Tomato & Cheddar Grilled Cheese
My favorite summertime treat when the tomatoes are at their prime! I like the make the grilled cheese with extra sharp cheddar and then pry it open and put a big juicy tomato slice in the middle of all that melty cheese. If you like the tomato warm, you could put it in right from the beginning, but be warned your bread might get slightly soggy this way.
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What To Serve With Grilled Cheese
If you want fries with your grilled cheese you can cook them at the same time with the grilled cheese in your air fryer basket. My favorite brand of frozen fries are Alexa or Ore Ida. I will cook frozen french fries at 350 for 12 minutes.
Chips and pickles
My recipe 5 Ingredient Tomato Blender Soup would also be good with grilled cheese.
How To Make Air Fryer Grilled Cheese:
Assemble Sandwiches: Preheat your air fryer to 320 degrees. Butter one side of each slice of bread. Add one slice of cheddar cheese and one slice of your favorite cheese to the non-buttered side of the bread and top with other slice of bread . Use toothpick to secure the sandwich .
Air Fry: Place grilled cheese sandwiches in air fryer basket or on rack in an even layer . Air fry at 370 degrees for 2-3 minutes. Check often so it doesnt burn and to ensure the top bread slice hasnt blown off.
Flip Sandwich: Flip to other side and cook for 2-3 minutes longer, or until it reaches your desired level of brownness.
Serve: Remove toothpick and serve with Roasted Tomato Soup, Creamy Tomato Basil Soup, or Creamy Tomato and Spinach Tortellini Soup.
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What Cheese Is Best For Grilled Cheese Sandwich
You may use one type of cheese or a combination of different ones. Some of the recommendations are medium cheddar, Monterey Jack, American cheese, Havarti, or gouda. You can use sliced cheese or shredded. Shredded cheese will melt nicely and will give you a beautiful cheese pull. Please be sure to shred your own cheese if you do decide to use shredded cheese.
How To Make Grilled Cheese In Air Fryer
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How To Make Air Fryer Grilled Cheese Sandwich
A note about the cooking process:
Ive made many grilled cheese sandwiches in my air fryer and have found that 385° F is a good temperature to keep the bread from burning before the cheese melts. You might find that your air fryer cooks differently than mine. This is a common complaint and not something I can mitigate for you. Youll have to keep an eye on the bread throughout the process and adjust as necessary.
Butter each bread slice on one side. Place the buttered side down on a plate and add on the cheese, top with the other slice of bread, buttered side up.
Place the sandwich in the air fryer basket. I like to use a piece of parchment paper under the sandwich, but its not necessary. Another thing to note is that some air fryer are quite powerful and will blow the top off the sandwich before the cheese melts. If this is a problem for you, you might want to secure the sandwich together with a toothpick. Just stick one or two into all layers to hold it together.
Cook at 385° F for 8 minutes, turning the sandwich over at the halfway mark to ensure that it gets cooked evenly on both sides.
Why Make This Recipe
- Its 3 simple ingredients. Yeap, bread, cheese and butter for coating. Thats it. My kids can handle this one with their eyes closed.
- You can add anything you want. Seriously add a gourmet cheese, adding Air Fryer Bacon and veggies and even add a little seasoning like paprika to the outside. All soooooooooooo good.
- Its a super easy pantry meal. You probably have the 3 basic ingredients on hand but you can add any leftovers you have.
- Works For Gluten-Free Diets. Ive tried this with Gluten-Free bread and you can still get the same delicious buttery crispy outer layer as you would with regular bread.
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Ingredient List For 1 Sandwich
- 1 tablespoon butter, room temperature
- 2 slices cheese, your choice
- 2 slices of bread, use your favorite type of bread
*watch carefully, as the wattage of your trusty air fryer can change the amount of time needed for cooking, depending on the brand of air fryer.
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.
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Why I Love This Grilled Cheese Sandwich So Much
Making a grilled cheese sandwich isnt difficult but its even easier in the air fryer.
- Its easy to make 4 sandwiches at once .
- They brown perfectly on both sides .
- I find them to be the perfect amount of crisp with melty cheese.
- Super easy cleanup with just a wipe to the basket.
- Its an easy air fryer recipe and great for beginners and young cooks.
Make the classic pairing of grilled cheese and our delicious homemade fresh tomato soup.
Tips For Making Grilled Cheese In An Air Fryer:
- Use sliced cheese instead of shredded. The air circulation in an air fryer is very strong, and shredded cheese wont stay on your bread as well as heavy slices.
- Butter the outside of your bread slices from crust to crust. Full coverage is the only way!
- Dont press down on the sandwich when flipping it, which will destroy the airiness of your bread.
- Try not to rush the process. Make sure to get five minutes on each side for the most unctuously melted cheese and crispy bread combo.
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Do You Use Mayo Or Butter For Grilled Cheese
I prefer to make this recipe with butter, but you could certainly make your air fryer grilled cheese with mayo if you like!
Just spread a thin layer of mayonnaise on the outside of the bread in place of the butter.
Alternatively, you could also use a combination of the two. Let the butter soften to room temperature in a ramekin, add some mayo, mix until well combined, and spread over your bread for the best of both worlds!
Best Air Fryer To Use
There are so many great options on the market today. I use a Cosori 5.8 quart, you can read all about my experience and review here. A few other options to consider:
- OMORC 5.8 quart basket with a great price point.
- Ninja Foodie This machine is an air fryer, slow cooker and pressure cooker in one.
- Instant Vortex Made by Instant Pot, this is a 6-quart fryer.
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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.
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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Other Air Fryer Recipes
- Air Fryer Steak Bites Steakin the air fryer? You read right. Its tender, juicy and on the table fast.
- Air Fryer Asparagus Crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside.
- Air Fryer Chicken Want some quick protein on your salad? This chicken can make that happen.
- Air Fryer Cod Cod can be so bland and dry. This recipe makes the fish come out moist and flaky each time.
Cook The Grilled Cheese Sandwich In The Air Fryer
Slide the basket back in place and set the heat to right around 350 to 375F. On my air fryer, I use the 360F setting, because that is what is labeled on the air fryer.
Turn the timer on, which will also turn on your air fryer, depending on the model. Set it for 3 to 4 minutes.
After the time is up, slide it out and check it. The top slice should be nice and golden brown. Flip it over with a spatula. The bottom slice probably wont be brown yet.
Slide the basket back into the air fryer and cook for another 3 to 4 minutes. The times will vary depending on your air fryer and depending on how brown you like your grilled cheese.
Pull the basket out, and remove the sandwich with a spatula. Slice it in half if you like and serve. If you use too much cheese or put it really close to the edge, it may ooze out while it is cooking. Dont be alarmed! That cheese gets nice and crispy on the outside of the sandwich and tastes absolutely amazing.
Enjoy!
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How To Make Air Fried Grilled Cheese Sandwich In Air Fryer
- Note of Caution: If your bread is really thin and light, it will fly off the sandwich from the circulating air in the air fryer. So you can use a toothpick to secure the sandwich together. But remember to remove the toothpicks before eating!
- Lay slices of good melting cheese in center of slices of bread. Close the sandwich and spread softened butter on outside of bread. Or spray with light olive oil spray. Some folks love spreading it with mayo on the outside. So theres three options for you.
- Lay sandwich in air fryer and cook. Fantastic grilled cheese sandwich in the air fryer thats easy and delicious!
- Full recipe instructions in the recipe box below.
Air Fryer Grilled Cheese Recipe
- white bread, or bread of your choice personally, I love the classic white bread when it comes to this recipe, but feel free to use whatever bread you have on hand or whatever you prefer.
- butter or mayonnaise I use either or, depending on my mood. However, when I want the brownest, crispiest, and most flavorful sandwich, I go with mayo.
- American cheese any melty cheese is good for this recipe, but American cheese is the classic we all know and love!
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Air Fryer Grilled Ham And Cheese Sandwich Recipe
Theres always a debate in our house about which is better, the simple grilled cheese sandwich, or a meatier version. Since I am the only real fan of ham in the household, Ill let the others pick their own favorites. I already know that if theres ham in the refrigerator, Ill be adding it!
Thin deli-sliced ham is best folded over, but I truly love thick slices of leftover holiday ham best! The flavor from the roasted ham adds so much to an already fabulous sandwich!
More to the point, the air fryer version of these comfort food sandwiches is a true delight! No more not-quite-melted cheese in the center, or having to use American cheese for an easy solution to perfectly melted cheese.
Grilled Cheese Bagel Air Fryer
Grilled cheese bagels are a quick and easy snack that can be made in an air fryer. Simply place a bagel in the air fryer and top with cheese. Cook for a few minutes until the cheese is melted and the bagel is crispy. Enjoy your grilled cheese bagel with a side of soup or salad.
With just one air fryer press, you can now grill cheese sandwiches in the oven. Because of the air circulating in the Air fryer, the bread crisps without burning, while the cheese inside melts to a delectable ooey-gooey consistency. You can make your own flavors for grilled cheese sandwiches and they are delicious. These Air Fryer-Assisted Grilled Cheese Sandwiches are a game-changer in the world of grilled cheese sandwiches. Every time you bite into this delicious dish, you will feel a little bit of bliss because it is topped with perfectly melted cheese and crunchy toasted bread. It is an excellent substitute for soup when served on its own or as part of a meal. If you have any leftovers, place them in a plastic bag and store them in the fridge for three days.
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What To Serve With Grilled Cheese Air Fryer Sandwich
Air fryer grilled cheese can be paired with many different side dishes for a delicious meal. For a fun family dinner, try serving this sandwich with air fryer potato wedges or avocado fries.
And, is there anything thats better than a crunchy, buttery, and melty grilled cheese sandwich and a bowl of warm tomato basil soup? Just thinking about this classic comfort food combination should give you warm, fuzzy feelings.
How To Make Air Fryer Grilled American Cheese Sandwich
- Butter one side of each piece of bread.
- Place American Cheese in between both slices with the butter side out.
- Mayonnaise is also great to use for this Air Fryer Grilled American Cheese Sandwich.
- The sandwich then cooks in the Air Fryer or the Crisplid. .
If you like tomatoes, a nice slice of a tomato inside the sandwich is fantastic too!
We keep our bread frozen, so it is easier to butter.
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How To Make A Grilled Cheese In The Air Fryer
Truly the best air fryer grilled sandwich ever, and so easy to make!
Cooking time can vary slightly based on your air fryer so check it early.
Air Fryer TipIf your bread is thin or light the sandwich may not stay together as the air blows. You can either secure the sandwich with a toothpick or ensure you have a layer of butter on each side of the bread to help it all stick together.
Tips And Tricks For Upgrading
Tip 1: One concern that I’ve heard about is that the air fryer makes the top piece of bread fly off because of the intense air circulation that goes on inside the appliance. To avoid this, you can simply stab the grilled cheese with a tooth-pic and voila – problem solved!
Tip 2: Don’t use any metal utensils to flip your grilled cheese. The nonstick is super important for the air fryer basket so you don’t want to use anything that might damage it.
Tip 3: Over the last 10 years, I’ve probably shared thousands of ways to upgrade a grilled cheese sandwich. Some of my most basic easy additions include adding bacon, avocado, spicy mayo, a fried egg, pickles, and the like.
For some of my more insane creations, you can to view all of my grilled cheese recipes that I’ve shared on this blog for the last 10 years.
But if you want even more tasty options, you should check out my first grilled cheese cookbook which features 60 different tasty ways to make a grilled cheese sandwich. I cover everything from breakfast and lunch to dinner and dessert!
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