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Making grilled cheese in the air fryer is so easy; it’s one of the first hot lunches my kids learned to make themselves. Here, I’ll show you the 5-minute method my teen uses for crispy bread, melted cheese, and a sandwich that stays together while it cooks.
Grilled Cheese in the Air Fryer
My youngest started making grilled cheese in the air fryer after mastering air fryer Uncrustables, and now it's his go-to when he's making lunch for himself or a friend. It takes about the same amount of time as on the stove, but there's no skillet to watch and the bread gets evenly crisp on both sides.
If I'm feeding a bunch of his friends, I’ll bake a batch of grilled cheese in the oven; but for one or two sandwiches, the air fryer is hard to beat.
How to Make Air Fryer Grilled Cheese
- Assemble
Make your grilled cheese as usual, then butter or lightly spray the outside of both slices of bread. - Secure it
Push a toothpick through the center so the top slice doesn't lift or move around once the air starts circulating. - Air fry
At 370F for about 5 minutes, flipping it over halfway through.
Laura’s Tips for the Best Grilled Cheese in the Air Fryer
As many as your air fryer will fit in a single layer without stacking. Most air fryers will fit about 2, depending on the bread you’re using.
Push a toothpick through the sandwich before cooking. The strong airflow inside some air fryers can lift the top slice of bread before the cheese has melted enough to hold everything together. If you don’t have toothpicks, you can place a metal spoon on top of the sandwich, but you’ll need to use kitchen tongs to lift it out when flipping and at the end because it will be hot!
No, but a light coating of butter or cooking spray before air frying it helps the bread turn golden and crisp. Otherwise, the bread will get toasted without that crisp buttery exterior.
I recommend it. Flipping halfway through helps both sides toast evenly, especially if your air fryer heats more strongly from the top. Use kitchen tongs since it will be hot.
Yes. Let it cool completely before putting it in a lunch container so steam doesn't soften the bread. It won't stay hot and crispy for hours, but it still makes a great packed sandwich. Here is how I pack grilled sandwiches for school.
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More Sandwich Ideas
My Teen’s Air Fryer Grilled Cheese Recipe
Watch How It’s Made:
Ingredients
- 2 slices sandwich bread
- 2 slices cheese, your favorite
- Butter or spray, for grilling
Instructions
Prep:
- Preheat the air fryer to 370°F (185C) for 5 minutes.
Make the sandwich:
- Place the sliced bread on a flat surface and butter both slices of bread. Flip the bread slices over, place the cheese, and close the sandwich, buttered sides out.
- Take a toothpick and slide it through the middle of the sandwich to keep it together inside the air fryer.
Air Fry:
- Place the cheese sandwich in the preheated air fryer. If making more than one grilled cheese at a time, make sure not to stack them.
- Air fry it for 2 minutes on the first side, open the air fryer and flip the sandwich over. Air fry the second side for another 2 to 3 minutes.
Serve:
- Remove the toothpick and serve the grilled cheese sandwich.
Sam Sari says
Have never tried this :D Will do now, looks so crunchy!
Elisa says
This Air Fryer Grilled Cheese turned out delicious!! my kiddos loved it. Thanks!
amy liu dong says
This is one of our favorites! My kids love this so much, easy and delicious!
Lisa says
This is so easy and comes out perfect. So much easier than dragging out a cast iron skillet or my panini press!
Melanie E says
We all love these in my household and it’s great that they can be made so easily in an air fryer. I haven’t tried making these using a toothpick to hold them together. That’s such a great idea. I must give that a try next time I make them. Thanks so much for the tip x
Stephanie says
My boys have eaten grilled cheese so much lately, I never thought about making it in the air fryer! I feel better about them cooking that way than on the stovetop still so this is perfect.
Claudia says
Tried the air fryer grilled cheese and wow—golden, crispy, and melty without flipping! Total game changer for busy days.
knycx journeying says
I never thought to try grilled cheese in the air fryer, however, the tip about flipping halfway through made it way less intimidating. will try it :)
LisaLisa says
Okay! This is a must try, I cook a lot of food in my air fryer but have yet to cook a grilled cheese sandwich.
Beth says
So good. You really can’t get a better grilled cheese than with the air fryer.