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The ultimate in comfort food, my Gluten-Free Air Fryer Grilled Cheese will make everyone happy! The air fryer helps it turn out perfectly each time, with crisp bread sandwiching a combo of savory melted cheeses. Don’t wait to make this one!
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Crispy Air Fryer Grilled Cheese Sandwich
Buttery, gluten-free bread plus ooey, gooey cheese cooked in the air fryer to make the best gluten-free grilled cheese sandwich – oh, this is one of my absolute favorite lunches! A well-cooked grilled cheese sandwich is something to aspire to, and when you use the air fryer to make it you’ll never have to worry about your sandwich turning out soggy (or worse, overcooked).
Take your favorite gluten-free bread, add lots of butter, and pack in sharp cheddar cheese for loads of flavor. Don’t forget a little Havarti or Monterey Jack to create that wonderful melty, stretchy effect in the finished sandwich. This air fryer grilled cheese is great on its own or you can round it out with fries or a bowl of soup for a more complete meal. I have a feeling you’ll be making this one as often as I do!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
I love this recipe for its simplicity and classic taste. Here are a few other reasons why I make this gluten-free air fryer grilled cheese sandwich again and again:
- It’s so easy to make. Chances are you’ve made a lot of grilled cheese sandwiches on the stove top. The air fryer makes the cooking time shorter and so much easier because the air fryer does all of the work. No more hovering over the stove to make sure your sandwich doesn’t burn!
- Fast comfort food. Melted cheese never fails to make my day better. My kids love it too. So if you need a quick, comforting lunch or even dinner option, an air fryer grilled cheese should be at the top of your list!
- Adaptable. Make this recipe exactly how it’s written or try some of my variations as outlined later in this post. There are so many things you can add to your sandwich depending on your preference – try my suggestions or come up with your own!
- No problem to make this sandwich gluten-free. The difference between a grilled cheese sandwich and a gluten-free cheese sandwich is simply that you’ll use gluten-free bread. You can use slices of homemade gluten-free bread for this air fryer grilled cheese, or use your favorite store-bought loaf of gluten-free bread.
What You’ll Need
Here’s what you’ll need to make the perfect gluten-free grilled cheese sandwich. Make sure to check out the recipe card at the end of this post for the full ingredient amounts and instructions.
- Gluten-Free Sandwich Bread: You can use my recipe for Gluten-Free Sandwich Bread for this gluten-free grilled cheese sandwich or use your preferred store-bought brand.
- Softened Butter: You can use salted or unsalted butter.
- Cheddar Cheese: Use sharp cheddar for the best flavor.
- Havarti or Monterey Jack Cheese: Either one of these cheeses would be great in this recipe.
How to Make a Gluten-Free Grilled Cheese in Your Air Fryer
Follow along with my method below to make the simplest and best gluten-free air fryer grilled cheese:
- Prepare the air fryer and the bread. Preheat the air fryer to 360°F. Spread the butter on one side of each of the bread slices.
- Put the bread in the air fryer and top it with the cheese. Place two slices of bread butter side down inside the air fryer basket. Divide the cheddar cheese and Havarti or Monterey Jack cheeses evenly between the two slices of bread, then place the remaining two slices of bread butter side-up on top of the cheese. You can use slices or shredded cheese!
- Cook the sandwiches. Cook at 360°F for 6 minutes, flip then cook for another 4-6 minutes until the sandwich is golden brown and the cheese is melted.
Tips for Success
Gluten-Free Air Fryer Grilled Cheese is one of the easiest and best ways to make grilled cheese! Here are a few tips to help yours turn out just right:
- Note the kind of air fryer you’re using. Different models of air fryers can cook differently, and the cheese will melt at a different rate depending on whether you use slices or shredded cheese. Check the sandwich often to ensure it isn’t cooking too quickly. I tested this recipe in a Cosori 5.6L Air Fryer.
- Use shredded cheese. Shredded cheese will produce a thicker, more gooey layer of cheese than slices which, yes!
- Try to use thicker slices of bread. If you use very thin slices of bread, the circulating air could blow the top slice off inside the air fryer. To prevent this, if you use thinner bread slices, you can secure the bread with toothpicks. Make sure to remove the toothpicks before eating!
- Mix up your cheese. You can use any combination or kind of cheese you like best. But I do love the combo I’ve included. The intense flavor of the sharp cheddar plus the stretchiness and meltiness of the Havarti or Monterey Jack is so, so good.
Variation Ideas
A classic grilled cheese sandwich is a classic for a reason. You can’t go wrong with just cheese! But I also like to dress it up a little. Try some of my suggestions below for variations on this tried-and-true:
- Add thinly sliced apples. Did you know that some people include cheddar cheese in their apple pies for an interesting flavor contrast? Adding apple slices to an air fryer grilled cheese is a similar flavor concept! Apples and sharp cheese go really nicely together, and this will give your sandwich a bit of extra crunch and flavor. You can swap the thinly sliced apples for pears as well.
- Top the cheese with caramelized onions. Before topping the cheese with the other slice of bread, add caramelized onions! Caramelized onions are onions that have been cooked long and slow to release their flavor. They’ll add a subtle, sweet note of onion to your gluten-free grilled cheese sandwich.
- Spread the bread with pesto sauce. I love pesto sauce! It’s great on grilled cheese, adding a nice garlic-basil note to the sandwich.
- Tuck in tomato slices. A grilled cheese and tomato sandwich is a classic variation of grilled cheese. I often make a gluten-free grilled cheese sandwich with thin slices of tomato placed on top of the cheese before I cook it in the air fryer.
Make it a Meal
I love to serve gluten-free grilled cheese with accompaniments. Here are a few of my favorites:
- Alongside a bowl of tomato soup. Air fryer grilled cheese is the best served with a bowl of tomato soup in the classic flavor combo. Here’s my recipe for Creamy Tomato soup made in the instant pot for quick preparation.
- Add a side of fries. An air fryer grilled cheese sandwich is practically begging for a side of fries! Try my Air Fryer French Fries or Air Fryer Truffle Fries to make this a perfect meal.
- Make a salad. If you want to go a little lighter, a simple salad like my Easy Greek Salad would be a wonderful accompaniment to your gluten-free grilled cheese sandwich.
- With bacon! You can either add cooked bacon to the sandwich during assembly for a gluten-free bacon-cheese sandwich or serve it alongside. Try my method for how to cook perfect bacon every time.
How to Store and Reheat a Grilled Cheese
I think we all know that a gluten-free grilled cheese sandwich tastes the best the minute it’s made. But if you want to store any leftovers, wrap them tightly in foil and store them in the fridge for up to 3 days. To reheat, toast them in a toaster oven or in the air fryer on low heat for a few minutes.
What Air Fryer Should I Buy?
I always have my Cosori 5.8 Qt air fryer on my counter because I use it at least several times a week. It’s great for making everything from Onion Rings to Hot Dogs to an entire Turkey Breast, or just reheating pizza.
Gluten-Free Air Fryer Grilled Cheese
Ingredients
- 4 slices gluten-free sandwich bread
- 1 ½ tablespoons softened butter
- 2 oz. sharp cheddar cheese (about 2 tablespoons shredded or 2 slices)
- 2 oz. Havarti or Monterey Jack cheese (about 2 tablespoons shredded or 2 slices)
Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer to 360°F. Spread the butter on one side of each of the bread slices.
- Place two slices of bread butter side down inside the air fryer basket. Place 1 ounce of cheddar cheese and 1 ounce of Havarti or Monterey Jack cheese, then place the remaining two slices of bread butter side-up on top of the cheese.
- Cook at 360°F for 6 minutes, flip then cook for another 4-6 minutes until the sandwich is golden brown and the cheese is melted.
Did you make this?
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