These instructions for Simple Air Fryer Cheese on Toast are indeed as easy as you would imagine. But I’ve included a few of my best tips and tricks to make sure that the toast is perfectly toasty and the cheese is perfectly melty, so do check it out!
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Obviously this isn’t the most complicated of recipes, especially as I haven’t frilled it up with extra toppings or sauces etc. But that’s the joy of these simple recipes – once you understand the mechanics of the basics, you can go away and frill them up to your heart’s content.
But there are a few questions to be answered and tips to be given. Does the bread need toasting before the cheese is added? To butter or not to butter? What cheese is best to use? And don’t worry, I’ve answered them here for you…
How to Serve
For me, the most important thing is to serve cheese on toast hot! I cannot abide cold toast and I’m really not a fan of melted and then cooled cheese. But that might just be me so you do you boo.
After that, we need to think about what to serve it with, if anything. Cheese on toast is by itself, a perfectly legitimate snack all on it’s own. No flourishes needed, this is the kind of thing I grew up having for supper before going to bed. (To be clear, that’s Northern England’s supper eaten after tea, not Southern England’s supper eaten as a very posh alternative to dinner).
To serve on the side of soup is one of my most common ways to serve cheese on toast. Think of it like an upgrade to just having it with buttered bread. It is especially well paired with tomato soup, especially my Heinz style cream of tomato soup which you’ll see in the images on this page.
I do also love cheese on toast with my creamy garlic mushroom soup but tend to make sure I’m using a cheese on the milder side.
More Toppings
Like I mentioned, this just cheese on toast recipe is great as it is but can also be used as a starting point. Try some of these addition suggestions:-
- Add a layer of cooked and sliced ham under the cheese. Or try chopped up leftover gammon steak, crispy bacon or other meats like cooked roast chicken or roast turkey. Add a fried egg to the top for bonus points, extra flavour and that gooey runny yolk.
- Add a layer of tangy and fruity chutney underneath the cheese layer or pile some on top once cooked. Try my plum & apple chutney, my simple blackberry chutney, my fresh fig & orange chutney or simply use your favourite store bought variety.
- Treat the cheese on toast like a bruschetta. Add a thin layer of pesto on the toast and then pile on fresh or confit tomatoes and fresh basil leaves. I also like to add some of my quick pickled red onions for extra bite along with a good drizzle of balsamic.
Ingredients
Bread
The bread you use is largely going to be a personal choice. I prefer something white sliced but you can essentially use anything you like.
I used a tiger bloomer from Aldi – the slices are a bit more on the squat side than a normal sandwich loaf which made fitting two slices into my smallish air fryer much easier. This size and shape of bread issue is something you will need to take into account in combination with the size and shape of your air fryer.
Butter
To butter or not to butter? The answer for me is always to butter. After giving the bread it’s initial toast and before adding the cheese. For me this is essential because the butter melts into the toast and keeps it both moist and helps it to crisp.
I say “butter” and of course many of us use various spreadable butter/margarines in our everyday lives. Whatever you usually use and prefer is of course fine to use here. It would be remiss of me not to mention that homemade butter is of course the greatest possible option you can choose swiftly followed by using garlic butter.
If you don’t want to use butter, you could use a drizzle of olive or another oil.
Cheese
Grated or Sliced?
This is the crux of this post – I recommend that you use sliced cheese rather than grated cheese if possible – especially if you have the kind of air fryer where the fan is extra effective. Grated cheese that isn’t well anchored down (like sprinkled on top of something wet like macaroni cheese) can fly away and get stuck in the air fryer elements.
Using sliced cheese like the medium coloured cheddar that I cut off a block is preferable. Ready sliced is of course fine too and very easy – I do often buy it.
If you only have grated, don’t worry. All you need to do it make sure that after you sprinkle it on, give it a good press with your hand so it smushes together a bit. Keep an eye on things obviously but you should be just fine.
Which Cheese?
The easy answer is anything that melts well and that you like. Try:-
- Mozzarella is of course an obvious and mild choice. But it is better to use the drier versions designed for pizzas etc. The fresh mozzarella balls tend to make the cheese on toast soggy.
- Semi-hard cheeses like cheddar, red leicester, double gloucester, creamy lancashire, monterey jack, gouda, edam and gruyère are all great classic options. Or a mix works well too.
- Flavoured semi-hard cheeses like spicy mexicana, pepper jack, smoked cheddar or something with garlic and herbs work well too.
- Softer cheeses like brie, camembert, port salut, fontina, taleggio or even stinking bishop do also melt and work here. But will ultimately have a different texture to when using the harder cheeses.
And then there are type of cheese that are best avoided:-
- Dryer, crumbly cheeses like wensleydale, especially the flavoured options like with cranberry. I don’t find that they melt terrible successfully. Feta is another option that isn’t ideal here
- Equally very hard cheeses like parmesan, granda padano, cotija and manchego don’t melt well. But a little can be mixed in with more melty cheeses to add flavour.
- Cream cheeses like ricotta, mascarpone and regular cream cheese don’t melt and are best served raw.
- Squeaky cheeses like paneer and halloumi are great served hot but they don’t really melt.
Seasoning
in the spirit of just keeping things simple, I’ve simply used a little sea salt to give the cheese some extra seasoning. Add pepper if that’s your thing. You could also use garlic salt and/or chilli flakes etc if you wish.
Allergen Information
This recipe is free from egg and nuts.
Gluten Free: To make this recipe gluten free, use your preferred gluten free bread – super simple.
Dairy Free: There are many dairy free “cheese” options available to buy nowadays. What they taste like and how well they melt is very much up for debate. But the option is there if you want to experiment and find the most suitable one that you like. You will also need to use a dairy free spread in place of the butter.
Please note that this recipe may contain other allergens not referred to above and any variations suggested have not been tested unless otherwise stated. For more information regarding any dietary information provided on this website, please refer to my Nutritional Disclaimer.
How Long to Air Fry Air Fryer Cheese on Toast
In the step-by-step recipe below I’ve included the timings for the bread I used, the cheese and amount that I used and how well I like my bread toasted. But in honesty, the timings are going to vary wildly depending on the specific options you choose.
I air fried the bread for 3 minutes then cooked for another 5 minutes with the cheese added.
The specific cheese that I used did not colour and get fun little brown spots like I’d expect. Don’t be fooled, this isn’t because I didn’t cook it for long enough. I actually tried a few experiments with that cheese including cooking it for a whole extra 10 minutes and trying to melt it directly under a regular grill.
Nothing short of a blow torch would make that cheese colour. It was however perfectly hot and melted after those 5 minutes in the air fryer.
Ultimately for both stages of the air frying process, keep checking and stop when things look how you like them.
How to Air Fry Cheese on Toast From Frozen
You can air fry the bread directly from frozen – it will just take longer. If it’s especially thick or especially frozen, you may want to use a slightly lower temperature to make sure the centre is hot before the outside burns.
You can technically use frozen cheese but I wouldn’t tend to do this if you’re using slices. Leave them out in a single layer on the side and it’ll defrost pretty quickly anyway. Grated cheese can be added frozen – again make sure to press it down well before air frying.
Leftovers – Storage & Reheating
I’m not entirely sure that leftover cheese on toast is a thing but I guess if you really need to, you can store it in the fridge or freezer. Reheat in the air fryer for just a couple of minutes.
Common Air Fryer Questions – A Brief Guide to Air Frying
- What exactly is an air fryer?
- What are the benefits of using an air fryer?
- Are all air fryers the same?
- Is an air fryer always better to use than an oven?
- Do air fryers need to be pre-heated?
- What is the best temperature to air fry at?
- What setting is best to use? Air fry, bake, dehydrate, etc…
- Can food be cooked from frozen in an air fryer?
- Can I reheat food in an air fryer?
- Are air fryer liners a good idea?
The Air Fried Feast Community
Come on over to Facebook and join my community discussing all things air fryer. Get involved in sharing your experiences and trials, help out others and find out what wonderful things everyone is cooking in their air fryers!
What Exactly is an Air Fryer?
Very simply, an air fryer is a small convection (fan) oven. The benefit is that the hot air is circulated all around the food being cooked which speeds up the cooking time and cooks the food more evenly.
What are the Benefits of Using an Air Fryer?
Size, time and energy usage. Air fryers are ideal for cooking smaller quantities. Heating up a space that the food just fits into requires less energy and means that the heat source is much closer to the food. Combining these two things can speed up the cooking time.
Are all air fryers the same?
Nope! The term air fryer is now used very broadly. I consider there to be 4 main types:
Basket Air Fryers
These are what I would consider to be the most common, especially in the UK. A boxy type unit has a pull out drawer/basket. Food isn’t usually visible whilst cooking.
Some larger models have two drawers so different items can be cooked at different temperatures or for different times.
This is the type that you’ll see in the images in this recipe. I mostly use a Cosori Lite 3.8L (CAF-LI401S) with a 3.8 litre capacity. The square(ish) shaped basket is 21cm x 21cm and 24cm on the diagonal. It isn’t an overly expensive or fancy model.
I’ve also recommended to several friends and family the model with a slightly larger basket. This is the Cosori 4.7L (CAF-L501) with a 4.7 litre basket. The unit is no larger than the 3.8 litre model on the outside but does have a larger internal basket capacity. I’ve since bought this version to use for some recipes where my smaller model was just too small. I’ll always note this in the recipe.
Rotary Air Fryers
Round air fryers with a paddle in the centre that rotates to move the food. This is the type I used for years – the most common is a Tefal Actifry.
Rotary types are not usually good for recipes where the food is breaded, glazed, likely to break up or in a tray/container. They do however make the best chips and roasted veg.
My 2 in 1 version like the one I’ve linked also has a rotating tray for things that could be broken up by a paddle, but the height clearance with the lid isn’t deep enough to use it to cook some items like sausage rolls. I’ve now actually retired by Actifry in favour of having my two basket type fryers.
Mini Oven Air Fryers
These usually have a glass door, shelves and overall are really quite large. You can cook quite a decent quantity of food in them so are best if regularly cooking for multiple people. They often come with extra features like a rotisserie spit or kebab skewers.
Multicookers with Air Fryer Functions
Some like Ninja 11 in 1 and some of the earlier versions with a few less functions, have an air fryer option. They mostly operate the same as a basket fryer but the basket drops in the top rather than sliding in like a drawer.
Some electric pressure cookers like Instant Pots can also air fry when used with a specific lid.
Is an air fryer always better to use than an oven?
As much as I do love air frying, the honest answer to this is no. And the more detailed answer is that it will always depend on what you’re cooking, how much of it you’re cooking and what type and size of air fryer you have.
Once you need to cook in more than 2 batches, it often makes more sense to use an oven. If you already have the oven on to cook other items, it may make more sense to throw one more item in rather than using an additional appliance.
I don’t think either method is often necessarily better than the other. The important point to note is that there is absolutely no difference in the finished product.
Do Air Fryers Need to Be Pre-Heated?
The answer to this is rather annoying – it depends. It depends entirely on your model and type of air fryer. The best advice I can offer is to check your manual and follow their guidance. My Cosori models have a preheat function. I press a button and it heats at 205c/400f for 4 minutes.
It’s also worth noting that regardless of whether you are supposed to pre-heat or not, if you are cooking in batches, it is quite likely that anything after the first batch will cook a little quicker because of the retained heat. It is best to check on them before the cooking time is completed.
What is the best temperature to Air Fry at?
It will always depend on what you are cooking and from what state. All of my air fryer recipes don’t use temperatures above 200c/390f because many of the most common fryers in the UK don’t go above this. Mine goes to 230c/450f and I use this temperature a lot but it is no help for me to share recipes which many people can’t use.
What setting is best to use? Air fry, bake, dehydrate, etc…
Not all air fryers have different settings like this. When they do it usually relates to the fan speed. The default setting to use will always be “air fry” so unless something else is specifically stated in the recipe, always use the air fry option.
There are other air fryers that have an additional heating element which cooks from underneath rather than just the top. Just as with the other settings, unless you are using a recipe which states to use a second heating element, stick with just using the top down air fry option.
Of course if and when you become more confident with air frying, using recipes and the settings of your air fryer, you can start adapting them to suit.
Can Food Be Cooked From Frozen In An Air Fryer?
Absolutely! To cook from frozen you usually will need to reduce the cooking temperature and increase the time to make sure your food is cooked right through to the middle.
It is best to check my individual recipes for cooking from frozen advice as some items are a little different. And there are occasionally exceptions to the rule.
Can I Reheat Food In An Air Fryer?
Yes. As a general rule I reheat food for roughly 1/3 of the original cooking time at the same temperature. Or at 10 degrees lower for half the time for larger items.
Are Air Fryer Liners a Good Idea?
Unless otherwise stated, I do not use liners when air frying. Basket and rotary type air fryers are designed to be used without liners. Mini oven types will generally require some kind of tray like with a regular large oven although most come with crisper racks to use.
There are many air fryer liners available including quite thick silicone ones. These will affect the cooking times and possibly temperatures of your cooking/baking. I also don’t like how cooking juices are prevented from dripping through the basket rack. This can stop food from crisping all the way around.
When I do want to collect the juices, I mostly use some foil, or occasionally a foil tray which can be washed and reused.
If you do prefer to use them, once you have got a feel for how they affect your cooking and baking, you may need to make adjustments to the recipe accordingly.
More Air Fryer Recipes
All my recipes with instructions for how to cook or bake them in the air fryer can be found in my Air Fryer Recipe Index.
Don’t forget to let me know in the comments if you try making this recipe – I want to know what you think and if you made any substitutions, how did it turn out?
Still Have Questions?
Simple! Just contact me and I will do my best to help as quickly as I am able. Head over to my Contact Me page, any of my social media channels or post a comment at the bottom of this page and I’ll see what I can do.
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The Recipe
Simple Air Fryer Cheese on Toast Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 slices Bread
- 2 tsp Salted Butter
- 100 g Cheese - a semi-hard melting variety
- ⅛ tsp Sea Salt Flakes
Instructions
- If your air fryer requires pre-heating, start this setting now.
- Slice roughly 100g Cheese. Arrange it on 2 Slices Bread to check you have enough to cover each slice.
- Put the bread slices into the air fryer basket.
- Air-fry for 3 minutes at 200c/390f.
- Remove the lightly toasted bread from the air fryer and flip it over onto a board. Spread around 2 tsp Salted Butter onto the toast.
- Arrange the sliced cheese over the bread making sure it reaches the edges.
- Carefully place back into the air fryer. Sprinkle over around ⅛ Sea Salt Flakes.
- Air fry for 5 minutes at 200c/390f until the cheese is melted and bubbling.
- Serve hot!
Notes
- The air fryer version of this recipe is tested in a Cosori Lite (CAF-LI401S) with a 3.8 litre capacity. The square(ish) shaped basket is 21cm x 21cm and 24cm on the diagonal.
- Not all models advise preheating is required. Please follow the recommended instructions for your model. Mine has a specific preheat setting which is 4 minutes at 205c.
- For this recipe, I can just fit two 60g slices of bread in the basket at a time. This gives just enough room to allow air to circulate. But my bread happened to be rectangular so it fitted well. You may need to check the fit depending on what type of bread you’re using.
- As all air fryer models are a little different, you may find that you can fit more or less in at a time. Some models include stacking shelves which will increase capacity.
- Required cooking times and temperatures can also vary between models and brands. If you know that your air fryer runs a little hotter than most recipes suggest, use a lower temperature. And vice versa. Equally if you find that food cooks more quickly in your machine than instructions usually state, reduce the cooking time (or check it earlier) and vice versa.
Cat says
I pretty much only used my grill for making cheese on toast now it’s redundant! Making it in the air fryer is the way forward.
Sisley says
We’ve been making this from our building site of a house and it’s been so delicious.
Hazel says
Who would have thought that cheese on toast would be better made in the air fryer? It was so delicious and perfectly melted.
Karen says
Very pleased to find this recipe as I love cheese on toast. This was so easy to do, I’ll be doing this again as much easier than keeping an eye on the grill!