Irresistible air fryer grilled cheese sandwich

This is the only air fryer grilled cheese sandwich recipe you will ever need because it’s life-changing. Crunchy buttery bread paired with delicious gooey melted cheese, nothing can beat that!

I finally invested in the Air Fryer, and oh my, how happy it makes the kids and I! We tried so many different recipes in the first week - let me tell you, all of them were delicious and very easy to make.

Oil-free cooking, in general, is amazing. Most of my air fryer recipes are:

•  suitable for keto and paleo diets, 
• low in weight watchers points and 
• whole30 friendly.

Well..., except this recipe. We all need a treat sometimes, right?!

Like many people, I used to make grilled cheese sandwiches on a skillet, but now that I have my trusty air fryer, I make them in that because it’s so simple, and the air fryer makes the sandwich perfectly toasty and gooey!

What’s an air fryer?

Just in case you’ve been living under a rock (we’ve all been there at some point!), an air fryer is a small kitchen appliance that’s used to mimic deep frying but without the fat from the fryer oil.

Which one is the best?

There are so many different models out there now. I read a lot of reviews and compared a lot of different models before finally committing to the Gourmia. I’m so glad I did because I really couldn’t be happier with my choice! 

Is air fryer food healthy?

Since you’re not adding as much oil or butter on your food during cooking, your food has less fat and fewer calories. I prefer air fryer cooking over pan-frying almost every time, as do many people who are switching their deep fryers to air fryers.

Recipe ingredients

• Bread - the "bookends" of your sandwich. You can use many different types of bread - read below to learn more.
• Butter - essential for that delicious, buttery flavor
• Cheese - the “glue” that holds those 2 slices of bread together! Read below to learn about the types of cheese you can use
• Add-ons - turkey, bacon, sliced jalapeños...the possibilities are endless

How to make air fryer grilled cheese

1. Preheat your air fryer to 350 degrees.
2. Spread the butter on one side of the bread. Add cheese (and any add ons) and cover with another piece of bread, buttered on the opposite side.
3. Place the sandwich inside the Air Fryer. Set the time for 5 minutes. Flip at the halfway mark.

Recipe tips and tricks

Use these tips and trick to make an awesome grilled cheese in the air fryer every time.

Keep the cheese inside the sandwich

Make sure that the cheese is folded inside those two slices of bread all the way. You don’t want it to melt and spread all over your air fryer basket

Add your own add-ins

You can make the recipe your own in a huge number of different ways by adding a variety of ingredients like:

• crunchy cooked bacon
• sliced jalapeños
• chopped scallions
• sun-dried tomatoes
• leftover pulled pork
• shredded chicken
• sliced sandwich meat, like ham or turkey!

Use mayo

Make it air fryer grilled cheese with mayo by adding mayonnaise on one or both sides of your toasts. I wouldn’t add too much, just enough to lightly spread on the piece of bread. 

How to prevent the bread from flying around in air fryer

My air fryer doesn’t have this problem but I’ve heard that most air fryers do. I really enjoyed reading your comments on Pinterest and you guys gave me some really cool ideas! 

To prevent the bread from flying off the cheese, just stick a toothpick in your sandwich prior to cooking. Or another option is to top the sandwich with a trivet, and it should work well.

What is the best cheese for grilled cheese sandwich?

Here is the list of my favorite sliced cheese varieties for a grilled cheese sandwich. I love it most with cheddar while my husband prefers it in a more classic way- with American cheese because it melts more quickly and he loves the flavor.

1. Sharp cheddar
2. American cheese
3. Muenster
4. Provolone cheese
5. Pepper jack cheese

What bread is best

I tried a bunch of different types of bread for this recipe, and all of them worked pretty well! Sourdough bread is my top choice for the best crispy grilled cheese sandwich. Both white and whole-grain bread are fantastic too!

What to serve with grilled cheese

Grilled cheese sandwich can be served on its own for breakfast or late lunch. But if you like a complex meal, I recommend adding a delicious creamy split pea soup or butternut squash soup.  

You can dip the sandwich right into the soup, which is amazing on a rainy cold day! A simple salad, like a house salad with just mixed greens, your favorite sauce, and a choice of protein, is also a great option.

There you go! Do you have an air fryer? If you do, once you try grilled cheese in the air fryer, you’ll never go back to making them on the stove again! If you don’t have one yet, it’s seriously time to get one.

More air fryer recipes readers love!

The full list of my healthy air fryer recipes has over 50 recipes! Check it out!

• Air fried Oreos
• Air fryer Steak
• Air fryer Salmon 
• Air fryer Cornish hen
• Air fryer burgers