Our Air Fryer Grilled Cheese recipe makes the BEST grilled cheese with the perfect texture, and they only take 10 minutes to make.
If you love air fryer recipes, check out Air Fryer French Toast, Air Fryer Chicken Wings, or Air Fryer Baked Potato!
What I love about this recipe:
- Perfect Texture – It’s get perfectly toasted and crispy and the cheese is melted to perfection. An air fryer grilled cheese sandwich is next level good.
- Easy – Such a quick and simple recipe that’s fun and satisfying for kids to help with. It’s a beginner recipe. Let me teach you what else you can do with your air fryer!
- Classic – Nothing beats the comfort meal of a classic grilled cheese sandwich paired with Roasted Tomato Soup, Creamy Tomato Basil Soup, or this Instant Pot Tomato Basil Soup.
Quality Ingredients = Quality Grilled Cheese:
- Bread: Choose something thicker cut, like Texas toast or Sara Lee Artesano bread. Sourdough bread, multi-grain bread, or leftover artisan bread would be delicious too, but may not toast and get golden in the air fryer, as easily.
- Cheese: Cheddar cheese is a must (orange or white). I also like to throw in another kind of good melty cheese, like Swiss, provolone, American, Monterey Jack, Gruyere, Fontina or Havarti.
- Butter: Can’t achieve that buttery, crispy golden color and flavor without it! Salted or unsalted will work.
How to make a Grilled Cheese in the Air Fryer:
Assemble Sandwiches: Preheat your air fryer to 370 degrees then butter one side of each slice of bread then add one slice of cheddar cheese. Add one slice of your favorite cheese to the non-buttered side of the bread then top with other slice of bread (make sure buttered sides are facing out). Use toothpick to secure the sandwich (they’ll help keep the bread from flying off while air frying).
Air Fry: Place grilled cheese sandwiches in air fryer basket or on the rack in an even layer (you will likely need to cook them in batches). Air fry at 370 degrees for 2-3 minutes. Check often so it doesn’t burn and to ensure the top bread slice hasn’t blown off.
Flip Sandwich: Flip to other side then cook for 2-3 minutes longer, or until it reaches your desired level of brownness.
Serve: Remove toothpick then serve air fryer grilled cheese sandwich. I love to serve it with Roasted Tomato Soup, Creamy Tomato Basil Soup, or Creamy Tomato and Spinach Tortellini Soup.
Recipe Variations:
- No Butter: Spray top of bread with oil after placing sandwich in air fryer. Spray the other side after flipping.
- Ham and Cheese: Add a thin slice of ham in between the two slices of cheese.
- Grilled Cheese with Mayo: Spread on a light layer of mayo on the insides of the bread.
- Pimento Cheese Grilled Cheese: Spread a light layer of pimento cheese on the insides of the bread.
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Recipe
Air Fryer Grilled Cheese
Equipment
Ingredients
- 8 slices thick slices of white bread*
- 4 slices sharp cheddar cheese , sliced thinly
- 4-8 slices Choose between: Swiss, provolone, American, Monterey Jack, Gruyere, Fontina or Havarti , or your favorite melty cheese
- butter , for spreading
Instructions
- Preheat air fryer to 370 degrees.
- Assemble: Butter the outsides of the bread slices and assemble sandwiches with cheese in the center. Use a toothpick to secure the sandwich together (if your bread is thin, the top piece will blow off during cooking).
- Air Fry: Place grilled cheese sandwiches in air fryer basket or oven in an even layer—you will likely need to cook them in batches. Air fry at 370 degrees for 2-3 minutes, flip and continue cooking for 2-3 minutes. Check often to check that it doesn’t burn. During the first minute of cooking, check that the top slice of bread hasn’t blown off of the cheese.
- Total cook time will depend on the type of bread. Check on it periodically and continue cooking until it reaches your desired level of toasted. Remove toothpick before eating.
Notes
Nutrition
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I originally shared this recipe January 2022. Updated January 2024.
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Thank you! Yes seriously the best grilled cheese I’d be able to make in this air fryer especially when you have a 3 and 1/2-year-old and that’s one of the only things they want to eat! And thanks for the toothpick direction! 🤦 Oh my gosh! So infuriating every single time I would peek in and the top piece would be blown off to the side! And I’ve tried so many different temperatures This was the perfect one and in no time Thank you so much and I’ve also made the ham and cheese tried it with other cheeses they all work out fantastic!
I like it better when all sides of the bread are toasted. When using the air fryer, it’s as simple as buttering all 4 sides of the two slices of bread, and putting the two slices stacked it in the fryer without the cheese, and removing it once both sides are toasted. Then you put the cheese on the already-toasted sides, and the untoasted sides are out. Then back in the air fryer, and the remaining two sides can get toasted (you might need to flip it to get both sides nicely browned).
What is the bread you used for this recipe on the picture? It looks thick and fluffy.
I will try this recipe when I get a air fryer toaster oven
Thank you for the recipe!
Another air fryer recipe for the win. I have to admit, this made an absolutely perfect grilled cheese! Huge fan!
Seriously this is the best grilled cheese I’ve ever made. Only air fryer for me from now on!