This is an easy and simple air fryer grilled cheese recipe that you can whip up in just ten minutes.

It’s a perfect pairing for tomato soup in the fall, and using the air fryer adds a healthier twist.

Gone are the days of needing a hefty amount of butter, piling on unnecessary calories.

This grilled cheese sandwich skips the butter entirely—yes, you heard me right!

I’ve crafted this grilled cheese without using any butter, and the results are consistently perfect.

That being said, you can still use butter if that’s your preference, but why bother?

You can achieve better results without using any butter, ensuring even cooking on both sides of the bread.

So, how does that happen?

Ingredients and Substitutions

Bread- I use thick double-cut bread for grilled cheese, making the sandwich much tastier and adding a ton of texture.

Cheese- I have used cheese slices for this recipe, and it was nothing fancy, but you can if you want to! There are many cheese options to make a fine grilled cheese, and I discuss them later in the post.

Mayo/Butter- In my opinion, I prefer mayo over butter. After experimenting with both, I consistently achieved better results by spreading mayo on one side of the bread.

Mayo, with its thin consistency, is my preference over butter. A minimal amount spread evenly on the bread creates a delightful light, crispy, golden-brown layer outside the grilled cheese sandwich.

This option is a better alternative to butter because you don’t need a lot at all, and the consistency is superior.

I don’t achieve the same effect with butter, which tends to burn at higher temperatures. Hence, I lean towards using mayo to make air fryer grilled cheese.

What cheese do you use for the best grilled cheese?

For this recipe, I have used two slices of American Cheese. However, you do not have to stop at that; you can combine more than one cheese, making the grilled cheese taste even better.

Some of the best cheeses in a grilled cheese sandwich are a mix of cheddar, provolone, fontina, fresh mozzarella, gouda, Monterey Jack, or Gruyere.

Pick 2 to 3 cheeses you think would pair well and put them in your grilled cheese. You can even test out different cheese pairings, making this recipe unique every time you make it.

How to make grilled cheese in an air fryer?

Take the bread slices and coat each side with a thin layer of mayo. Now place the first slice with the spread mayo side touching the air fryer basket.

Place cheese on top of it and cover it with the other slice of bread. This time, the mayo side should face outside or away from the cheese.

Cook this at 195°C for 3-4 minutes. Once you see this side is golden brown to your liking. Flip the sandwich and cook the other side at the same time at the same temperature.

Your grilled cheese sandwich is ready! Enjoy!

How to Reheat grilled cheese in an air fryer?

Reheating grilled cheese in the air fryer is easy. Just pop the sandwich in the air fryer and reheat it at 200°C for 5 minutes. You can flip it mid-way while reheating, but overall, the result is the same.

Tips to make the best air fryer grilled cheese sandwich

1. Make sure you use thick bread to make this sandwich. If you use thin bread, you must be aware that the bread slice can fly away, and you might want to put in a wooden or metal toothpick to hold the bread down.

2. You can spray the bread with some olive oil in case you do not have any mayo or want a healthier alternative to mayo.

3. Do not overcrowd the air fryer. Depending on the size of the bread slices and the basket, you cannot place more than two grilled cheese sandwiches in the air fryer. I can put two sandwiches in my Philips air fryer. This might vary from one person to the other.

4. You should line your air fryer with perforated parchment paper for easy cleaning. You do not need to spray your air fryer basket with oil in this recipe, as nothing sticks to the basket, and both bread slices already have mayo on their surfaces.

Variations

Grilled Cheese with Tomato- If you’d like, put some tomatoes between the cheese and make yourself an air fryer grilled cheese with tomatoes. This tastes great. It depends on the veggies you want to add to enhance the grilled cheese’s flavor. For some reason, melted cheese and tomatoes go well together.

Veggie Grilled Cheese- You can layer your bread with cheese and add sliced onions, tomatoes, and bell peppers. This cooks between the cheese slices, making the whole grilled cheese sandwich taste so fresh. I love this combo, and you should give it a try too.

Grilled Cheese with Bakon/Ham/Chicken- You’ll love all three combos in grilled cheese: grilled cheese with bacon, ham, and chicken will be the best thing you’ve ever had. Make these and dip them in marinara sauce to experience the absolute joy of eating grilled cheese on a cold winter evening.

How to serve Grilled Cheese?

Tomato Soup- Enjoying a grilled cheese with soup is one of the best food combinations in the world. Enjoy this recipe with any creamy soup of your liking.

Marinara sauce- You can dip your grilled cheese in marinara sauce and enjoy the savoriness of the cheese and the sweet tanginess of the Marinara sauce.

Pasta- Yes, you heard me right—you can dip your grilled cheese in leftover pasta sauce, making it perfect to enjoy with some vodka sauce pasta.

Salad- Salad also makes another great dish that you can serve with grilled cheese; the creaminess of the cheese is balanced with the fresh flavors from the salad.

Fries/chips and tater tots- These are the classic accompaniments for grilled cheese, and you can also serve your sandwich with these on the side.