How to make Air Fryer Grilled Cheese two meltingly delicious ways: classic and packed with colorful vegetables for a healthier lunch.
About Air Fryer Grilled Cheese
An air fryer is one of the best ways to make perfectly melty and golden grilled cheese at home. With this grilled cheese air fryer recipe, your sandwich is guaranteed to come out golden and crisp on the outside with a gooey cheesy center.
I’m sharing my two favorite ways to make grilled cheese. First, a classic cheddar and white bread sandwich for the purists out there.
For anyone looking for a healthier lunch option, I also have a recipe for healthy air fryer grilled cheese. This sandwich is packed with colorful and nutrient-filled sautéed vegetables. The veggies add an extra boost of health, crunch, and flavor to your sandwich.
Recipe Ingredients
- Bread. Choose your favorite sliced bread: fluffy white, oaty whole-grain, pumpernickel, sourdough…the options are endless.
- Cheese. I use cheddar for a classic sharp flavor, but sliced American cheese, Swiss, gouda, and other sliced cheese are just as delicious. Feel free to use several kinds of cheese for a sandwich that’s all your own.
- Butter. This is the key to that gorgeous golden crisp crust on the air fryer sandwich. Spread the outer bread with a smear of high-quality unsalted butter for optimal flavor, crunch, and color.
- Fresh veggies. These are for the healthier sandwich recipe, and you can use any small-diced veggies you like. I recommend a few different colors, like red bell peppers, onion, and corn kernels.
Cook Time
In an air fryer, your sandwiches will need a total of 8 minutes to cook. Flip the sandwich after 5 minutes. Set the air fryer to 350°F for a grilled cheese.
How to Make Air Fryer Grilled Cheese
Making a grilled cheese in an air fryer is much like making it the traditional way on a griddle or stovetop. But the results are gardened perfectly crisp and gooey in the middle.
Start by assembling your sandwich. Be sure to coat both outer pieces of bread with a generous smear of butter. For the healthy sandwich recipe, layer your cooked veggies between slices of cheese inside the bread. This way the cheese melts and keeps the vegetables inside the sandwich.
Place the sandwich in your air fryer and cook for 8 minutes, flipping after 5. Then dig in!
Equipment
Other than your handy air fryer you’ll need very little equipment for this recipe. For the classic grilled cheese, a butter knife should do it. For healthier air fryer grilled cheese, you’ll need a few more basic kitchen tools:
- Cutting board
- Chef’s knife
- Skillet
Recipe Variations
It’s easy to make grilled cheese your own. And there are dozens of ways to spice up this all-American sandwich. From simple to over-the-top, feel free to add any of your favorite sandwich add-ins to this recipe.
If you want to swap out the vegetables, for example, here are some other crunchy ideas to melt between your bread and cheese:
- Thinly sliced pear or apple
- Hot pepper jam
- Kale, spinach, or other greens
- Roasted garlic
- Sliced tomato
- Pickles
- Your favorite condiments, such as pesto, hummus, hot sauce, or mustard
Likewise, any type of bread or melty cheese can be substituted. Mozzarella, American, gruyere, Swiss, and muenster are all great grilled cheese options.
How to Serve Air Fryer Grilled Cheese Sandwiches
I strongly recommend serving your fresh sandwiches with a hot bowl of my Instant Pot Tomato Soup: it’s a timeless pairing for good reason!
Otherwise, serve the sandwiches with any of your favotire dips. From spicy to herby to creamy, you can really match grilled cheese with anything! Here are some of my favorite ways to dress up grilled cheese sandwiches:
- Creamy Jalapeño Sauce
- Extra Veggie Marinara Sauce (Instant Pot Recipe)
- 5-Ingredient Sriracha Mayo
- Lemon Aioli
Related Recipes
- Air Fryer Hash Browns from Scratch Two Ways: How to Make Healthier Fried Potatoes
- Vegan Biscuits and Gravy Recipe: Flaky, Buttery, and Dairy-Free!
- Vegetable Fritters with Creamy Jalapeño Sauce
- Instant Pot Crispy Potatoes: Three-Ingredient Breakfast
I’d love to see your masterpieces! If you make this or any of my recipes be sure to tag @foodlovecooks on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest!
Air Fryer Grilled Cheese
Equipment
Ingredients
Regular Grilled Cheese
- 2 slices white or whole-grain bread
- 1-2 slices cheddar cheese
- 1 tablespoon butter
Healthy Grilled Cheese with Veggies
- 2 slices whole-grain oat bread
- 2 slices cheddar cheese
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2 teaspoons sweet corn kernels
- 2 teaspoons red bell pepper diced
- 2 teaspoons onion diced
- 1 sprig fresh thyme
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- A pinch of salt
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
Regular Grilled Cheese
- Smear butter on one side of each slice of bread.
- Place two slices of cheese between the bread.
- Place the bread slices to the air fryer and cook at 350°F for 5 minutes on one side. Flip, then cook for an additional 3 minutes.
- Cut the sandwich and serve hot with ketchup or dipping of your choice.
Grilled Cheese with Veggies
- Heat a skillet, add olive oil, and sauté red bell pepper, onion and corn kernels and thyme for 2 minutes at medium heat, until the edges are brown.
- Smear butter on one side of each slice of bread.
- Place one slice of cheese over the bread and add 2 tablespoons of cooked vegetables, then place another cheese slice over the vegetables and cover with bread.
- Place the bread slices to the air fryer and cook at 350°F for 5 minutes on one side. Flip, then cook for an additional 3 minutes.
- Cut the sandwich and serve hot with ketchup or dipping of your choice.
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