Air fryer grilled ham and cheese sandwiches are a delicious upgrade of the traditional grilled cheese sandwich.

I love making classic comfort food, like air fryer ham and cheese sandwiches for lunches. When I was growing up, the classic combination of delicious melty cheese and tomato soup, always made cold rainy days warm.
Making grilled ham and cheese sandwiches in the air fryer is a perfect was to use leftover ham, like from our Air Fryer Ham recipe, or just deli ham.
When we make the sandwiches, even though it's a simple recipe, we feel like we are having a gourmet meal. If you don't have ham, you will love Air Fryer Grilled Cheese Sandwich.
Another yummy sandwich is this caprese grilled cheese. It's full of flavor!
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What you need to make grilled ham and cheese sandwiches
I can make up to four sandwiches at a time in my air fryer basket. I use the Cosori 5.8 quart air fryer. If your air fryer is smaller, you can adjust the quantity according to what will fit in your basket without overlapping.
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Besides an air fryer, the air fryer grilled cheese ingredients you will need are:
- White Bread
- Butter
- Ham slices
- Cheese slices
- Optional: mustard and mayonnaise
How to make Air Fryer Ham and Cheese Sandwiches
Making grilled ham and cheese sandwiches is so easy, which is why it's a perfect beginner meal. To begin, spread a light coating the bread with butter. Only on one side of the slices of bread. If you are using mustard and mayonnaise, spread on the other bread slices.

To assemble the sandwiches, add a slice of cheese in center of bread and a slice of ham on top of the bottom piece of bread. Then, top that, with another slice of bread butter side up.

Place in the air fryer basket without overlapping or stacking the sandwiches. If you don't have a basket style air fryer, place the sandwiches on the air fryer tray, and then put the sandwich in air fryer.
Air Fry at 370 degrees Fahrenheit for 10-12 minutes, flipping the sandwich half way through the cooking process. The sandwich is done when it is golden brown and the cheese is melted.

FAQ's about Air Fryer Ham & Cheese Sandwiches
What kind of sandwich is best when making a ham and cheese sandwich?
The beauty of this sandwich, is you can change it by adding other types of slices of cheese. My favorites are the classic meal using cheddar cheese or American cheese. 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.
If you want to experiment with flavor, you could even add blue cheese crumbles or goat cheese to the sandwich for a sharper, more defined flavor. The combination of cheeses really depends on whatever type of cheese you prefer.
What goes with a ham and cheese grilled sandwich?
I love this sandwich with a nice hot bowl of tomato soup, or a handful of potato chips. Although, it's a delicious lunch all by itself too.
Notes:
- Cooking time may vary depending on the wattage of your air fryer.
- 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.
- Should a piece of bread fly up in the basket while air frying, add a toothpick into the sandwich.

MORE AIR FRYER RECIPES:
- Grilled Cheese Sandwiches
- Peanut Butter and Jelly
- Pretzel Dogs
- Hot Pockets
- BBQ Chicken Pizza Rolls
- Green Bean Casserole
- Stuffing
📖 Recipe

Air Fryer Grilled Ham and Cheese
Equipment
- Air Fryer
Ingredients
- 8 slices bread
- 4 slices ham
- 4 slices cheese
- 1 tablespoon butter softened
Instructions
- Spread a light layer of butter 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. )
Notes
- Cooking times will vary depending on size and wattage of your air fryer. If you are only making 1-2 sandwiches, cooking time may be a few minutes faster as well.
- If you are using mustard and mayonnaise, spread on the other bread slices.
Nutrition
*Nutritional information is a calculated guesstimate. Please note that this can change with different brands and modifications you may make to the recipe. For the most accurate information, use a nutritional calculator with the exact brands and measurements you're using with each recipe.
©AirFryingFoodie 2023
Tom
Why didn’t you butter both sides of the bread?
You can definitely do that if you want! 🙂 I'm trying to watch my waist line a little so try not to use as much butter if I don't have to 🙂
Linda
What am I doing wrong? Bread doesn’t 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!
Molly
When do u add lettuce and pickle
You can add that before you air fry if you would like.
Carie
This is amazing!! I’m single so it’s perfect for the no mess tomato and grilled ham and cheese night!! Thank you so so much!!
Andy
I brushed my bread a robust olive oil instead of butter. It turned out perfect! And just a tad bit more “healthy” ????????
That sounds delicious!