Air Fryer Grilled Cheese
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Air Fryer Grilled Cheese
Elevate your grilled cheese game with this Air Fryer Grilled Cheese recipe featuring indulgent herb butter! Crispy on the outside, gooey on the inside, and infused with savory herb flavors, this twist on the classic comfort food will leave you craving more. Gluten-free, Dairy-free + Meal Prep Option!
I'm loving air frying literally everything, and we all know I love a grilled cheese, so I figured it was time to give it a whirl in the air fryer. That's where Air Fryer Grilled Cheese comes in—a quick + easy twist on a classic favorite that's oh-so-satisfiying! My air fryer has been on non-stop lately! It's crazy how many things you can cook in it—seriously, even hard-boiled eggs! Haha.
Using the air fryer instead of a frying pan still gets you the best-textured grilled cheese sandwiches with hardly any prep or cleanup, all done in just 10 minutes! Thanks to the herb butter, it's crispy on the outside and perfectly cheesy and gooey on the inside. Plus, it has a gluten-free option so that it works for those with sensitivities. If you're thinking of making your own bread, check out my Soft Buttery Vegan Brioche Bread!
I love serving this air fryer sandwich with Air Fryer Garlic Parmesan French Fries or Air Fryer Honey Garlic Chicken Wings for a fun + easy kid-friendly meal. And if you LOVE grilled cheese, you've got to try the Everything Chicken Tomato Grilled Cheese, Broccoli Pesto Grilled Cheese, and Southern-Style Bacon Grilled Cheese Sandwich next!
Jump to:
- Why You Will LOVE Air Fryer Grilled Cheese
- How To Make Air Fryer Grilled Cheese
- Tips For The BEST Air Fryer Grilled Cheese
- What Is The Best Cheese for Grilled Cheese?
- Other Grilled-Cheese Ingredient Ideas
- What Goes Well with This Air Fryer Grilled Cheese
- What Dipping Sauces Pair Well With Air Fryer Grilled Cheese?
- Air Fryer Grilled Cheese Q + A's
- More Easy Air Fryer Recipes
- MADE OUR RECIPE(S)?
- Easy Air Fryer Grilled Cheese
Why You Will LOVE Air Fryer Grilled Cheese
- Crispy outside + gooey inside
- Minimal prep + cleanup---Ready in just 10 minutes
- Easy to make. Easy weeknight meal option or laidback lunch idea.
- Versatile—pair with your favorite sides or enjoy on its own
- Uses simple ingredients.
- Fun cooking activity for the entire family --- Kids love the assembling of grilled cheese!
How To Make Air Fryer Grilled Cheese
What really makes this grilled cheese special is the herb butter. You can whip it up ahead of time and keep it in the fridge for later! Then, it's just a matter of putting everything together and air frying until it's golden and delicious.
GRILLED CHEESE:
- Bread. I love using brioche bread or other rustic bread like sourdough, etc. You can also opt for gluten-free bread.
- Shredded cheese. You can use Gouda, Mozzarella, Sharp or Mild Cheddar, American, etc.
How To Make Herb Butter
It's as easy as mixing all the ingredients together until you achieve a smooth and soft consistency. This is truly my secret weapon when it comes to being a self-proclaimed grilled cheese queen Haha!
- Butter. Unsalted + softened.
- Seasonings. Sea salt, black pepper, garlic powder, dried parsley, dried oregano, dried basil + dried thyme.
SHOP MY FAVORITE TOOLS FOR BAKING, ESPECIALLY FOR THIS GRILLED CHEESE!
Here, I’ve curated a list of baking + cooking essentials that I use to achieve my favorite dishes, especially with this Air Fryer Grilled Cheese recipe. Everything from my fave loaf pan, wooden spoons, parchment paper, and more. SEE THEM HERE!
Tips For The BEST Air Fryer Grilled Cheese
Here are some tips for making perfect air fryer grilled cheese:
Use room temperature butter --- Spread softened herb butter evenly on the outside of the bread slices to ensure a crispy, golden-brown crust.
Preheat the air fryer --- Preheating the air fryer helps to ensure even cooking and crispiness.
Choose the right bread --- Opt for thick slices of bread that can hold up to the cheese and won't become too soggy during cooking. If needed, you can secure the sandwiches with toothpicks in the centers so that they stay flat while being in the air fryer.
Don't skimp on the cheese --- Use plenty of your favorite cheese(s) for maximum meltiness and flavor.
What Is The Best Cheese for Grilled Cheese?
You can also switch things up and add a new flare in their flavor profile by adding any of the following cheeses:
- Havarti
- Mozzarella
- Mild Cheddar Cheese
- Gouda
- American cheese
- Goat cheese
- Swiss
- Provolone
- Pepper Jack
- Muenster
Other Grilled-Cheese Ingredient Ideas
If you’re looking for more grilled cheese ingredient inspiration or want to just make this Air Fryer Grilled Cheese recipe even more delicious, here are some more ideas of what ingredients to add:
- Shredded Chicken
- Caramelized onions
- Candied bacon
- Kale, Spinach, Broccoli, Asparagus, Brussels sprouts (shredded), etc.
- Roasted garlic
- Herb-roasted tomatoes
- Homemade pesto
- Sundried tomatoes
- Pesto sauce
- Kimichi
- Pickles
- Other meats: beef, steak, prosciutto, ham, turkey, etc!
What Goes Well with This Air Fryer Grilled Cheese
I like to enjoy my Grilled Cheese on its own most days or at least with a very simple side, however, sometimes you can always spruce things up for a more hearty meal. Therefore, I wanted to share a few more ideas in case you make this grilled cheese more than once and want to switch things up!
Other food option ideas to enjoy this air fryer grilled cheese with----include:
- Fries-- Like these, Crispy Cajun Sweet Potato Fries, Seasoned Crinkle Cut Fries, Crispiest Jumbo Garlic Herb Fries, or Spicy Honey Sweet Potato Wedges
- Other appetizers-- Like wings or cauliflower bites! Try these Classic Oven Baked Buffalo Wings, Sticky Peach Chicken Wings, Orange Chicken Wings, Crispy Buffalo Cauliflower Wings/Bites, or BBQ Cauliflower Wings
- Salad--If you want to add a little freshness on the side try Chicken Caesar Salad with Cornbread Croutons, Spicy Chipotle Sweet Potato Chopped Salad, or Quick + Easy Blood Orange Kale Salad
- Soup-- Grilled cheese + soup is kind of the ultimate combo! I love serving grilled cheese alongside Creamy Garlic Bread Soup, Apple Cheddar Sweet Potato Soup, Roasted Carrot Soup + Cheesy Croutons and Roasted Broccoli Cheddar Soup.
- Mac + Cheese. Because nothing screams comfort like grilled cheese + mac and cheese! My faves are Copycat Velveeta Broccoli Mac and Cheese, Creamy Stovetop Southern Mac + Cheese and Ultimate Vegan Mac + Cheese
What Dipping Sauces Pair Well With Air Fryer Grilled Cheese?
Air fryer grilled cheese is just asking for some dipping fun! You can go classic with tomato soup, or get a bit tangy with barbecue sauce. And let's not forget the creamy ranch or creamy honey mustard—total game-changers! It's all about finding that perfect pairing for an extra burst of flavor!
Air Fryer Grilled Cheese Q + A's
Any leftovers can be stored in a zip lock bag or tightly sealed container and refrigerated for 2-3 days. To reheat, add to your Air Fryer at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 1-2 minutes or until warmed through and cheese is melty again.
To make these grilled cheese sandwiches entirely GF, simply ensure that the bread is GF-Friendly.
To make these sandwiches as meal prep---> Wrap each sandwich (uncooked, just assembled including with herb butter spread) in parchment and place in a zip lock bag. Repeat with remaining bread and cheese for all sandwiches. To cook after freezing, unwrap 1 sandwich from parchment and cook in Air Fryer as instructed. You an need an extra 1-2 minutes for cooking time.
It depends on the size of your air fryer basket. If there's enough space to fit multiple sandwiches in a single layer without overcrowding, you can certainly make more than one at a time. Just be sure to leave some space around each sandwich for proper air circulation and even cooking.
Yes, you can use frozen bread to make air fryer grilled cheese. Simply thaw the bread slices before assembling the sandwiches to ensure even cooking and optimal texture.
To make these grilled cheese sandwiches entirely dairy-free, simply sub the butter with vegan butter as well as ensure that the bread is vegan and sub the cheese with high-quality dairy-free cheese shreds.
More Easy Air Fryer Recipes
If you are a fan of my Easy Air Fryer Grilled Cheese recipe, you will also love these other delicious air fryer options!
- Air Fryer Garlic Parmesan French Fries
- Air Fryer Honey Garlic Chicken Wings
- Air Fryer Jamaican Jerk Potato Wedges
- Spicy Gochujang Chicken Tenders
- Homemade Texas Toast Garlic Bread
- Candied Bacon
- Everything Chicken Tomato Grilled Cheese
MADE OUR RECIPE(S)?
If you tried this Easy Air Fryer Grilled Cheese recipe or any other recipe on my website, please please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how you go in the 📝 comments below. And don't forget to tag @orchidsnsweettea_ on Instagram and hashtag it #orchidsandsweettea! I love hearing from you!
Easy Air Fryer Grilled Cheese
Ingredients
HERB BUTTER:
- 6 Tbsps unsalted butter, softened
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
GRILLED CHEESE:
- 8 slices bread (I love using brioche bread or other rustic bread like sourdough, etc. )
- 3-4 cups shredded cheese, organic (You can use Gouda, Mozzarella, Sharp or Mild Cheddar, American, etc.)
Instructions
TO MAKE THE HERB BUTTER:
- Mix together all ingredients until smooth and soft.
ASSEMBLE + COOK:
- Preheat the Air Fryer to 400 degrees and lightly spray the basket with cooking spray to keep the sandwiches from sticking.
- On the outsides of each bread slice, spread a bit of the herb butter so that they become nicely crisp and golden.
- On one side of 4 slices of bread, add a handful of cheese. Place together one side of bread that has cheese with the other side, pressing them gently together to make a sandwich. Repeat until all sandwiches are made.
- Transfer the sandwiches to the prepared basket and cook for 2-3 minutes before flipping the sandwiches onto their opposite sides and cooking for another 2-3 minutes or until golden and crispy. NOTE: If needed, you can secure the sandwiches with toothpicks in the centers so that they stay flat while being in the air fryer.
- Once done, cut in halves (if desired), plate the sandwiches with your favorite side or chips and enjoy.
- Bon Appetit!
Tips & Tricks
- STORAGE: Any leftovers can be stored in a zip lock bag or tightly sealed container and refrigerated for 2-3 days. To reheat, add to your Air Fryer at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 1-2 minutes or until warmed through and cheese is melty again.
- GUTEN-FREE OPTION: To make these grilled cheese sandwiches entirely GF, simply ensure that the bread is GF-Friendly.
- MEAL PREP: To make these sandwiches as meal prep---> Wrap each sandwich (uncooked, just assembled including with herb butter spread) in parchment and place in a zip lock bag. Repeat with remaining bread and cheese for all sandwiches. To cook after freezing, unwrap 1 sandwich from parchment and cook in Air Fryer as instructed. You an need an extra 1-2 minutes for cooking time.
Nutrition
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