Name: Air Fryer Grilled Cheese Sandwiches
Prep time: 4 min
Cook time: 8 min
Total time: 12 min
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons mayonnaise; 4 thick slices country or sourdough bread; 3 slices bacon (halved crosswise); 1 cup shredded Mexican blend or cheddar cheese

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Yes, you read that right: Air Fryer Grilled Cheese Sandwiches. I’m putting my air fryer to work, and I’m pretty happy about it. And a grilled cheese sandwich is one of the best lunches on the planet, so I thought it was time for the appliance and the sandwich to meet and see how they did together. And unsurprisingly they did great.

How to Cook Grilled Cheese in the Air Fryer

Start by giving the outside of the bread a generous smear of mayo. Sometimes I use butter, and sometimes I use mayo, and this gives an extra layer of flavor to any grilled cheese sandwich. (In a pan it also helps create a lovely browned exterior as well). Place the bread mayo side down on the rack in the air fryer.

Person placing bacon on bread in an Air Fryer basket.

Air Fryer Grilled Cheese Add-Ins

Layer on some slices of bacon atop the bread if desired. Other possible add-ins are:

Prosciutto
James, jellies and preserves
Pesto
Caramelized onions or shallots
Pickled Things (try sliced or chopped pickled brussels sprouts!)
Sliced Roasted Turkey Breast or Roast Chicken
Green Olive Tapenade
Roasted Peppers

Grilled Cheese Sandwiches and chips on a wooden surface.

Best Cheese for Air Fryer Grilled Cheese

Pile on some shredded cheese. I used a Mexican blend which is one of my go-to shredded cheese choices. Cheddar, Monterey, Gruyere, mozzarella, all possibilities. And then you might also head in another direction, using some slices of brie, for instance, or another soft double or triple crème cheese – watch these a bit closely, since they will probably melt faster, especially if the cheese is at room temperature, and they go from melted to molten in seconds in the air fryer.

Person sprinkling shredded cheese onto bread in an Air Fryer basket.

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Pop on the other slice of bread, mayo side up, and set the timer for 8 minutes at 350°F if you have a temp choice, or just “on” if you don’t.

Woman topping Grilled Cheese Sandwiches in an Air Fryer with bread.

Start peeking in at around 6 minutes to see if these cheese is melted. It might take anywhere from 6 to 10 minutes depending on the air fryer, the type of cheese you picked, and the amount of cheese you used.

Cut in half and serve up hot.

What to Serve with Air Fryer Grilled Cheese

Potato chips! Because go big or go home. But look! Also a chickpea salad because I’m not a total heathen.

Tomato soup is the classic companion to grilled cheese. Try:

Woman slicing Grilled Cheese Sandwiches on a wooden surface.

Will I stop making pan-griddled grilled cheese sandwiches? No, never. But this was fun and slightly less demanding of attention and while the bread didn’t get browned much it had a nice crunch to it, and the mayo on the outside was delicious – use this little trick however you make your grilled cheese, whether it’s in a pan or in the air fryer.

Woman pulling apart halves of a Grilled Cheese Sandwich.

More Air Fryer Recipes:

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