Air Fryer Grilled Cheese (Printable)

A quick method to achieve golden, crispy grilled cheese with melty cheddar using an air fryer.

# What you'll need:

→ Bread

01 - 4 slices white or whole wheat sandwich bread

→ Cheese

02 - 4 slices cheddar cheese or preferred melting cheese

→ Spread

03 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

# Preparation steps:

01 - Preheat the air fryer to 350°F for 3 minutes.
02 - Spread softened butter evenly on one side of each bread slice.
03 - Place two slices of bread, buttered side down, on a clean surface. Top each with two slices of cheese.
04 - Cover cheese with the remaining bread slices, buttered side up, forming sandwiches.
05 - Arrange sandwiches in the air fryer basket without overlapping.
06 - Air fry for 4 minutes. Flip sandwiches carefully, then air fry for an additional 3 to 4 minutes until golden brown and crispy.
07 - Remove sandwiches from air fryer, let cool slightly, slice, and serve immediately for optimal crispness.

# Expert advice:

01 -
  • The butter gets impossibly crispy without needing to babysit a skillet or flip constantly.
  • Every single sandwich comes out looking like you actually know what you're doing in the kitchen.
  • It takes less time than waiting for bread to toast, which means no more hunger-induced regrets.
02 -
  • Don't skip the butter spreading step even if you're tempted—the air fryer needs it to create that crispy exterior, and mayonnaise actually works even better if you have it on hand.
  • Four minutes on the first side isn't arbitrary; anything less and you'll flip to find soft bread instead of that satisfying crunch.
03 -
  • If your cheese isn't melting completely after the flip, add thirty seconds to the second cook time rather than trying to stretch the initial four minutes.
  • Slightly softened butter spreads perfectly without tearing the bread, so pull yours out of the fridge five minutes before you start assembling.
Go back