Air Fryer Grilled Cheese

My air fryer grilled cheese gets that perfect amount of crispiness every time. My recipe takes the average grilled cheese sandwich and makes it even tastier while keeping it easy.

My Favorite Way to Make Grilled Cheese in the Air Fryer

I have two kids under 10, so making dinner isn’t always the easiest, especially on busy nights. That’s where my air fryer grilled cheese comes in paired with tomato soup, of course.

My husband, Ben, loves to help out on these nights. And, don’t get me wrong. I am super grateful for it, but he is just not a multi-tasker. That means there have been plenty of times when either the grilled cheese was burnt on the stove in the frying pan or the tomato soup was just forgotten about.

So, I mastered making grilled cheese in the air fryer so he could toss the ingredients in, set the timer, and it’s air fried perfectly every time. So, now he just has to focus on the soup.

And I made this recipe a little fancier than the typical grilled cheese sandwich with American cheese because, well, my version is just tastier and just as easy. I still use American cheese on my son Connor’s sandwiches, but it’s nice to have a more filling grilled cheese with more flavor.

And, if you love an easy air fryer lunch recipe, try my recipes for air fryer hot dogs, air fryer chicken tenders, air fryer burgers, air fryer nachos, and taquitos in the air fryer.

Air Fry Grilled Cheese Ingredients

• Cheese – My go-to for this recipe is cheddar cheese and Monterey jack, but I also love Swiss cheese, mozzarella cheese, and the good old American cheese
• Bread – I just use white bread for sandwiches, but sourdough or wheat bread will work
• Butter – I use butter for the fat to crisp up the bread, but mayonnaise is great too

How to make Grilled Cheese in the Air Fryer

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 360 degrees F.

STEP TWO: Butter one side of each slice of bread and place one piece of cheddar cheese and one piece of Monterey jack cheese on it. Place a second piece of bread on top of the cheese with the butter side facing upward.

STEP THREE: Place the sandwich in the air fryer basket or tray and cook for about 8 minutes, flipping the sandwich halfway through air frying. It’s ready when the bread is crispy and golden brown!

Tips for the Best Air Fryer Grilled Cheese Sandwich

• Butter all parts of the bread exposed to the heat. The butter is what makes the grilled cheese that perfect amount of crispiness. I find that if I miss a section on the bread, that part gets overly crispy.
• Preheat the air fryer before placing the food inside. All air fryers preheat differently, so when following a recipe, I find it especially important to preheat the air fryer for even cooking.
• Be mindful about the amount of cheese on the sandwich. I love a loaded sandwich, but if the grilled cheese is overflowing with cheese, the extra cheese will burn.
• Use a toothpick to pin the bread slices and cheese together until the cheese starts to melt. I’ve tried my recipe in a few different air fryers and some will cause the bread to fly around and some will keep it in place.
• Flip the grilled cheese halfway through cooking. I find this delivers the best evenly cooked crispy sandwich.

Air Fryer Grilled Cheese Variations and Substitutions

• Add some cooked protein like ham, bacon, or prosciutto. I love a good bacon and cheese sandwich when I have leftovers!
• Experiment with different kinds of cheese. My go-tos are cheddar and Monterey jack, but I’ve also used Swiss, mozzarella, and even American cheese when I have some in the fridge. They are all melty cheese and work great!
• Try using a different type of bread. While I love using sandwich bread, an air fryer grilled cheese is just so much heartier with bread like sourdough, french bread, or even potato bread.
• Use mayo instead of butter. Mayo works as a fat and helps crisp up bread when air fried, just like butter.
• Layer on fresh ingredients like tomato, spinach, avocado, or even sliced granny smith apples. I love using bacon, lettuce, and tomato in the summer for a BLT, and love adding apples with cheddar cheese in the fall.

What to serve with Grilled Cheese in the Air Fryer

My go-to side dish to serve with air fried grilled cheese has always been soup. I love the classics like a good grilled cheese and tomato soup night, but it works with just about any soups, like my white bean soup too.

When I make this as a dinner, I do like to include one more side such as air fryer french fries, air fryer tater tots, air fryer sweet potato fries, or grape salad.

Air Fryer Grilled Cheese FAQs

The best cheeses to air fry grilled cheese

I love using a good sharp cheddar cheese and Monterey jack slice on my grilled cheese sandwiches. I’ve also tried mozzarella, Monterey jack, Havarti, provolone, Swiss, Gruyere, pepper jack cheese, and, of course, American cheese.

how do I make my air fryer grilled cheese sandwich crispy?

Honestly, air frying a grilled cheese will immediately make it crispy. Air fryers are designed to circulate hot air and allow food to get crispier than when cooked in the oven or even in a skillet. I do recommend using some sort of fat, like butter, on the bread or the bread gets too crispy to eat.

Why did my grilled cheese in the air fryer burn?

The top bread on the grilled cheese can burn if it’s not pinned down with a toothpick to the cheese and bread as it can fly off and hit the heating coil. I did this once and never again because I learned my lesson.

Otherwise, keep the air fryer temperature low and flip the grilled cheese halfway through the cooking time. Some breads can crisp up faster than others, so keep an eye on its progress when flipping it.

How long to cook grilled cheese in the air fryer

I find it takes just 8 minutes to cook a grilled cheese sandwich in a preheated air fryer at 360 degrees F.

How to store leftover air fryer grilled cheese

I store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

How to reheat grilled cheese in the air fryer

I think air frying grilled cheese tastes best when it’s fresh, but if I do have a half or full sandwich left, I reheat it for 3 to 4 minutes in a preheated air fryer at 320 degrees F.

Do I use mayo or butter to air fry grilled cheese?

I personally prefer to use butter, but have made grilled cheese in the air fryer with mayo too, and it comes out fantastic! So this is just really a preference thing.

More Easy air Fryer Recipes

• Air fryer boneless pork chops
• Air fryer chicken legs
• Air fryer salmon
• Air fryer fried chicken
• Air fryer sweet potatoes