While the air fryer can be fun for novelty items, it really pays for itself when you can make classic favorites, like these Air Fryer Grilled Cheese Sandwiches. Oozing with melty cheese, the bread perfectly golden, toasted, and crunchy, these sandwiches are the ultimate.
Serve these grilled cheese sandwiches alongside a mug of Spring Vegetable Soup or a bowl of Quinoa Chili Recipe for a filling, complete meal.
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Slowly but surely, air fryers are giving the slow cooker and instant pot a run for their money. We love making air fryer chicken or air fryer French toast.
On busy nights or crazy days, one of my go-to dinner meals is an air fryer grilled cheese sandwich and a bowl of tomato soup. The sandwiches are easily customizable so that everyone can enjoy it just as he or she likes. Making them in the air fryer takes it to the next level. Not only are the sandwiches golden and toasty, but the prep effort is virtually hands-free.
Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need to make Air Fryer Grilled Cheese Sandwiches:
sandwich bread – You can use one kind of bread or a variety, such as rye, sourdough, whole wheat, sandwich white, or even ciabatta rolls. Your bread can be fresh or frozen.
softened butter – Make sure the butter is super soft and spreadable. If you prefer, you can use nonstick cooking spray in place of butter. You can also use mayonnaise as a butter substitute as well. Some say it gives the best crust.
sliced cheese – Choose a soft melting cheese, such as cheddar, jack, mozzarella, Swiss, or brie.
sandwich fillings – To take your air fryer grilled cheese to the next level, such as sliced ham, turkey, or roast beef, tuna salad or chicken salad, cooked bacon, avocado (sliced, mashed, or even guacamole), mustard, jam, English pickle, sliced onion, sautéed mushrooms, sliced tomatoes, pesto, marinara sauce, and/or pepperoni.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer to 370 degrees. Butter one side of each slice of bread. Place a slice of bread, buttered side down in the air fryer basket.
- Layer on 2 slices of cheese and any fillings you’d like to include.
- Top the sandwich(es) with a top slice of bread, butter on the outside.
- Cook for 7 to 10 minutes, flipping once, until the cheese is melted and the bread is toasty. Serve immediately.
Alternatively, you can make grilled cheese sandwiches on a griddle or in a skillet. Assemble the sandwiches as directed and cook on a hot pan, turning once, until the bread is toasted and the cheese is melted.
To freeze:
- Layer one slice bread, cheese, bread. Divide by a piece of foil or deli paper. Continue assembling the sandwiches until all the bread and cheese are used. Place the stack in the bread bag.
- To serve: Remove the sandwich stack from the bag and divide the sandwiches. Spread the butter on the frozen bread. This will be easy to do if the butter is soft and the bread is frozen.
- Cook the sandwiches according to your preferences.
FAQs
What makes it a good cheap eat is that I try to use whatever bread I find on sale, so use what you have and like. Thicker bread will hold up better, however, than thinner sliced bread. You could also try making your own sourdough bread!
Just like the bread, whatever cheese you can find on sale or like is best. We love a classic with American cheese, but cheddar, pepper jack, and brie are also delicious options.
Use a combinations of cheese for an epic grilled cheese sandwich!
The air fryer is excellent for heating sandwiches. The bread is toasted well and the cheese melts.
Your cooking time will depend on the size of the sandwich and how cold the fillings are. A grilled cheese sandwich takes 7 to 10 minutes in the air fryer at 370 degrees.
Variations
You can dress up your air fryer grilled cheese sandwiches by varying the cheese or adding a spread, veggies, or meat. Consider the following combinations:
- Turkey, Pepper Jack, and Avocado Salsa
- Ham, Swiss, and Dijon Mustard
- Brie and a slather of Fruit Jam
- Turkey, pesto, and havarti
- Roasted Veggies and Cheddar Cheese
Air Fryer Grilled Cheese Sandwiches Recipe
Ingredients
- 8 slices sandwich bread one kind or a variety
- ¼ cup butter softened
- 8 oz cheddar cheese slices or other cheese, such as jack, mozzarella, Swiss, brie
- fillings for grilled cheese sliced meats, avocado, mustard, jam, sliced onion, sautéed mushrooms, sliced tomatoes, pesto, marinara sauce
Instructions
To make air fryer grilled cheese sandwiches:
- Preheat the air fryer to 370 degrees. Butter one side of each slice of bread. Place a slice of bread, buttered side down in the basket.
- Layer on 2 slices of cheese and any fillings you'd like to include.
- Top the sandwich(es) with a top slice of bread, butter on the outside.
- Cook for 7 to 10 minutes, flipping once, until the cheese is melted and the bread is toasty. Serve immediately.
To make sandwiches in a skillet or griddle:
- Heat a large skillet or griddle to medium high heat.
- Spread butter on the outside of two slices of bread. Put a slice of cheese and any optional fillings in between and cook in a hot pan, turning to brown both sides and melt cheese.
- Remove from pan and serve immediately.
To make sandwiches to freeze:
- Layer bread, cheese, bread. Divide by a piece of foil or deli paper. Continue assembling the sandwiches until all the bread and cheese are used. Place the stack in the bread bag.
- To serve: Remove the sandwich stack from the bag and divide the sandwiches. Spread the butter on the frozen bread. This will be easy to do if the butter is soft and the bread is frozen.
- Cook the sandwiches according to your preferences.
Notes
- bread – $2.50
- butter – $0.40
- provolone cheese – $2.66
- Turkey, Pepper Jack, tomato, and Avocado
- Ham, Swiss, and Dijon Mustard
- Brie and a slather of Fruit Jam
- Turkey, Brie, and Red Onion
- Pepperoni, mozzarella, marinara sauce
Nutrition
This post was originally published on October 14, 2010. It has been updated for content and clarity.
Stacy
I love it as an easy, tasty meal. A couple of years ago, saw the idea someone had posted online to make them in the oven when you have several to make at once. I do what you do, then put them on a baking sheet and cook for about 10 minutes on one side, flip them over for another 2-5 minutes, and they’re done. You can make ten sandwiches at once, if you want to do that. I think I bake them around 375, but you can figure out what works best. Most of the time I just do that in the toaster oven, but I’ve used the big oven, too. Also, I usually put garlic powder and cajun seasoning in the butter–it adds a very nice flavor.
Jessica
@Stacy, I’d never heard about doing them in the oven until last month. Sounds like a great idea!
Stacy
@Jessica, I hadn’t either, but I never make them any other way now since it’s so much easier and works very well. You really could do a lot at once, probably even twenty or more if you put them on separate oven shelves.
Another thing I do is mix up whatever cheese I have on hand, shredded or sliced or whatever. That makes it even more convenient since I can really use whatever is around if it’s a low-grocery day.
Nia
This post made me laugh so hard “bird cheese sandwich/burnt cheese sandwich”. I still like mine a little on the burnt side actually. Did you see Martha Stewart on Oprah recently making grilled cheese?
Stacy
We also LOVE grilled cheese in our house. I actually have it on our 2 week meal plan right now to serve along with some homemade tomato soup. Just wondering how you get your cheese at $2.00 a pound. Do you buy yours from a deli counter or a big block and cut it yourself. Just wondering how I can make ours cost less. Thanks!
Jessica
$2 is my target price. I get it at Costco for close to that or less when it’s on sale.
Jan
I don’t have a panini press- I just use the good old George Foreman grill!
Steph @ The Cheapskate Cook
Cheese, cheese, and more cheese.
I’ve tried other variations, but really, nothing beats the blissful nostalgia of sitting down to a classic grilled cheese sandwich, cut in half. I almost feel like I should be wearing pig tails and be perched on a phone book.
And paired with a bowl of homemade tomato soup? Now we’re talkin’…
Jessica
@Steph @ The Cheapskate Cook, that is such a sweet image. Love it!
Michelle K
We love our panini press. We received it as a wedding gift (not on the registry) along with a cookbook specifically for these sandwiches. We’ve not been too creative, but the possibilities are ENDLESS!