Air Fryer Grilled Cheese (Printable)

Golden, crispy sandwich with melted cheese, cooked quickly using air frying for even browning.

# Components:

→ 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

# Method:

01 - Preheat the air fryer to 350°F (180°C) for 3 minutes.
02 - Spread butter evenly on one side of each bread slice.
03 - Place two slices of bread, buttered side down, on a clean surface and top each with two slices of cheese. Cover with remaining bread slices, buttered side up, to form sandwiches.
04 - Place the sandwiches in the air fryer basket without overlapping.
05 - Air fry the sandwiches for 4 minutes.
06 - Carefully flip each sandwich and air fry for an additional 3 to 4 minutes until golden brown and crisp.
07 - Remove sandwiches from the air fryer, allow to cool slightly, slice, and serve immediately for optimal crispness.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • No babysitting or flipping over a hot skillet—the air fryer does the work while you check your phone.
  • Both sides get equally crispy and golden without one burning while the other stays soft.
  • The cheese melts so evenly that every bite feels like you actually know what you're doing in the kitchen.
02 -
  • Cold butter will shred your bread to pieces; let it soften for five minutes on the counter and your sandwich will thank you.
  • Don't skip the preheat step or the bread stays pale and the cheese takes forever to melt, which defeats the whole purpose of this method.
  • The exact time depends on your air fryer's personality—some run hotter than others, so check at the 3-minute mark the first time you make this.
03 -
  • If you like extra crunch, swap the butter for mayonnaise on the outside—it browns even faster and stays crispier longer than butter does.
  • Use cheese slices that aren't individually wrapped plastic; real cheese slices melt smoother and taste vastly better even though they cost the same.
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