Grilled Cheese in Air Fryer

This is how to make grilled cheese in air fryer with mayo so it comes out ooey gooey with crispy bread. solid using slices of store bought or air fryer bread loaves for lunch, dinner or a snack. Make in a Cosori or Ninja Foodi this week.

ninja-foodi-grilled-cheese

Did you get one of these fancy appliances this year and now you're ready to crisp ALL THE THINGS??!! Making grilled cheese in air fryer is probably one of our kids' favorite things to make themselves. It might be mine too. Find this and more air fryer recipes We make weekly here.

Whether you make in a pan or this way there are two main ingredients, plus butter on the bread if you like that. There is a trick to making sure this comes out perfectly though. Hot air can cause issues so we are here with a kitchen hack to make it come out solid every time.

Ninja Air Fryer Grilled Cheese

You can make this in any brand you might have at home, even as one of our easy Ninja Foodi recipes. With this one you'll use the lid that is attached and the air crisp button.

air fryer grilled cheese

Ingredient notes

You want a few slices of Breadthis French loaf was made with love by our aunt and was thicker slices. You can surely use store bought, sliced sourdough bread, or make homemade. We mean for less carbs you could use Air fryer quesadillas too.

Sliced Cheesewe like to shred both sharp cheddar cheese and Monterey jack. If you want a thicker inside make slices thin and pile them on, they'll melt easier that way. Honestly though we use what we have on hand, some like American cheese slices (Kraft style but we prefer the real stuff)

Is Gouda good for grilled cheese?

3 other great cheeses for cooking a grilled cheese sandwich when melted are; gouda, gruyére or manchego. If you're looking for the BIG ooey gooey cheesy pull try adding these! Only have a convection oven? Yes you can make this in there too at about 425 degrees for the same time frame. Follow the same directions as instructed here, set it a bit hotter and ensure rack is on the lowest level.

The best way to make this is with mayonnaise spread on the outsides of both sides of bread. You could sprinkle a bit of garlic salt on top of that if you like those flavors too.

Olive oil spray is handy for easier cleanup. Once you have your cheese grated and ready you'll need to prepare your slices of bread. On each of the sides facing out you'll want to spread some butter, or use mayonnaise y'all.

Swaps

You can first make air fryer bacon until super crispy, then wipe out the basket a bit. Leave a little brush of it so you won't need non stick spray and this will offer a lot more flavor for your sandwich anyway.

grilled cheese

How Long to Cook Grilled Cheese in Air Fryer

This air fryer sandwich will take 5-7 minutes for the cheese to melt and bread to get golden brown and crispy. Of course there will be a cook time variation depending on how close your pieces are to the heating coils and how thick your bread is but generally about 6 minutes does it!

Mistakes to Avoid

If using racks, put them on the lowest level in your machine so they don't get too too crispy before cheese melts. Ours typically doesn't brown but still becomes crispy on the top and bottom, feel it rather than looking for browning.

Kitchen questions

What can you add to a grilled cheese sandwich?

The possibilities are endless really! We wouldn't add ingredients that you don't want to be warm, like lettuce or anything but beyond that go for it! My girls most favorite version would be Pizza Toast with all your favorite toppings like pepperoni and olives on top.1. Precooked bacon is great2. Slices of tomato go quite well3. Thin slices of leftover ham4. Brie with thin slices of apples5. Caramelized onions and/or sauteed mushrooms

Can you add ham?

Yes, great idea, it will add protein and more texture to the meal. We do this a lot after Christmas when we want an eas leftover ham recipe. We slice thin and put in between the slices. You can use lunchmeat to make it this style year round too though.

What should you serve with grilled cheese?

Well Instant Pot tomato soup is a given if you ask us. You can't go wrong with that or the slow cooker creamy tomato soup We make. A salad goes well with about everything. Mixed vegetables in your air fryer are always a healthy side dish for any meal.

grilled cheese in air fryer
Several uncooked grilled cheese in air fryer sandwiches rest on wire racks inside the oven, ready to be toasted to golden perfection.

Air Fryer Grilled Cheese Recipe

By Air Fryer grilled cheese instructions so they come out ooey gooey with crunchy buttery bread outside. solid for lunch, dinner or a snack. Prep: 15 minutes minsCook: 6 minutes minsServings: 4 Save Recipe Saved! Pin Recipe Comment Print Recipe

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 8 slices bread
  • 1/4 cup mayonnaisebest foods is best, or use softened butter 1/2 stick
  • 1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
  • 1 cup monterey jack cheese, shredded

Instructions

  • Preheat air fryer to 350 degrees.
  • Spread mayo one side of 4 pieces of bread. Lay with the mayonnaise side down on air fryer rack or basket. (if you have a small machine you may only be able to do one at a time)
  • Sprinkle cheeses on non mayo side, then lay 2nd piece of bread with mayo side facing up on to your sandwich and close your basket.
  • Cook for 4-6 minutes depending on how thick your cheese is. After 1 minute, open basket and check as top piece may have blown off. If it did put back on and press in center to make it stick with melted cheese in middle.
  • Also timing will vary according to amount of cheese and other added ingredients you include inside, and how large your bread slices are.

Nutrition

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Entree, SnackCuisine: American Tried this recipe?Mention @thetypical_mom or tag #thetypicalmom!

Other air fryer recipes for kids you'll love

You can of course make Ninja Foodi grilled cheese like this using the same timing and temperature. But wait….we have other air fryer snacks you are going to want to try out next like:

Ready to air fry everything now? Here are some other dinner recipes you should try next! My girls cook air fryer frozen chicken nuggets themselves all the time, WAY better than in the microwave.

ninja foodi grilled cheese
Open-faced bread slices topped with shredded cheese are arranged on an air fryer rack, solid for making grilled cheese in air fryer style.