This air fryer grilled cheese is one of the best sandwiches I’ve ever made at home. Crispy, buttery sourdough on the outside and melty, gooey cheese on the inside.
It takes less than 10 minutes from start to finish. No standing over the stove, no flipping too early and ruining it. The air fryer does most of the work for you.
The secret here is the garlic butter spread. It adds so much flavor to the bread and makes it extra golden and crispy.
And the cheese situation is next level. Using two types of cheese gives you the perfect combo of sharp flavor and that amazing stretchy melt.
If you have an air fryer and you haven’t tried making grilled cheese in it yet, you’re seriously missing out. This one is a must-try.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
The Cheese Combo Is Next Level – Sharp cheddar and gruyere together create a rich and nutty melt that beats a basic single-cheese grilled cheese every time.
Garlic Butter Makes All the Difference – That seasoned garlic and onion butter on the bread adds a savory flavor you will not get from plain butter.
Sourdough Gets Extra Crispy in the Air Fryer – The tangy sourdough crust turns perfectly golden and crunchy in the air fryer without getting greasy.
Ingredients
- 4 slices Sourdough Bread
- 4 slices Sharp Cheddar Cheese
- 2 slices Gruyere Cheese
- 2 tbsp Butter, softened
- 1 tsp Garlic Powder
- 1/4 tsp Onion Powder
How To Make
Step 1
In a small bowl, mix the softened butter with the garlic powder and onion powder until well combined.
Step 2
Spread the garlic butter evenly on one side of each slice of sourdough bread. Place 2 slices butter side down on a cutting board.
Step 3
Layer 2 slices of sharp cheddar and 1 slice of gruyere on each of the bread slices that are butter side down. Top each with the remaining bread slices, butter side facing up.
Step 4
Preheat the air fryer to 370°F for 2 minutes.
Step 5
Place the sandwiches in the air fryer basket. If they do not fit side by side, cook them one at a time. Air fry for 4 minutes until the bottom is golden and crispy.
Step 6
Carefully flip each sandwich over using a spatula. Air fry for another 3 to 4 minutes until the second side is golden brown and the cheese is completely melted.
Step 7
Remove from the air fryer, let cool for 1 minute, then slice in half diagonally. Serve immediately while the cheese is hot and stretchy.
Tips
Use Truly Softened Butter
The butter needs to be soft enough that you can easily mix it with the garlic and onion powder. If it’s too cold, the spices won’t blend in evenly and you’ll get clumps of plain butter with little pockets of garlic powder.
Leave the butter on the counter for about 30 minutes before you start. It should be easy to spread with a knife without tearing the bread.
If you forgot to take it out early, microwave it in 5-second bursts until it’s soft but not melted. Melted butter will soak into the bread instead of sitting on the surface where it crisps up.
Spread the Butter All the Way to the Edges
Make sure the garlic butter covers the entire outer surface of each bread slice, right up to the crust. Any spots you miss won’t crisp up and will stay pale and soft.
The air fryer circulates hot air around the sandwich, so every buttered spot turns golden and crispy. Bare spots really stand out and give you an uneven result.
Don’t Stack the Cheese Randomly
Put the gruyere slice in the middle between the two cheddar slices. Gruyere melts smoother and stretchier than cheddar, so sandwiching it in between helps everything melt together into one gooey layer.
If you put the gruyere right against the bread, it can make the inside a bit greasy before the cheddar fully melts. Keeping cheddar on the outside layers gives you better contact with the bread.
Related Recipes
- Air Fryer Pulled Pork Grilled Cheese
- Air Fryer Cuban Sandwiches
- Air Fryer Mozzarella Sticks
- Air Fryer Cheesy Garlic Breadsticks
- Air Fryer Mac & Cheese Bites
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to preheat the air fryer for this recipe?
Yes, preheating for those 2 minutes makes a real difference here. It means the bread starts crisping up the second it hits the basket, which gives you that evenly golden crust without overcooking the inside or leaving the cheese under-melted.
If you skip the preheat, the first side tends to come out lighter and less crispy than the second side, so your sandwich ends up uneven.
Air Fryer Grilled Cheese
- 4 slices Sourdough Bread
- 4 slices Sharp Cheddar Cheese
- 2 slices Gruyere Cheese
- 2 tbsp Butter, softened
- 1 tsp Garlic Powder
- 1/4 tsp Onion Powder
- In a small bowl, mix the softened butter with the garlic powder and onion powder until well combined.
- Spread the garlic butter evenly on one side of each slice of sourdough bread. Place 2 slices butter side down on a cutting board.
- Layer 2 slices of sharp cheddar and 1 slice of gruyere on each of the bread slices that are butter side down. Top each with the remaining bread slices, butter side facing up.
- Preheat the air fryer to 370°F for 2 minutes.
- Place the sandwiches in the air fryer basket. If they do not fit side by side, cook them one at a time. Air fry for 4 minutes until the bottom is golden and crispy.
- Carefully flip each sandwich over using a spatula. Air fry for another 3 to 4 minutes until the second side is golden brown and the cheese is completely melted.
- Remove from the air fryer, let cool for 1 minute, then slice in half diagonally. Serve immediately while the cheese is hot and stretchy.