The exact cook time can vary. Read below for our tips!
Craving something quick and cheesy? Try an air fryer grilled cheese! Made with a few slices of bread, butter, and cheese, it is a great alternative to making it in a frying pan.
You can serve it with a dipping sauce like ketchup or tomato soup! For slightly fancier versions, you can also make grilled ham and cheese or grilled cheese and tomato in the air fryer.
Ingredients
- Bread – Two slices of bread of your choice.
- Mayonnaise or butter – We love making grilled cheese with mayo since it’s so easy, but you can also use soft butter.
- Sliced cheese – Sliced cheese of your choice.
Recipe Tips
- The type of bread you use may affect the cooking time. Soft, white bread (like classic French bread or “toast”) may brown quicker than thicker rye or sourdough bread. Keep an eye on your grilled cheese when making it the first time.
- Cheese like cheddar, marble, or Havarti works well for grilled cheese. A “crumbly” cheese, such as Feta, won’t work because it doesn’t melt well.
- You can also add a slice of ham or salami inside the grilled cheese if you want to change it up a bit (in that case, use two layers of cheese with the ham or salami in the middle).
- You can spread either mayonnaise or soft butter on the outside of the bread. We like mayo because it’s already spreadable. If you want to use butter, make sure it is soft so it spreads easily. The bread will turn out a golden brown with both (we’ve tested both and both work well).
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Step by Step Instructions
If you’re wondering how to make grilled cheese in the air fryer and would like step-by-step photos, have a look at this section. Otherwise, you can skip to the recipe card below.
First, place two pieces of bread on a plate (they should be of similar size).
Spread half of the mayo or soft butter on the outside of one piece of bread. Then spread the mayo or butter on the outside of the other piece of bread.
Make sure to spread it on the side that will be the outside when assembling the grilled cheese later.
Put one piece of bread (mayo/butter side down) in the air fryer and place the slices of cheese on top. The cheese should cover the bread but not overhang too much.
Now place the other piece of bread (mayo/butter side up) on top of the cheese.
Close the air fryer and set the temperature to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. No need to preheat.
Cook the grilled cheese for about 9 minutes, flipping halfway through. The exact cooking time can vary depending on the air fryer, bread, and your personal preference.
When the cheese is melted and the outside is golden brown, remove the grilled cheese from the air fryer, cut it in half (optional), and serve with tomato soup or ketchup. Enjoy!
Storage Tips
Air-fried grilled cheese doesn’t store that well. Eat it fresh and hot out of the air fryer.
If you do end up with leftovers, store them in a sealed container in the fridge for a day or two. You can reheat the grilled cheese in the air fryer or frying pan to make it crisp again.
Related Recipes
If you liked air fryer grilled cheese, here are some other great quick meal recipes that involve bread:
- Air Fryer Garlic Bread
- Air Fried Grilled Cheese & Tomato
- Ham and Cheese in the Air Fryer
- Air Fryer Naan Pizza
- Air Fryer Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich
Air Fryer Grilled Cheese
Ingredients
- 2 slices bread, see notes
- 1 tablespoon mayonnaise or soft butter, more to taste
- 2 slices cheese, more to taste
Instructions
- Place two pieces of bread on a plate. They should be similar in size.2 slices bread
- Spread half of the butter or mayo on the outside of one piece of bread. Then spread the mayo or butter on the outside of the other piece of bread. Be sure to spread it on the side that will be the outside when assembling the grilled cheese later.1 tablespoon mayonnaise or soft butter
- Place one piece of bread (mayo/butter side down) in the air fryer basket and put the slices of cheese on top. The cheese should cover the bread but not overhang too much.2 slices cheese
- Place the other piece of bread (mayo/butter side up) on top of the cheese.
- Close the air fryer and set the temperature to 375 degrees Fahrenheit (no need to preheat). Cook the grilled cheese for about 9 minutes, flipping halfway through. The exact cooking time can vary depending on your air fryer, the bread, and personal preference.
- When the cheese is melted and the outside is golden brown, remove the grilled cheese from the air fryer, cut it in half, and serve with ketchup or tomato soup.
Notes
- The bread you use can affect cooking time. If you’re using white French bread, it’ll likely be done earlier than rye or sourdough bread (which is what we typically use). Keep an eye on the grilled cheese towards the end.
- You can use mayonnaise or soft butter, both will turn out well. We prefer mayo because it spreads easily.
- Use a cheese that melts well. We like Havarti but cheddar or marble also work well.
- Start counting the time from the moment you put the grilled cheese into the air fryer. Our air fryer preheats automatically and only starts counting down after it is done preheating. If yours is similar, keep that in mind!
Nutrition
This nutritional information has been estimated by an online nutrition calculator. It should only be seen as a rough calculation and not a replacement for professional dietary advice.
This recipe was first published in April 2021 and updated in July 2024.
We are new to the Air Fryer world so we thought we’d try to do Grilled Cheese last night. It came out okay but I don’t think I’ll try this again. I found that the bread was very dry and crunchy, almost like eating bread crumbs, Maybe it would be better if the bread was smothered in butter instead of normal buttering. Cheese was melted and the ham was warm though. I like my grilled cheese more soft and chewy instead of stiff and crunchy. Air Fryer Grilled Cheese is not for us.
Hi TT, Thanks for sharing your experience. That’s totally fair – we’ve also had experiences where we preferred a different method of cooking dishes instead of in the air fryer. As you said, smothering the bread in butter (or mayo) might not make it as crispy in the first place. Worth a shot so you know! /Eric