Enjoy the crispy and buttery goodness of an air fryer cheese toastie (also known as a grilled cheese). Made with thick and crispy bread and filled with perfectly melted, oozy cheese, this snack is made even better with a delicious garlic mustard mayo for an extra burst of flavour.
Using pantry staples, the air fryer toastie is really easy and quick to make and I'm confident it will become your new go-to comfort food. If you're in the mood for something sweet, try out my air fryer French toast recipe as well!
You can really elevate your cheese toastie game by making it in the air fryer! This method takes this classic snack to a whole new level of amazingness, and in fact, it has become the most requested lunch item at home. Pair it with a bowl of homemade tomato soup for the ultimate dipping experience.
Check out my eBook⭐Easy Air Fryer Recipes⭐ which includes 20 straightforward and easy-to-follow recipes for your air fryer. You'll be a pro at air fryer cooking in no time! Don't miss out, get your copy today!
👩🍳 Love your air fryer? Try my air fryer tuna melt next!
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✔️ Why you'll love this recipe!
Here's why this is the best air fryer toasted sandwich recipe!
- Crunchy and Crispy - The air fryer creates a perfectly crispy and crunchy texture to the bread, elevating the toastie to a whole new level of deliciousness.
- Melty and Oozy Cheese - The air fryer melts the cheese perfectly, creating a gooey and stringy texture that is irresistible to cheese lovers.
- Quick and Easy - The air fryer method is quick and easy, making it perfect for busy days when you need a satisfying snack or lunch option in no time.
- Versatile - The recipe is versatile, as you can switch up the cheese, bread, or even add some extra ingredients like ham, air fryer sausages, or tomatoes to customise it to your liking.
- Comforting - There's nothing quite as comforting as a classic cheese toastie, and this air fryer version takes it to the next level of comfort food. It's perfect for a cosy night in or a quick pick-me-up during a busy day.
🛒 Ingredient notes
Bread: The recipe calls for 2 slices of your favourite bread, such as white, wholemeal, or granary. You can use any type of bread that you like, just make sure it's sturdy enough to hold the cheese and won't become too soggy. You could also try using sourdough, rye, or even a gluten-free bread if needed.
Cheese: The recipe calls for grated extra-mature cheddar cheese, which has a strong and tangy flavour that pairs well with the buttery bread. However, you can use any type of cheese that melts well, such as gruyere, brie, or even a mix of different cheeses. For a vegan version, you can use a plant-based cheese that melts well.
Butter: Softened butter is used to spread onto the bread to help it get crispy and golden brown. If you prefer, you can use margarine or a plant-based spread instead.
Garlic Mustard Mayo: This is a simple flavoured spread made with mayonnaise, garlic powder, and Dijon mustard. You can adjust the amount of garlic powder and mustard to your liking, or even add some other herbs or spices like thyme, paprika, or chilli flakes for extra flavour. If you don't have Dijon mustard, you can use yellow mustard or whole-grain mustard instead. For a vegan version, you can use a plant-based mayonnaise.
🥄 Equipment
Which air fryer? I use the Ninja Foodi 5.8 litre Grill and Air Fryer with 4 customisable cooking functions including air fry, roast, bake, and dehydrate!
What is an air fryer?
Air fryers are small(ish) kitchen appliances that operate like a convection oven—except in a smaller, more concentrated space.
The air is circulated at a high temperature and evenly around the food, which makes the food cook more quickly than in a conventional oven and helps give foods a crispy coating without the need for lots of oil and fat.
🔪 How to make a cheese toastie in Ninja Foodi air fryer
The recipe card with ingredient quantities and detailed instructions can be found at the bottom of the post
One: Mix together the mayonnaise, dijon mustard, and garlic powder, and then spread a thin layer on one side of each slice of bread.
Two: Turn the slices over and butter the other sides of each slice of bread.
Three: Turn one of the slices back over so the mayo side is facing you and pile the grated cheese onto it.
Four: Place the other slice of bread on top - mayo side down touching the cheese with the buttered side on the outside facing you.
Five: Air fry at 180c for 6 mins. Flip with tongs or a plastic spatula then air fryer for a further 4 minutes until golden and crispy.
💭 Expert tips
- To ensure that your toastie cooks evenly and becomes crispy, preheat your air fryer for a few minutes before adding the sandwich. This will also help to prevent any sogginess.
- Softened butter is easier to spread onto the bread and will help it become crispy and golden brown. Make sure to take the butter out of the fridge in advance so that it has time to soften.
- The buttered sides of the bread should always be on the outside when you air fryer it.
- To make a healthier lower fat air fryer cheese toastie cheese use reduced-fat cheddar and a cooking oil spray rather than butter.
- Cheese slices can be used in place of the grated cheddar.
🍴 Serving suggestions
What to serve with an air fryer toasted sandwich? Here are a few ideas!
Soup - tomato, pumpkin, roasted swede soup, or parsnip soup all go well with grilled cheese.
Pizza fries or halloumi fries for a real cheese-fest experience!
Sweet potato fries or baked carrot fries.
Sliced pear or apples for a sweet crunch, or how about a fresh beetroot and goats cheese salad?
📖 Variations
- Use different cheeses - crumbled blue cheese, gouda, havarti, or mozzarella would work really well.
- Add a slice of ham for an air fryer cheese and ham toastie. Grilled bacon would also be a good option.
- Spread a layer of caramelised onion chutney or cranberry sauce underneath the grated cheese layer.
- Layer on some grilled peppers or artichokes.
- Add sliced mushrooms or halved cherry tomatoes.
🥡 Storage
Store - Air fryer toasties are best eaten fresh, straight out of the air fryer. Leftover toasties can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.
Reheat - Leftovers can be reheated in the air fryer for a few minutes to crisp the bread up and melt the cheese.
❓ Frequently asked questions
Makes and models of air fryer differ, but around 7-10 minutes for the perfect cheese toastie!
It's a personal preference, but any cheese that melts well can be used! My favourite is extra mature cheddar!
Yes! Just swap regular bread for gluten-free bread.
We recommend using fresh bread for the best results. Frozen bread may become too soggy or not cook evenly in the air fryer.
Butter helps to create a crispy and golden brown exterior on the bread, but if you prefer not to use butter, you can use a plant-based spread or even skip it altogether.
😋 More air fryer recipes
- Air fryer roast potatoes
- Air fryer turkey toastie
- Cheesy air fryer crumpets
- Air fryer cheese on toast
- Air fryer baked camembert
- Air fryer sausages
- Air fryer corn on the cob
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Recipe
Best Ever Air Fryer Cheese Toastie
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 Slices Bread
- 1 tablespoon Butter softened
- 1 tablespoon Mayo
- ½ teaspoon Dijon Mustard
- ¼ teaspoon Garlic Powder
- 50 g Mature Cheddar grated
Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer to 180°c (350F) and set the timer to 10 minutes.
- Mix together the mayonnaise, dijon mustard, and garlic powder, and then spread a thin layer on one side of each slice of bread.1 tablespoon Mayo, ½ teaspoon Dijon Mustard, ¼ teaspoon Garlic Powder, 2 Slices Bread
- Turn the slices over and butter the other sides of each slice of bread.1 tablespoon Butter
- Turn one of the slices back over so the mayo side is facing you and pile the grated cheese onto it.50 g Mature Cheddar
- Place the other slice of bread on top - mayo side down touching the cheese with the buttered side on the outside facing you.
- Air fry at 180°c for 6 mins. Flip with tongs or a plastic spatula then air fryer for a further 2-4 minutes until golden and crispy.
Notes
- To ensure that your toastie cooks evenly and becomes crispy, preheat your air fryer for a few minutes before adding the sandwich. This will also help to prevent any sogginess.
- Softened butter is easier to spread onto the bread and will help it become crispy and golden brown. Make sure to take the butter out of the fridge in advance so that it has time to soften.
- The buttered sides of the bread should always be on the outside.
- To make a healthier lower fat air fryer grilled cheese use reduced fat cheddar and a cooking oil spray rather than butter.
- Cheese slices can be used in place of the grated cheddar
- Use different cheeses - crumbled blue cheese, gouda, havarti, or mozzarella would work really well.
- Add a slice of ham for an air fryer cheese and ham toastie. Grilled bacon would also be a good option.
- Spread a layer of caramelised onion chutney or cranberry sauce underneath the grated cheese layer.
- Layer on some grilled peppers or artichokes.
- Add sliced mushrooms or halved cherry tomatoes.
Kim
Delicious! The garlic and mustard made this grilled cheese extra amazing. Love the crispness from the air fryer and how fast it was!
Heather Johnson
grated cheese - what a great tip - melts so much better!!!
Tracy
So delicious and a great way to use that air fryer! Can't ever say no to a toastie! Delicious!
Sue
I would have never thought of this, it's genius!
Eliza
What a great recipe! So excited to make toasted cheese sandwiches in the air fryer, and I love the idea of adding grilled peppers. Another variation my family likes is thinly sliced tomatoes. Thanks for another winner from Effortless Foodie!
Len
Very interesting and thank you for all the tips and recipes