Make Grilled Cheese With This Tool And You'll Never Go Back To The Stove Again

A grilled cheese sandwich is a delicious and nostalgic meal that many of us remember fondly from lazy, rainy afternoons indoors. We always want to make a sandwich that lives up to those perfect ones we remember from our childhood, but a good grilled cheese isn't just about picking the best bread for the sandwich or cheese; how we cook it matters, too.

When it comes to cooking grilled cheese, a pan on the stove is okay, but the best method may well be in an air fryer. Compared to the stove, air fryers cook more evenly and faster; plus, you don't need to watch a pan the entire time. The circulating air inside the appliance does most of the work for you. Done right, the end result is crispy bread, gooey cheese, and a sandwich that will make you wish a storm come around just so you could do the meal justice.

To truly make your grilled cheese shine, we recommend letting it rest on the air fryer rack for a few minutes after it's done (the same cooling rack advice holds for more standard grilled cheese techniques, too). If a hot sandwich cools on a solid surface like a plate, steam gets trapped underneath and makes the bread soggy. On a perforated air fryer rack, the steam can escape, and your bread gets nice and crispy.

Air frying a grilled cheese is basically the same process as cooking it in a pan. Assemble your sandwich and spread your choice of condiment on the outside; butter is a classic choice, but mayonnaise is another great pick that gives you a nice rich flavor. Just like cooking on the stove, flip the sandwich partway through to ensure even cooking.

Because air fryers work by circulating hot air throughout the chamber, it's possible (if unlikely) that the top piece of bread can shift or move off the sandwich while it's cooking, especially with lighter, thin slices of bread. To prevent this, press down lightly on the sandwich before it goes into the fryer. This will help it adhere to the cheese and keep everything in place. If you notice that this is still a consistent problem, try securing the entire sandwich with a toothpick.

It may be tempting to line the bottom of your air fryer with foil to keep the mess down, but think again. Aluminum foil impedes air flow in your air fryer and can make your sandwich cook slower and less evenly. Another big air fryer cooking mistake is overcrowding the basket, which will also prevent proper air flow. Finally, wait to put your sandwich into the fryer until it's done preheating to ensure it cooks evenly at the temperature it's supposed to.