Hey, grilled cheese lovers! Have you tried air frying grilled cheese sandwiches yet? It takes 10 minutes or less and is so easy. No more worrying about the bread burning or the cheese not melting: air fryer grilled cheese sandwiches are a crisp golden brown on the outside and perfectly gooey on the inside!
Jump to:
- Ingredients You'll Need
- Watch the Video
- How to Air Fry a Grilled Cheese Sandwich
- Watch the Video
- Best Bread for Grilled Cheese
- Best Cheese for Grilled Cheese
- Grilled Cheese Toppings
- Recipe Tips
- Try this recipe with...
- Can I use mayo instead of butter?
- Storage Instructions
- Air Fryer Sandwiches
- More Grilled Cheese Sandwich Ideas
- Air Fryer Grilled Cheese Sandwich
- Feedback
Okay, let's be honest with each other. How many times have you made a grilled cheese sandwich only for the bread to burn before the cheese can melt? We've had our fair share of burnt grilled cheese sandwiches.
The best grilled cheese sandwiches are usually cooked slowly over a medium-low heat to avoid burning the bread, but we don't always have the time to wait or watch the frying pan. That's what makes grilled cheese sandwiches in the air fryer so easy.
It's so easy that grilled cheese lovers might find it too easy to eat a grilled cheese sandwich every day!
To air fry grilled cheese, all you have to do is preheat the air fryer to 400°F, put in your sandwich, then flip halfway through the 7 minute cook time. But we can give you plenty of tips that will make your sandwich the best it can be - so let's get air frying!
Ingredients You'll Need
- Sliced Bread: Use any type of bread you like best, but make sure it's a bread without holes to prevent the melted cheese from oozing through it. Also avoid bread that is too crusty, or it might harden up too much when toasting. Our personal favorite sandwich bread is classic white bread, brioche, or Hawaiian bread.
- Sliced Cheese: We're using classic American cheese in this recipe - it's the perfect melty cheese! But, you can use your favorite cheese for grilled cheese or even pair it with other cheese. Cheddar and gruyere are more examples of great cheeses for grilled cheese.
- Butter: Butter is used to coat the top and bottom bread slices, helping them crisp up while also adding flavor. Our favorite butter for everything is Kerrygold, but you can use any butter you have on hand.
Watch the Video
How to Air Fry a Grilled Cheese Sandwich
Step 1
Preheat your air fryer to 400°F. Preheating is an important step to ensuring your cheese melts properly and the bread to get toasty. Place both slices of cheese between the bread slices. We're using American cheese, but feel free to use your favorites. Keep in mind some cheeses don't melt as well as others, but for the most part any deli cheese will do.
Step 2
Butter one side of each slice of bread, then put your sandwich halves together.
Step 3
Using tongs or a spatula, place sandwich in the air fryer basket and cook for 5 minutes. Turn halfway through the cook time to ensure even cooking and crispy bread. Air fry until golden brown and melty to your liking!
Step 4
Carefully remove your grilled cheese from the air fryer using tongs or a spatula, and enjoy!
Note: Air fryer toaster oven models with a tray, such as the Breville Smart Oven Air, require 7-9 minutes of air frying time for a perfect grilled cheese.
Watch the Video
Best Bread for Grilled Cheese
- White Bread: Classic white bread is our number one choice. It's so nostalgic.
- Sourdough Bread: The flavor of sourdough is unique, and a great choice for a fancy grilled cheese sandwich. Just be sure to pick one out that doesn't have too thick of a crust, or it might harden up too much and become difficult to eat.
- Hawaiian Bread: This has a sweet flavor we just can't resist! It's so soft, fluffy, and pairs very well with cheese of any kind.
- Potato Bread: Potato bread is a soft, sweet bread, not too dissimilar to Hawaiian bread.
- Rye Bread: The flavor of rye is as unique as sourdough, and so tasty! It's a great sandwich bread, especially for grilled cheeses.
- Whole Wheat: Feel free to use whole wheat for grilled cheese!
Best Cheese for Grilled Cheese
- American Cheese: Our number one choice for a classic grilled cheese sandwich.
- Gruyere: Melts well and is so creamy. We love this cheese!
- Provolone: A mild, versatile cheese - try adding it to a grilled cheese with ham!
- Gouda: Tends to have a smoky flavor that can be really interesting for grilled cheese sandwiches.
- Swiss: A classic choice that also works well if you're making a melt, such as a turkey melt.
- Pepper Jack: Jack cheese with a spicy kick! Serve this with a side of tomato soup and it'll leave you with a smile.
- Sharp Cheddar Cheese: We almost always go for cheddar when we don't have American cheese on hand.
Grilled Cheese Toppings
- Mushrooms and Onions: Cook up some onions and mushrooms and add them to your grilled cheese for an extra fancy sandwich. Great with Gruyere!
- Bacon and Ranch: Make some crispy air fryer bacon and serve it in a grilled cheese with ranch dressing and cheddar cheese for a bacon ranch grilled cheese!
- Apples and Cheese: Apple slices are delicious on grilled cheese. If you haven't tried it, you should! Use cheddar or gouda for the best flavor.
Recipe Tips
- Use your favorite cheese or combination of cheeses. American cheese from the deli is a classic grilled cheese for us as it is very creamy when melted. We also like pairing it with sliced Gruyere or sliced cheddar cheese.
- Use your favorite bread. Choose bread that doesn't have holes in it as the cheese will ooze through the holes. Our favorites include classic white bread, brioche, and Hawaiian bread. Avoid very crusty bread as it can get too hard when toasted.
- Cook time may vary depending on your specific air fryer - all air fryers vary! As always, use the cook time as a guide until you are more comfortable with your specific brand of air fryer.
- If cooking in multiple batches, be sure to check on the remaining batches early, as they may cook more quickly.
- A thin layer of butter that covers the entire outside of each slice of bread is important when buttering the bread to ensure the bread toasts evenly.
- Buttering the insides of each slice of bread is optional, but very tasty too.
Can I use mayo instead of butter?
Yes, you can use mayonnaise instead of butter to spread on the bread for air fryer grilled cheese sandwiches. Believe it or not, mayo has a decently high smoke point, so it works for this recipe without burning. Learn more about smoke points in our guide to oils for air frying.
Storage Instructions
- You can store leftover grilled cheese for 3-4 days in the refrigerator, but keep in mind that it will not be as crisp even when reheated in the air fryer. We recommend reheating for 3-5 minutes in the air fryer for the best results. Just make sure to let the sandwich cool down completely before storing it to lessen the moisture.
Air Fryer Sandwiches
Try more of our air fryer sandwich recipes, like:
More Grilled Cheese Sandwich Ideas
- Spinach Artichoke Grilled Cheese
- Mozzarella Stick Grilled Cheese
- Turkey Grilled Cheese with Cranberry and Brie
Leave a comment and review for us below if you enjoyed this recipe, or if you have questions about any of our air fryer recipes!
Air Fryer Grilled Cheese Sandwich
Equipment
- Air Fryer
Ingredients
- 2 slices bread any kind - avoid bread that is too crusty or bread with holes
- 2 slices American cheese or your favorite cheese
- Butter softened
Instructions
- Preheat air fryer to 400°F.
- Place 2 slices American cheese between 2 slices bread.
- Butter the outside of both the top bread slice and the bottom bread slice.
- Using tongs or a spatula, place sandwich in air fryer basket and cook for 5 minutes turning halfway through cooking. Air fry until golden brown and melty to your liking. Note: for an air fryer toaster oven model with a tray, cook for 7-9 minutes instead.
- Remove from the air fryer and enjoy!
Notes
- Use your favorite cheese or combination of cheeses.
- Use your favorite bread. Choose bread that doesn't have holes in it or bread that is too crusty.
- Cook time may vary depending on your specific air fryer model. All air fryers vary.
- If cooking in multiple batches, check on the remaining batches early, as they may cook more quickly.
- A thin layer of butter that covers the entire outside of each slice of bread is important when buttering the bread to ensure the bread toasts evenly.
- Buttering the insides of each slice of bread is optional, but very tasty.
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