Air Fryer Grilled Cheese
This Air Fryer Grilled Cheese recipe is a quick and easy spin on a classic sandwich. The bread is buttery and crisp with a hint of garlic and Dijon, and stuffed with melty cheddar and provolone. It’s the perfect soup dipper, one the whole family will love!
Easy Air Fryer Grilled Cheese
When it comes to comfort food sandwiches, this Air Fryer Grilled Cheese recipe is a WIN. It’s quick and easy to make – from start to finish, ready in 15 minutes! The exterior of the sandwich is buttery-crisp, while the inside is stuffed with melty cheddar and provolone. I also include a couple simple flavor additions that really make this grilled cheese sandwich stand out. Serve it for lunch or dinner, with a salad or soup – we especially like to dip it in lasagna soup and tomato bisque!
Why Make Grilled Cheese in the Air Fryer?
The air fryer makes a mean grilled cheese sandwich, for sure! Here’s why you’ll love this recipe:
- So easy. This easy recipe is for beginners, no big kitchen skills necessary.
- Perfectly cooked. The air fryer is a great vehicle for making grilled cheese, delivering a hot, crispy sandwich with perfectly melty cheese inside.
- Flavorful. I like to add a couple simple ingredients – garlic powder and Dijon mustard – to this grilled cheese. And they really make this buttery, cheesy sandwich pop!
- Adaptable. It’s easy to change up this recipe with your favorite bread, cheese, and/or spread. You could even add some bacon if you like!
What You’ll Need
Here’s a list of what you’ll need to make this delicious air fryer grilled cheese sandwich. Scroll down to the printable recipe card for the exact ingredient amounts.
- Butter – Butter helps the bread become golden brown and crisp, plus it give delicious flavor. It also helps the garlic powder stick to the bread. You can use salted or unsalted.
- Garlic powder – This adds a wonderful hint of garlic flavor and aroma to the grilled cheese.
- Sourdough bread – I love the flavor and texture of sourdough but any good sandwich bread that you already like will work.
- Dijon mustard – This tangy mustard adds a hint of spice and contrasts beautifully with the rich grilled cheese.
- Cheddar and provolone cheese – We like the cheddar and provolone combo, as they each have great flavor and they melt wonderfully so you’ll end up with a perfectly gooey cheese pull!
Recipe Variations
Grilled cheese is one of those fun recipes that welcomes customizations. Here are a few of our favorite ways to change up the original recipe:
- Use different bread: While we love sourdough bread, and we always have a loaf of Trader Joe’s ‘Tuscan Pane’ on hand, there are endless options here as well.
- Swap out the butter: Have you ever spread mayonnaise on the outside of your grilled sandwiches, rather than butter? It tastes wonderful and gives a fantastic texture when grilled!
- Try different cheeses: There are so many delicious cheeses in the world – Brie, Monterey Jack, fontina, American, Gruyere, or Gouda are all great options.
- Add fruit: Place thin slices of apple or pear in your grilled cheese for extra texture and a sweet/tart note.
- Of course, there’s bacon: You can never go wrong by adding a couple slices of crisp bacon to a grilled cheese sandwich. Thin slices of ham or turkey are also good. And don’t forget pulled pork!
- Vegetables: We like to add tomato slices. You could also do mushrooms, caramelized onions, thinly sliced raw onions, roasted red peppers, or slices of bell pepper.
- Change the spread: Swap the Dijon mustard for fig jam, buffalo sauce, mayo, barbecue sauce, or a schmear of ranch dressing. Pesto or sundried tomato spread are also delicious options!
How to Make an Air Fryer Grilled Cheese Sandwich
Assemble the sandwiches and then let the air fryer do the rest of the work. You can see the steps outlined below. The detailed instructions are included in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Prepare. Preheat the air fryer.
- Add butter & garlic powder. Stir together the melted butter and garlic powder, then brush it over both sides of each bread slice.
- Assemble. Brush each piece of bread with mustard, layer with cheese, and top with a slice of bread.
- Cook. Spray the basket with cooking spray, then place the sandwiches inside and cook for 5 minutes.
- Flip. Turn the sandwiches over and cook until golden brown and the cheese is melted, about 4 minutes more.
Tips for Success
The air fryer keeps cooking effort minimal and delivers great results, especially when making grilled cheese. And our girls love to use it! Here are a few tips for making grilled cheese in air fryer:
- Preheat the air fryer. Let the air fryer heat up while you assemble the sandwiches. This will get the hot air circulating for the best crispy, golden texture.
- Use shredded cheese. Some cheeses melt better than others. If you like to use a cheese that doesn’t melt as well, try shredding it, so it melts more consistently.
- Flip the sandwich halfway through. Use a spatula to flip the sandwich after about 4 minutes. Then continue cooking for another 4 minutes, or until it’s done to your liking.
- Adjust the cooking time. Know that each air fryer will cook slightly differently. And some people like a lightly toasted sandwich, rather than a crispy, golden sandwich. In all cases, keep an eye on your sandwich and adjust the cook time accordingly.
- Use Toothpicks. If you have issues with your sandwich falling apart in the air fryer, secure it with toothpicks.
Serving Suggestions
Air fryer grilled cheese sandwiches are a great starting point to a fun meal. Here are a few serving suggestions for grilled cheese in air fryer:
- Salad. Some of my favorite pairings include an Italian chopped salad, my mom’s broccoli salad, light and creamy cucumber salad, roasted beet salad, or creamy coleslaw – or you can browse through all of my salad recipes.
- Fries. Add a savory side of truffle fries to your air fryer grilled cheese sandwich. Or, if you want something more hearty, chicken fries will add some fun protein.
- Soup. I love a steaming bowl of tomato soup with air fryer grilled cheese. But any soup will go nicely – try savory squash soup, chicken tortilla soup, or chicken noodle soup.
- Veggies. Offer a tasty side of vegetables, such as candied carrots, roasted asparagus, or Super Greens.
- Pickles. I LOVE pickles with a grilled cheese! Try my mom’s refrigerator sweet pickles, these “almost famous” pickled red onions, or sweet & spicy pickles.
How to Store Leftovers
A grilled cheese sandwich will always taste best straight from the air fryer, when the bread is crispy and the cheese is melty. But, if you have leftovers and want to save them, here’s how to do it:
- Fridge – Refrigerate leftover sandwiches in an airtight storage container for up to 3 days.
- To Reheat – Use your air fryer to reheat your grilled cheese sandwich: Place the leftover sandwich in an air fryer that’s been heated to 350°F and cook it until the bread crisps a bit and the cheese is melted again, about 5 minutes.
More Easy Air Fryer Recipes
- Air Fryer Shrimp
- Air Fryer Hard Boiled Eggs
- Air Fryer Bacon Wrapped Asparagus
- Air Fryer Baked Potatoes
Air Fryer Grilled Cheese
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 4 slices sourdough bread
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 4 slices mild cheddar
- 4 slices provolone
Instructions
- Preheat air fryer at 400°F for 5 minutes.
- In a small bowl, stir together the melted butter and garlic powder. Brush both sides of each piece of bread with garlic butter.
- Then brush one side of each piece of bread with Dijon mustard. Layer two slices of cheddar and two slices of provolone over the Dijon. Top with another slice of bread.
- Carefully spray the air fryer basket with nonstick cooking spray (be careful– it’s hot) and then place the grilled cheese sandwiches in the basket.
- Air fry at 350°F for 5 minutes. Then flip the sandwiches and cook 4 more minutes, or until the bread is golden brown and the cheese is melted. Slice and enjoy hot.
