Garlic bread and grilled cheese in one: thick Texas toast spread with garlic and parsley butter, a cup of mozzarella in the middle, and more on top that turns crisp and lacy in the air fryer.
Because the top layer of cheese would stick to the basket, you don't flip it. The bottom browns on the hot basket while the top bubbles.
Air Fryer Garlic Bread Grilled Cheese
- Total
- 15 min
- Hands-on
- 5 min
- Makes
- 1 sandwich
Ingredients
Steps
Mash the butter with the garlic and parsley.
Spread it thickly on one side of each slice of bread, right to the crust.
Lay one slice butter side down, pile on 1 cup of the mozzarella, and top with the second slice, butter side up.
Set the sandwich on a square of parchment in the air fryer basket and scatter the last 1/2 cup of mozzarella over the top.
Air fry at 370°F (190°C) for 7 to 9 minutes, until the bread is deep golden and the cheese on top is bubbly and crisp at the edges. Don't flip it.
Slide it onto a plate, rest 1 minute, then cut it in half.
Before you start
- Air fryers run hot or cool. Check at 6 minutes the first time you make it.
- Only put the parchment in with the sandwich on top of it, so it can't blow into the heating element.
- Low-moisture mozzarella melts without making the bread soggy.
Nutrition per serving (estimate)
- Calories
- 1,030
- Fat
- 71 g
- Saturated fat
- 42 g
- Cholesterol
- 200 mg
- Sodium
- 1,800 mg
- Carbohydrates
- 51 g
- Fiber
- 2 g
- Net carbs
- 49 g
- Sugar
- 8 g
- Protein
- 48 g
Estimated on 28 October 2026 from USDA FoodData Central values for the ingredients as listed. Salt and pepper added to taste and optional toppings aren’t included, and brands vary, so check your labels if you count carbs for a medical reason.
Lazy Plate · thelazyplate.com/air-fryer-garlic-bread-grilled-cheese/
Tips
- If your basket fits two side by side, make two at once. The time stays about the same.
- For extra crunch, sprinkle a little grated parmesan over the top cheese.
Swaps that work
- Use sourdough or thick brioche.
- Mix cheddar or provolone in with the mozzarella.
- Use 1/2 tsp garlic powder instead of fresh garlic.
Leftovers
Best eaten right away. Leftover halves crisp up again in the air fryer at 350°F (175°C) for about 3 minutes, until hot in the middle (165°F / 74°C).
Questions
Do I have to use parchment?
It stops the top layer of cheese from sticking to the basket. A perforated air fryer liner or a square of parchment that sits only under the sandwich both work.
Can I make it in a skillet?
Yes, without the cheese on top: cook it in a covered skillet over medium-low heat for 3 to 4 minutes a side. The crisp cheese top only works in the air fryer or oven.
Can I make it in the oven?
Bake it on a parchment-lined sheet at 400°F (200°C) for 10 to 12 minutes, until golden.
Made it?
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