Toasties are simple, delicious and are excellent as a budget lunch. They also take the humble cheese sandwich and turn it into something so much better - The Cheese Toastie.
And while there’s nothing wrong with making a classic toastie in a sandwich maker or a waffle iron, air fryers make crispy toasties and are easy to clean up after. And if you’re currently loving your air fryer or are thinking of getting one, why not turn it into your toasted sandwich maker too?
So, here’s our guide to makes toasted sandwiches at home. We’ll give you a basic recipe you can customise but also get you started with some ideas to let you get really creative.
Equipment you will need
Air fryer
Parchment paper
Oil brush or oil spray
Tongs or spatula
Air fryer toasted sandwich ingredients
Your favourite sliced bread
Butter or vegetable spread (optional)
Grated cheese
Your choice of fillings
Step by step guide to making a toasted sandwich
Take two slices of bread and add a layer of butter to the sides facing out. This can also be a thin layer of oil or an oil spray. Any of these will help make the outsides crispy.
Layer your ingredients into the sandwich. The classic is an air fryer cheese toastie, but you can add your favourites. Just go on easy on the fillings or they’ll spill out, especially when you flip your sandwich over.
Put some parchment paper into the air fryer basket. You don’t want to use too much. Just a piece slightly larger than your sandwich so that the cheese doesn’t run everywhere.
Set your air fryer to 190C for 10 minutes.
At 5 minutes, carefully turn your sandwich over using the spatula or tongs.
After 10 minutes, your toasted sandwich should be crispy brown perfection! Make sure you use the spatula or tongs to remove it, because it will be hot!
What to serve with air fryer toasted sandwich
For a crispy yet gooey toastie, we’d recommend a side of creamy coleslaw, salsa or guacamole. Or you could go down the soup route. A loaded toastie can feel like a meal, so a fresh green salad is a great partner too.
If you’re feeling extra indulgent, go for a side of chips. The good news is that you can make healthier air fryer chips too.
Ah, air fryers. Is there anything they can’t do?
Getting creative with toasted sandwiches
There’s more to toasties than two pieces of bread and a filling. Here are some ideas to get you experimenting…
Towering toasties!
In a traditional toasted sandwich maker, you’re pretty much restricted to 2 slices of bread, since you have to close the lid. The great thing about an air fryer is that it gives you far more space to build. So why only stick to 2 slices of bread when you can go to 3. Or 4.
Finesse your fillings
Don’t stop at cheese and ham, when you could be adding roast veg, antipasti, fish, falafel, tofu or whatever you want. The only rule is never add anything too saucy. It might make a mess of your air fryer if your fillings start to fly!
Toasties for a sweet tooth
Why stop at savoury? Start at peanut and jelly, try Nutella and banana and who knows where you’ll end? Marshmallow and chocolate waffle toasties all round!
Alternative toasted sandwiches
There’s more to toasties than bread and cheese. Since all you’re doing is putting a filling between two slices of something, you can get as alternative as you like. Here are a few recipe ideas to get you started:
Cheese and onion crumpet toastie
Hear us out! Take two crumpets and fill with grated cheese and onion chutney. As you can imagine, the filling really oozes on this one, but the crumpets soak it up. Thank us later!
Indian chilli cheese toastie
If you think toasties are bland, think again. The filling contains cheese, green chutney, Indian spices, ginger and peppers. And if you want to take it to the next level, add some Bombay potato. Try it once and you’ll be hooked.
Spaghetti bolognese toastie
As delicious and as indulgent as it sounds! Take leftover spag bol, sprinkle with cheese and give it the toastie treatment. Several napkins will be required.
New York Deli toastie
Two slices of rye? Check. Pastrami? Check. Cheese? Check. Hot mustard? Check. Serve with a side of sour kraut and welcome to toastie heaven!
Air fryer tuna melt
It’s tuna and cheese. The only difference is popping it in the air fryer, so skip the sloppy mayo!
FAQs
How long should I air fry my sandwich?
We’ve suggested 10 minutes to ensure a crispy toastie, but as long as your ingredients don’t require cooking, it’s really a matter of preference. Anything from 4-12 minutes will give you a tasty toastie, but then it’s up to you how toastie and how gooey you go!
What temperature should I use for my air fryer grilled cheese?
To make a grilled cheese in an air fryer (also known as a cheese toastie), we’d suggest an air fryer temperature of 190C. If you’re not sure, you can always start from a lower temperature and then give it a quick blast at the end to ensure a golden toastie.
Do I need to use oil or butter for toasting in the air fryer?
For toasting, not strictly. In fact one of the advantages of air frying is the ability to air fry with little or no oil. But if you’re really after that golden brown finish, we’d recommend some oil, butter or oil spray. But go easy. A little goes a long way!
How to make a toastie in a Ninja Foodi
Since the Ninja Foodi is the classic air fryer, the steps are exactly the same. Just put your sandwich in with some optional oil or butter on the outside and fry for 10 minutes at 190C. For some of the large Ninja air fryers, you can do two at once when you have company. Or when one just isn’t enough!
For more air fryer recipe ideas, check out what else you can do in a Ninja Speedi. And for more smart cooking gadgets, take a look at our massive choice of small kitchen appliances for your kitchen counter.
