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These Air Fryer grilled ham and cheese sandwiches are crispy on the outside and filled with yummy melty cheese and smoky ham on the inside. Take your classic comfort food to the next level with these easy sandwiches, which you can pair with some tomato soup or just enjoy on their own.
I recently tried making Air Fryer grilled cheese sandwiches and they turned out SO delicious, and that kind of inspired me to try these!
Making grilled ham and cheese sandwiches is so easy, which is why it’s a perfect beginner meal. You’ll just need some bread, ham and cheese, and a few minutes in the kitchen.
I never thought I’d make sandwiches in my Air Fryer, but oh boy- I’m SO glad I tried, because they come out insanely delicious- perfectly toasty and crispy. If you’re a sandwich person, you’ll also want to try my Air Fryer caprese grilled cheese and air fried peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.
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Quick Look At This Recipe
✨ Flavor: Cheesy and hearty.
⏱️ Prep time: 5 minutes.
🔥 Cook time: 12 minutes.
⏲️ Total time: 17 minutes.
👥 Servings: 4 servings.
🥄 Tools: Air Fryer.
❄️ Freezer friendly: Yes.
👩🏻🍳 Tip: Prep these sandwiches up to a day ahead of time. Assemble them, wrap them up in foil and refrigerate until you’re ready to air fry!
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- They come together so quick- just like my Air Fryer turkey cheese melt. 15 minutes is all you need to make these in the Air Fryer.
- They’re perfect as a quick lunch or dinner when you don’t have a lot of ingredients, or just don’t want to cook.
- Cleanup is an absolute breeze- you’ll only need your Air Fryer for this one, so no pots and pans to clean!
Recipe Ingredients
- Bread: Feel free to use your favorite bread. I just used some white bread slices here.
- Butter: To get the bread golden brown and crispy. Mayonnaise works too!
- Ham: if you have a leftover ham from the holidays, just slice that up for a sandwich. I love using my leftover air fried ham here!
- Cheese: Cheese slices- grab your favorite cheese flavor!
See recipe card for quantities.
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Variations
- I used sourdough for my Air Fryer grilled tomato and cheese. If you have it at hand, I would highly recommend using it, as it is a heartier bread that tastes fantastic for a ham and cheese sandwich.
- My husband considers himself a cheese expert, and loves this sandwich with different kinds of cheese. He especially prefers pepper jack, Colby jack cheese, or Swiss cheese, so if that’s your thing, feel free to experiment and go for it.
- You can also add some air fried mushrooms or air fried onions into the sandwiches for some extra flavor.
How to Make Air Fryer Grilled Ham and Cheese
- Spread butter or mayonnaise on each slice of bread. Start by adding a cheese slice on one of the bread slices, then topping it with a slice of ham.
- Top that with the other bread slice, butter side up. Arrange in your Air Fryer basket, making sure they don’t overlap. Air fry at 370 F for 10-12 minutes, flipping the sandwich half way through the cooking time.
Serving Ideas & Suggestions
I love this sandwich with a nice hot bowl of tomato soup, or a handful of Air Fryer potato chips or some Air Fryer fried pickles.
You can also team it up with something more hearty and wholesome- like some Air Fryer mac and cheese, my favorite air fried deviled eggs or air fried baked beans.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Depending on the wattage and size of your Air Fryer, it may take a few extra minutes for you to cook these grilled ham and cheese sandwiches to golden brown perfection.
- To make these more filling, you can add some sliced tomatoes or jalapenos along with the cheese and ham. I love adding my Air Fryer tomatoes or Air Fryer fried green tomatoes sometimes.
- Air Fryer shishito peppers and air fried peppers and onions are also great additions to this sandwich.
- To keep the bread slices from flying in the Air Fryer, secure them with a toothpick.
- I can make up to four sandwiches at a time in my Air Fryer basket. If your device is smaller, you can adjust the quantity according to what will fit in your basket without overlapping.
Recipe FAQs
Yes! Flipping them is important as it helps them get nice and crispy. However, if your Air Fryer has a heating element on the top and bottom, you shouldn’t need to flip them.
These sandwiches are BEST when they are first made. If you make more than you need and have leftovers, first let them cool. Once cooled, wrap them or place them in airtight container to avoid moisture. Keep in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
To reheat it, return it to the Air Fryer and air fry for 2-4 minutes until it crisps again. I’ve noticed when reheating previously melted cheese, it doesn’t melt as well, so keep that in mind.
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Air Fryer Grilled Ham and Cheese
Equipment
- Air Fryer
Ingredients
- 8 slices bread
- 4 slices ham
- 4 slices cheese
- 1 tablespoon butter, softened, or mayonnaise
Instructions
- Spread a light layer of butter or mayonnaise on one side of each piece of bread.
- Assemble the sandwiches by adding one slice of cheese and one slice of ham, or preferred deli meats in between two pieces of bread, butter sides out.
- Place prepared sandwiches into air fryer basket, without stacking.
- Air fry at 370 degrees Fahrenheit for 10-12 minutes, until the bread is golden and reaches your desired crispness. (Flip sandwich halfway through cooking time. )
Video
Notes
- Don’t overcrowd the Air Fryer basket with too many sandwiches- leave a little room and secure them with a toothpick to keep the bread slices from flying around.
- Add slices of tomato or jalapenos for an extra filling sandwich!
- You can add more than one type of piece of cheese. You can also use other bread, such as sourdough bread, for different flavor too. Just be sure the bread isn’t overlapping during air frying.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I love these type of sandwiches. It was my first time in air fryer. They were great.
I brushed my bread a robust olive oil instead of butter. It turned out perfect! And just a tad bit more โhealthyโ ????????
That sounds delicious!
This is amazing!! Iโm single so itโs perfect for the no mess tomato and grilled ham and cheese night!! Thank you so so much!!
When do u add lettuce and pickle
You can add that before you air fry if you would like.
What am I doing wrong? Bread doesnโt brown – just dries out
Hi Linda. Are you adding a little bit of butter? Your air fryer could run a little hotter than mine. Try lowering the temperature just a tad. Hope that helps!
Why didnโt you butter both sides of the bread?
You can definitely do that if you want! ๐ I’m trying to watch my waist line a little so try not to use as much butter if I don’t have to ๐