Is there anything better than a crunchy, melty and buttery grilled cheese served with bowl of tomato soup? Just mentioning this classic comfort food combination gives me such warm and fuzzy feelings. It takes me back to the dreary wet weekends of my childhood when I would be unhappily stuck indoors. My mum would make the most delicious grilled cheese sandwiches and a big batch of her special tomato soup. And with that very first bite I would magically feel muuuuuch better.
This is a beloved family tradition that I now get to carry on with my 2 kids. And because I’m on an air fryer kick lately, I decided to test out Air Fryer Grilled Cheese. And you know what peeps? It’s even better than I could have imagined.
An air fryer grilled cheese sandwich provides a crispy, buttery outer layer with a cheesy, melty inner layer that creates the perfect sandwich without burning, over drying, or overcooking. It’s so easy I even let my mini chefs make their own.
And folks, I’ve tried this with Gluten-Free bread and you can still get the same delicious buttery crispy outer layer as you would with regular bread. I know Gluten-Free bread can be kind of chewy, but when done in the air fryer your grilled cheese will be cooked to perfection with melted gooey warm cheese.
Air Fryer Grilled Cheese comes out sooooooooo crunchy on the outside. The air fryer works by using a high powered fan to “fry” your food. With the air fryer, no one is getting a little soggy spot piece of bread that somehow the frying pan just didn’t touch. Every bite of your Air Fryer Grilled Cheese is crunchy-gooey-cheese-goodness.
Air Fryer Grilled Cheese Tools
KITCHEN TOOLS, UTENSILS & APPLIANCES NEEDED
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Here are some of the items you will need to make this recipe.
- Air Fryer.
- Measuring teaspoons.
- Tongs.
- Bowls with covers.
- Store leftover food in these bowls.
Ready to make grilled cheese in the air fryer? Grab your ingredients and I’ll show you how…….
How to Make Air Fryer Grilled Cheese Step by Step
- Preheat the air fryer to 350F / 180C.
- Butter one side of each slice of bread, making sure all the bread is covered.
- Add the cheese and sliced pear. Fold the cheese slices in between the pieces of bread so that no cheese is sticking out past the bread slices.
- Place sandwich to the air fryer basket and cook for 8 mins before flipping using tongs and cooking for another 3-4 mins on the second side.
- Serve warm.
Air Fryer Grilled Cheese Tips
- Fold the cheese slices in between the bread slices making sure all the cheese is inside the bread and not falling out.
- Do remember to keep the buttered sides facing outwards.
- You can also use a light cooking spray in place of butter if calorie watching or on a WW diet.
- It’s possible your bread could “fly” up so be sure to use the rack your air fryer came with to prevent this from happening.
Why You’ll Love Air Fryer Grilled Cheese
It’s 3 simple ingredients. Yeap, for a basic grilled cheese in the air fryer it’s 3 simple ingredients: bread, cheese and butter for coating. That’s it. My kids can handle this one with their eyes closed.
You can add anything you want. Seriously. I loooooooooove a perfect grilled cheese but who doesn’t love a gourmet grilled cheese using different types of cheese, adding meat and veggies and even add a little seasoning to the outside. Have you ever had a grilled cheese with a little paprika on the outside? Soooooooo good.
It’s a great pantry meal. Air Fryer Grilled Cheese is the perfect pantry meal. And it’s super easy. You probably have at least the 3 basic ingredients on hand but you can add any leftover meat you may have had or add a little spice to the outside buttered edge for an extra pop of flavour.
What Kind of Cheese is the Best for Air Fryer Grilled Cheese
There are soooooo many different types of cheese you can go with when making Air Fryer Grilled Cheese. Grilled cheese is so versatile. Here are a few of my favourites:
- American
- Swiss
- Sharp Cheddar
- Muenster
- Provolone
- Pepper Jack
And don’t sleep on Bleu, Feta, Havarti and Goat cheese. These types of cheeses might not scream “Grilled Cheese” but trust me they’ll elevate your classic childhood dish to suit your adult tastes.
How to Customise Air Fryer Grilled Cheese
Grilled cheese is such a versatile sandwich. Because you can use so many different types of cheeses that you may have on hand you can also add meats and veggies too. Freddy and the kids looooooove adding crispy bacon to their grilled cheese sandwiches.
My recipe below calls for slices of sweet pear which in my opinion really elevates a classic GCS (grilled cheese sandwich). Make sure pear is very ripe and sliced thinly. When I make this variation I prefer using sharp cheddar or brie cheese. So delicious when combined with juicy pear slices.
Another option would be to use up some leftover chicken you may have by shredding it and adding it between your cheese slices. Tomatoes also make a great addition to a grilled cheese as well as pickles. I love slicing up a beautiful rainbow of peppers for our grilled cheeses. The kids love their colourful sandwiches.
And now, let’s talk about the bread for grilled cheese. Oh, the bread. Sweet carbs how we love you. The most common bread would be white bread but Multigrain and Whole Wheat also work great. You can use any bread you may have in your pantry for Air Fryer Grilled Cheese but if you’re looking for something different try Sourdough, Pumpernickel or Rye.
You can also make your Air Fryer Grilled Cheese with a Gluten-Free Bread. Gluten-Free bread can sometimes be chewy or gummy but it comes out soooooooo crunchy in the air fryer.
Cooking Time for Air Fryer Grilled Cheese
I recommend checking on your grilled cheese in the air fryer about halfway through the first 8 mins. Every air fryer is different and this will tell you how long your grilled cheese will still have to go in the air fryer.
What to Serve with Air Fryer Grilled Cheese
Weight Watchers Points in Air Fryer Grilled Cheese
There are 8 Freestyle Points in one serving of Air Fryer Grilled Cheese.
Thank you for reading my Air Fryer Grilled Cheese recipe post. And please come visit again as I continue dreaming up recipes, traditional African recipes, African fusion recipes, Sierra Leone recipes, travel plans and much more for you. Thanks for supporting Recipes from a Pantry, UK food blog.
Get the Crunchy Air Fryer Grilled Cheese Recipe:
- 2 slices bread
- 2 tsp butter or cooking spray
- 2 slice cheese
- 1/4 pear thinly sliced
Preheat air fryer to 350F / 180C.
- Butter one side of each slice of bread making sure all the bread is covered.
Add cheese and pear. Fold the cheese slices in between the bread slices making sure no cheese is sticking out of the bread slices.
- Add into the air fryer and cook for 8 mins before flipping and cooking for another 3-4 mins on the second side.
Serve warm.
Tips
- Fold the cheese slices in-between the bread slices making sure all the cheese is inside the bread not falling out.
- Keep the buttered sides facing outwards.
- You can also use a light cooking spray in place of butter.
- Use the rack your air fryer came with to prevent bread from possibly flying up during cooking process.
Weight Watchers Points
There are 8 Freestyle Points in one serving of Air Fryer Grilled Cheese.
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