Crispy on the outside, warm and gooey on the inside. Making the perfect grilled cheese is enough to brighten up your whole day, and this decadent sandwich is pretty easy to make. However, it is just as easy to make a mistake. You can easily burn the bread or undercook the cheese inside, resulting in a frustrating defeat. But what if we told you there’s a foolproof way to make grilled cheese and all you need is an air fryer?
You can make just about anything in an air fryer, and a super crispy, extra melty grilled cheese sandwich is no exception. Because the air fryer works by cooking food with hot air circulation, it is the perfect method for this type of dish as it will cook the cheese inside and leave the bread on the outside nice and crispy.
To learn the best and most delicious way to make grilled cheese in the air fryer, we chatted with Chef Chris Nirschel with New York catering servicewho once taught us how to air fry everything from baked potatoes to chicken wings and even a Thanksgiving turkey.
Read on to learn more, and for more cooking tips, check out the 11 Best Air Fryer Recipes for Weight Loss.
Ingredients:
When it comes to making grilled cheese, you can use just about any combination of cheese and bread you desire, but Chef Nirschel has his own favorite recipe for making air fryer grilled cheese. air. To make this dish, which makes four sandwiches, you will need the following ingredients:
- 8 slices of your favorite artisan bread (sourdough is my favorite)
- 4 oz creamy brie
- 4 oz sharp cheddar, grated
- 4 oz Gouda cheese, thinly sliced
- 4 ounces mozzarella, shredded
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- Optional add-ins: caramelized onions, sautéed mushrooms or crispy bacon.
Once you have your ingredients set aside, it’s time to prepare your air fryer.
Preheat your air fryer to 375°F and butter your bread.
You can use any type of air fryer to make grilled cheese, but Chef Nirschel says his favorite is the Fritaire Self-Cleaning Clear Air Fryer. Whichever air fryer you choose, set your air fryer to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and let it preheat.
To prepare your bread, “Lay out the bread slices on a clean surface and spread a generous layer of softened butter on one side of each slice,” says Nirschel. “This will ensure a golden, crispy exterior.”
Assemble the cheese mixture.
Layering your cheese is an important part of the grilled cheese making process, and Chef Nirschel suggests this step-by-step process for doing so:
- Start with the brie, placing thin slices evenly on four slices of bread.
- Sprinkle the top of the brie with grated sharp cheddar.
- Arrange thin slices of gouda cheese on the remaining four slices of bread.
- Finish with a generous sprinkling of grated mozzarella on top of the gouda cheese.
If you’re craving even more flavor, this is when you can add your extra ingredients, like onions or mushrooms. “I love bacon on mine!” Nirschel said.
Cook for 6 to 8 minutes, turning halfway through cooking.
The key to air frying your grilled cheese is to make sure you don’t overcrowd the sandwiches and flip them halfway through cooking.
“Carefully place the sandwiches in the air fryer basket and cook the sandwiches in the preheated air fryer for 6 to 8 minutes, turning halfway through cooking,” says Chef Nirschel. “Keep a close eye to make sure they get that beautiful golden brown color and that the cheese melts to a gooey consistency.”
Serve and enjoy your air fryer grilled cheese!
Once your sandwiches are cooked, you can carefully remove them from the fryer (they’ll be hot!) and “let them cool for a minute,” says Nirschel.
To serve, he recommends “pairing your grilled cheese with a side of tomato soup, a drizzle of balsamic glaze, or a handful of fresh greens.”
This story has been updated to include additional images, a fact check and updated links.
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Samantha Boesch
Samantha was born and raised in Orlando, Florida, and now works as a writer in Brooklyn, New York. Learn more about Samantha
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