Air Fryer Grilled Cheese | Cookies & Cups

By: Shelly
Posted: Feb 11, 2025

This straightforward air fryer grilled cheese takes minutes to make and comes out golden outdoors, completely melted inside, with a satisfying crunch and massive strings of gooey cheese! It doesn’t get higher.

When you’ve mastered this traditional grilled cheese within the air fryer, take it up a notch with a spicy sizzling Buffalo chicken grilled cheese!

Close up of an air fryer grilled cheese cut in half and slightly pulled apart to reveal the strings of cheese inside, next to a bowl of tomato soup.

Why You’ll Love This Air Fryer Grilled Cheese

I’ve used my air fryer to prepare dinner all the pieces from chicken tenders to chocolate chip cookies, so it was solely a matter of time earlier than I made air fryer grilled cheese! I don’t know if I’ll ever return to a skillet on the range. There are some things that I search for in an ideal grilled cheese sandwich, and this air fryer recipe nails it:

Further crispy. The air fryer makes it tremendous straightforward to get that coveted golden exterior, for an additional crispy, crunchy grilled cheese sandwich.
Large, gooey strings of cheese. After I slice and pull aside a freshly grilled cheese sandwich, I like seeing loads of ooey-gooey, melted cheese stretching from in between the bread slices. For the reason that sizzling air circulates, the air fryer is a fast and simple shortcut to grilled cheese that’s completely melted inside.
Simple. I believe among the finest components about an ideal grilled cheese is its simplicity! This recipe doesn’t have any fancy elements and the tactic is tremendous straightforward, even for rookies. Plus, it’s approach quicker than a skillet!

Ingredients needed to make an air fryer grilled cheese with text labels overlaying each ingredient.

Components You’ll Want

There are actually simply 3 elements wanted to make a traditional grilled cheese: bread, butter, and cheese! I’ve included some notes under. Scroll all the way down to the recipe card for a printable record with the total recipe quantities.

Butter – Take the butter out of the fridge forward of time in order that it softens sufficient to unfold simply over the bread.
Bread – Any bread you’d like! I exploit sourdough. My one advice for selecting bread for grilled cheese is to keep away from an excessively powerful, exhausting crust (it’ll solely get tougher after it’s cooked).
Cheese – For the very best grilled cheese, you’ll wish to use a mixture of shredded cheddar and one other melty cheese, like mozzarella, Gruyere, or Monterey Jack.

The right way to Make Grilled Cheese Within the Air Fryer

Should you’re new to air frying, a traditional grilled cheese is a good place to start out! I even have a helpful information on how to use an air fryer that walks you thru the fundamentals. Then, comply with the fast steps right here. You’ll additionally discover the printable directions within the recipe card under the submit.

A knife spreading butter over a slice of bread. — Butter the bread slices.

Assemble. Whereas the air fryer preheats to 370ºF, butter two slices of bread, after which assemble your grilled cheese within the air fryer with the buttered sides going through out. You will be beneficiant with the shredded cheese!
Prepare dinner. Air fry the grilled cheese for 4-5 minutes per aspect till it’s golden and toasty and the cheese is totally melted.

Two air fryer grilled cheese sandwiched stacked on top of one another, with gooey cheese escaping from the side.

Recipe Ideas and Variations

Maintain the sandwich collectively. Should you’re working with thinner bread slices, think about sticking a toothpick into the grilled cheese to carry it collectively whereas it cooks.
Olive oil as a substitute of butter. Should you’d desire to make your air fryer grilled cheese with olive oil, drizzle a small quantity over every bread slice. Then, sprinkle a pinch of salt (my favourite is Maldon sea salt) over the oiled aspect of the bread for additional taste. A bit of salt additionally helps the surface of the grilled cheese crisp up. You are able to do this if you happen to’re utilizing unsalted butter, too.
Ham and cheese. Make a ham and cheese grilled cheese by layering deli ham or thinly sliced leftover baked ham over the cheese. You too can add tomato slices.
Pesto. Unfold the within of the bread slices with basil pesto, sun-dried tomato pesto, or tapenade.
Pizza. Make pepperoni pizza grilled cheese with mozzarella, pepperoni slices, and tomato sauce.
Extra add-ins. Add cooked bacon slices or caramelized onions. I additionally love making grilled cheese with skinny apple slices for a sweet-savory distinction.

Incessantly Requested Questions

Do you need to flip a grilled cheese sandwich in an air fryer?

Sure, it’s best to flip your grilled cheese midway by means of cooking in order that it browns evenly on each side. If one aspect isn’t fairly golden brown, flip and prepare dinner for one more 1-2 minutes extra.

Are you able to make grilled cheese with out butter?

Butter provides taste, however it’s also possible to use olive oil or mayo. Making grilled cheese with mayo as a substitute of butter provides to the flavour and provides the surface of the bread a pleasant, golden brown shade.

A hand dipping a slice of air fryer grilled cheese into a bowl of tomato soup.

What to Serve With Grilled Cheese

Nothing brings me straight again to my childhood than a gooey, crispy grilled cheese dunked right into a bowl of creamy tomato soup. Or, just about any soup for that matter, from vegetable soup to Zuppa Toscana and even good old style chicken noodle soup. Simply add a aspect of inexperienced salad and lunch is served!

Two halves of an air fryer grilled cheese stacked with gooey cheese dripping out from the bread slices.

Storing and Reheating Leftovers

Refrigerate. Grilled cheese will at all times style the very best when it’s recent from the skillet or air fryer! That being stated, when you have leftovers, you’ll be able to retailer them hermetic and preserve them within the fridge for a day or two.
Reheat. The simplest approach to reheat grilled cheese is to return it to the air fryer at 350ºF till it’s sizzling and melted once more.

Description

This straightforward air fryer grilled cheese takes minutes to make and comes out crispy and golden outdoors, completely melted inside, with huge strings of gooey cheese!

3 Tablespoons Butter, softened
4 slices of Bread (I used sourdough)
3 ounces Cheddar cheese, shredded
3 ounces Mozzarella cheese, Gruyere, or Monterey Jack cheese

Preheat the air fryer to 370F.
Unfold one slice of bread with butter, masking one aspect utterly.
Place the bread butter aspect down on the air fryer grate.
Prime with equal quantities of each cheeses.
Butter one aspect of the second slice of bread and place it on high of the cheese, with the butter aspect up.
In case your bread is skinny, add a toothpick to maintain the bread from blowing off.
Prepare dinner for 4-5 minutes, then flip and prepare dinner for one more 4 minutes. Should you like your bread extra toasted, you’ll be able to add one minute at a time.