What Is A Good Side For Grilled Cheese
Well Instant Pot tomato soup is just a given if you ask us. You cant go wrong with that or the Crockpot creamy tomato soup we make.
- A salad goes well with just about everything
- Mixed vegetables in your air fryer are always a healthy side dish for any meal
Ready to air fry everything now? Here are some other dinner recipes you should try next!
My girls cook air fryer frozen chicken nuggets themselves all the time, WAY better than in the microwave.
- Make baked potatoes in an air fryer and stuff them with chili and cheese!
- Cook a whole pork loin in your device some night.
- You might be surprised to know you can make individual air fryer cake in this magical machine too!
You can of course make Ninja Foodi grilled cheese like this using the same timing and temperature.
Amazing Air Fryer Grilled Cheese
One of the best grilled cheese sandwiches that I have ever had was in Boston. They used gouda cheese and told us the secret was using a mixture of mayonnaise and butter on the outside of the grilled cheese. Since then I have always made my grilled cheese using mayonnaise and I can promise you that it will change your grilled cheese sandwiches.
Now, Air Fryer Grilled Cheese? This grilled cheese is the absolute best grilled cheese that I have ever had. It cooks it perfectly crisp and melts the cheese just right.
The Best Air Fryer Grilled Cheese
Anyone else grow up heating bread and cheese in the microwave on unsupervised afternoons at home? The results were always terrible, with mushy bread and melted cheese that got everywhere but hey, you had a hot cheese sandwich to hold you over until dinnertime, and you didnt have to turn on the stove.
Thinking back on those early 90s afternoons, I really wish the air fryer had been around. I could have made the perfect grilled cheese sandwiches that my own kids make today, which turn out incredible every single time even when they use pre-grated cheese and basic sandwich bread.
Suffice it to say that the air fryer is the answer to always crispy, always gooey grilled cheese sandwiches. Heres how to make them and maybe teach your kids to make them, too.
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Lower Point Grilled Cheese
For a WW friendly grilled cheese that is lower in points, you can use a light bread and reduced-fat or 2% American cheese slice. I will also use I Cant Believe Its Not Butter Spray to spritz on the bread. Under 20 sprays is 0 points. Butter spray comes in a bottle and it is next to the other butter and spreads in the grocery store. The whole sandwich would be 4 smart points and that is for all 3 plans.
Light butter or reduced-fat mayo can also be used instead of regular butter.
What Is The Best Air Fryer On The Market
There are a ton of different air fryers on the market. Check these two out if you dont already have one on hand:
- Gourmia 5 Qt AirFryer I have been using this air fryer for over a year and I love the functionality. It has a ton of presets for common foods , which helps take the guesswork out of how long to cook certain dishes. Its also super easy to clean, I just pop the basket into a dishwasher.
- Cuisinart TOA-60 Convection Toaster Air Fryer I havent used this one, but I definitely have my eye on it. This is a toaster oven, convection oven and air fryer all-in-one! If any of you snag it, please let me know how you like it in the comments below!
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How To Make Grilled Cheese In Air Fryer
How To Make The Perfect Air Fryer Grilled Cheese
April 21, 2020 by grilledcheesesocial
As a grilled cheese expert, I can assure you that making an air fryer grilled cheese just might be the perfect way to cook this classic comfort food. The bread gets crispy, the cheese gets perfect melty, and it’s almost impossible to burn it. I highly recommend using this method because it’s essentially fail-proof!
Before I begin, I should start by asking if you realized that this grilled cheese blog will turn 10 years old next month?! How wild is that!?
What started as a hobby in grad school is now my full time job! It’s so wild to think that I’ve won two Food Network shows and even wrote a cookbook because of my love for lactose.
What’s even more exciting is discovering that an air fryer is maybe the most perfect way to cook a grilled cheese!
It’s so easy that it’s almost fail-proof!
Once you build the sandwich, put it in the air fryer basket and set the temp and timer, you don’t even have to think twice!
The bread comes out perfectly crispy, the cheese is the perfect melting temperature, and the cleanup is painless.
Trust me, after making a grilled cheese in here, you’ll probably never go back to the old pan or panini press method!
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How To Make Air Fryer Grilled Cheese
Take two pieces of bread and a slice of your favorite cheese.
Place the cheese in the middle of the two slices of bread. Butter or spray 1 side of the bread with cooking spray . Mayonnaise works as well. Place the butter side down first on the basket and then butter the other side.
Set the timer of your air fryer to 5 minutes at 350 degrees.
When the 5 minutes or done, flip the sandwich over so that the other side of the grilled cheese becomes toasty and golden brown. Air Fry for another 3 minutes. Please note that all air fryers do not cook the same. Might have to adjust cooking time accordingly.
Air Fryer Tip: When the bread is cooking in the air fryer it will sometimes move around because of the circulating air at the top. Most air fryers come with a trivet that you can place over the bread or find something heavy that is oven safe to set in your air fryer.
What Is An Air Fryer
Never used an air fryer before? Its a hot, new appliance that circulates extremely hot air around food to cook it. The convection-style oven system makes the food extra crispy, without using nearly as much oil as a traditional deep fryer. That means you can enjoy your favorite fried foods with a fraction of the calories!
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Easy Air Fried Grilled Cheese
Gosh, these are so good and amazing. Air fryer grilled cheese sandwiches are life changing! . We knew it would work, but didnt realize how the air fryer makes perfect grilled cheese! If you dont want to use a lot fo butter, you dont have to. Even with little butter or a light spray of olive oil, the bread toasts perfectly in the air fryer. Whether its for a quick snack for the kids or a seriously delicious lunch, these are fantastic. The bread toasts perfectly and the cheese melts fantastic.
The Best Cheese For A Grilled Cheese
I like using cheddar, gouda or provolone for my grilled cheese sandwiches. You can also do a blend for even more flavor. For firmer cheeses, such as cheddar or gouda, I recommend buying a block of cheese and shredding it just before making your grilled cheese. Pre-shredded cheese typically contains anti-caking agents which can make it harder to get a melty, gooey texture.
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How To Make A Grilled Cheese In An Air Fryer
Start by buttering one side of each piece of bread. If your bread is very soft, you may need to soften the butter slightly before spreading. To soften the butter, microwave a tablespoon of butter on 30% power for 30 seconds or until softened. Spread the butter generously over the bread.
Preheat the air fryer to 390 degrees. Place one slice of bread, butter side down, in the preheated air fryer basket.
Sprinkle with 1/2 cup of cheese, then top with a second slice of bread, butter side facing out.
Toast the sandwich in the air fryer for 4-5 minutes until golden brown. With an air fryer, there is no need to flip the sandwich, since the air fryer cooks on both sides at the same time.
Slice the sandwich in half and enjoy immediately! If you want to take things to the next level, try adding a little tomato jam into your sandwich!
Air Fryer Grilled Cheese Biggest Mistake
You mustunderstand that not everything goes perfect in the air fryer and before youmake air fryer grilled cheese, you need to understand the big mistake.
That isthat with the air fryer it is about air technology. The air is buzzing aroundthe air fryer making it cook the food and anything light can be blown towardsthe air fryer.
So, youcant just place a light slice of cheese in the air fryer on top of your breadto make grilled cheese.
This willresult in the cheese being blown off the bread as it cooks.
Insteadyou need to be clever and find a sticking ingredient that will keep the cheesefirmly in place.
You couldbutter the bread and make sure the sliced cheese sticks to it. Or my favouritewhich I did in this air fryer grilled cheese recipe, was to add a layer of softcheese and then stick the cheese to this.
Plus, this is an excuse to have 2 types of cheese on your air fryer grilled cheese.
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Notes On Air Fryer Grilled Cheese
- You can use softened butter or mayo to coat the outside of your sandwich.
- I prefer to use Kraft Deli Cheese Slices in my grilled cheese because they have a lower carb count.
- I also enjoy using low carb breads such as Sola brand or Sara Lee Delightful Bread to bring down the carb counts while enjoying a grilled cheese from time to time.
- You cant forget to make a big bowl of our Low Carb Crock Pot Creamy Tomato Soup. Yum!
- We use Ninja Foodi Air Fryers like the Foodi Grill and the Original Foodi.
- Looking for more recipes? Our Recipe Finder can help you find exactly what you need.
- Check out all our favorite recommendations for cookbooks, slow cookers and low carb essentials in our .
- As with any of our recipes, carb counts, calorie counts and nutritional information varies greatly. As a result, your nutritional content depends on which products you choose to use when cooking this dish. The auto-calculation is just an automated estimate and should NOT be used for specific dietary needs.
- Finally, all air fryers cook differently, so cooking times are always a basic guideline. Recipes should always be tested first in your own air fryer and time adjusted as needed.
What Kind Of Cheese Is Best For A Grilled Cheese Sandwich
Use any kind of cheese you like, as long as its cheese that melts well. Sharp cheddar cheese is a favorite because its so flavorful but there are so many kinds of cheese that work: Havarti, Swiss, munster, provolone, pepper Jack, Monterey Jack, soft cheeses like goat cheese or blue cheese, vegan cheese, the list is endless. Choose any type of cheese that melts well. If you really love American cheese slices, go for it. Its a classic combination!
Slice the cheese from a block or use pre-sliced cheese. Shredded cheese works, too, its just a little messier.
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Cooking Time For Your Air Fryer Grilled Cheese
Just to review, place the air fryer grilled cheese sandwich in the air fryer basket and cook at 360 degrees F for 8 minutes. Gently flip at 5 minutes. I have not had problems with my sandwich flying around in the air fryer basket. If you do have problems you can place an air fryer trivet on top of the bread so it doesn’t fly around.
Crispy Air Frying Grilled Cheese Tips
Air frying is the newest and greatest thing in cooking. If you havent gotten into the air frying business then the time is now. Its the healthier, it creates uncompromising flavor, taste and texture. With this grilled cheese there are only a few things you need to keep in mind.
- Know your Air Fryer: Every air fryer is different, check our cooking instructions to make the best decision on cooking temperature and time. My suggestions for cooking are just that, suggestions. To get the crispiest sandwich and the most melty cheese.
- Anchor the Bread: Air fryers work by circulating air, much like a convection oven. If you use a light weight bread youll want to secure the sandwich together with a toothpick so that the bread doesnt go flying off the sandwich.
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How To Make Grilled Cheese In An Air Fryer Oven
What Can You Add To Your Grilled Cheese
For extra flavor add a pinch of spices to the butter. I like Cajun seasoning for a little spice.
Add veggies like spinach, arugula, sautéed mushrooms, sautéed onions or finely chopped broccoli florets.
Tomato and bacon will make this the ultimate grilled cheese.
Which Air Fryer Do I Use
After doing extensive air fryer research, I decided on this GoWise 5.8 quart Air Fryer.
I should also say that this isn’t sponsored but if you order from Amazon using any of these links or images, I get a small kickback!
I went with the 5.8 quart because it’s the perfect size for me and my family. It is large enough to cook two sandwiches in, a whole chicken, or a big batch of fries without things getting too crowded.
Anything smaller would have been kind of pointless to me. It also has more temperature controls and more cooking options than a lot of the other air fryers on the market do. I also loved that it came with a whole entire cookbook and temperature manual for various foods.
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Best Air Fryer Grilled Cheese
Air fryer grilled cheese sandwiches are life changing! We knew it would work, but didnt realize how this technique makes a great cheese melt sandwich! Whether its for a quick snack for the kids or a seriously delicious lunch, these are fantastic. The bread toasts perfectly and the cheese melts fantastic. If you dont want to use a lot fo butter, you dont have to. Even with little butter or a light spray of olive oil, the bread toasts perfectly in the air fryer.
What Are The Best Air Fryers
There are so many different air fryers out on the market these days and it is hard to pick and choose which one to buy. Every air fryer recipe on this site was tested with a Power XL air fryer. Ive owned this brand for a very long time now and love it. A lot of questions I get are from people asking me if this works with the brand of air fryer they use. Its hard to answer that because every air fryer model is different and their temperature and settings can vary. You just have to try it see if it works for you. These are two brands I own.
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Picking The Best Cheese For A Grilled Cheese Sandwich
For grilled cheese, I recommend combining at least two cheesesone thats a great melter, and one that has lots of flavor. Grated cheese melts faster and more evenly than slices.
- Popular melting cheeses include American, Monterey Jack, colby, mozzarella, and muenster.
- For flavor, try adding an aged cheddar, Swiss, Gruyere, gouda, or spicy cheese, like Pepper Jack.
- Fun fact: My home state of Ohio is the top Swiss cheese-producing state in the country! Guggisberg Baby Swiss was named the 2019 US Champion Cheese and is where Baby Swiss was invented. Pearl Valley Mild Swiss was the 2019 Ohio State Fair Champion.
There are more than 300 different cheeses in the U.S., so whether youre lactose intolerant, watching your sodium intake, or looking for high protein options, theres a cheese for you. Find your perfect cheese match!
How To Air Fry Grilled Cheese
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