 minutes on each side (6-8 minutes total) until golden, watching carefully as the wattage of your air fryer can change the cooking time.
Mine looked absolutely nothing like that. It didn’t colour the bread at all!
Make sure you are putting enough butter on the bread and letting the air fryer preheat fully.