Air Fryer Grilled Cheese (Printable Version)

Golden melted cheese sandwiched between crisped bread for a quick and tasty snack.

# Ingredient List:

→ 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

# How to Make:

01 - Preheat air fryer to 350°F for 3 minutes.
02 - Evenly spread softened butter on one side of each bread slice.
03 - Place two bread slices, buttered side down, on a clean surface. Top each with two slices of cheese.
04 - Cover with remaining bread slices, buttered side up, forming sandwiches.
05 - Place sandwiches in air fryer basket without overlapping.
06 - Air fry for 4 minutes.
07 - Carefully flip sandwiches and air fry for an additional 3 to 4 minutes until golden brown and crispy.
08 - Remove sandwiches, let cool briefly, slice, and serve.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It's ready in under 15 minutes, which means lunch doesn't feel like a production.
  • No babysitting a hot pan or worrying about burnt bottoms and cold cheese middles.
  • The air fryer does the heavy lifting, leaving your stovetop free for other things.
02 -
  • The butter absolutely has to be on the outside—I learned this the hard way by putting it inside once, and it just sweated into the bread instead of crisping up.
  • Don't skip the preheat step even though it feels like you're wasting time; cold air fryers make soggy, unevenly cooked sandwiches.
  • Flipping matters—one side will brown faster than the other depending on where it sits in your basket, so that flip isn't optional.
03 -
  • If your cheese isn't melting fully in the time given, lower the temperature by 10 degrees and add another minute—air fryers vary, and knowing yours is half the battle.
  • Slightly stale bread actually works better than fresh bread because it has less moisture and crisps up faster instead of getting tough.
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