Air fryer pizza grilled cheese is the best of two of our favorite foods—grilled cheese and pizza! This air fryer grilled cheese sandwich combines pepperoni, cheese, and sauce with a crispy grilled cheese bread for an absolutely heavenly sandwich like nothing you’ve ever had before.

Can you believe that this is life? Where we can now use appliances in our own kitchen to create amazing recipes like Pizza Grilled Cheese? Somedays, it seems too good to be true…but once I make this simple air fryer grilled cheese recipe, I know that there’s nothing else at that moment that matters!

The best part about cooking up this pizza sandwich in your air fryer is that you can easily customize it to fit your taste buds and needs. Some people like pepperoni on their pizza, while others just prefer cheese.

And guess what? Since this recipe is so fast and easy. You can easily change up the ingredients and flavor time and time again. You can even make everyone in the family their own pizza treat easily, too! Who says that everyone has to eat the same?

The Delicious Road to Air Fryer Pizza Grilled Cheese

This delicious air fryer grilled cheese sandwich has all the flavor of pizza with that crispy bread that we love about grilled cheese sandwiches. It’s absolutely delicious and so easy to make. But speaking of making it, without both pizza and grilled cheese we wouldn’t have this delicious taste sensation. So how did we get here? Let’s find out.

History of Pizza

Pizza can trace its origins back thousands of years. Ancient Egyptians, Romans, and Greeks all ate flatbreads with toppings, which is really all pizza is. Although pizza’s origins began long, long ago, the equivalent to what we know as pizza today was born around the 1700s in Naples.

Naples was known as a city of the working poor. These people were packed into the city and lived in homes that were sometimes nothing more than a room. With such a meager existence, Neapolitans had to find ways of making inexpensive food.

That’s where pizza came in. Flatbreads with various toppings were the answer to the Neapolitans’ need for inexpensive food. These flatbreads were very similar to our modern-day pizzas, topped with classics like tomatoes, cheese, oil, anchovies, and garlic.

After Italy unified in 1861, the story goes that Kin Umberto I and Queen Margherita visited Naples and, while there, asked for an assortment of pizzas. The pizza that the queen enjoyed the most was topped with mozzarella cheese, red tomatoes, and green basil.

As the legend goes, this is where the Margherita pizza, the most classic of all pizzas, was born.

Fast forward over 150 years later, and we put almost anything on pizza, from classic ingredients to pineapple and ham. Whatever the toppings, one thing’s for sure. Pizza is delicious.

History of Grilled Cheese

Grilled cheese has been around for centuries. Well, combining cheese and bread has been around for centuries, anyway. The ancient Romans use recipes that called for melting cheese over bread, so it’s been around for quite some time.

However, what we know today as the classic grilled cheese wasn’t invented until the early 1900s.

It should come as no surprise that the modern grilled cheese sandwich got its start with a man named, you guessed it, Kraft. Kraft was a cheese wholesaler, and the biggest impediment to his business was the cheese going bad.

Eventually, he created a blended, pasteurized cheese that he called “processed cheese” that could be transported across the country without spoiling.

In World War II, Navy cooks made countless sandwiches that they called “American cheese filling sandwiches” for the seamen on duty. Of course, these would later be known as grilled cheese sandwiches.

Later, school cafeterias combined grilled cheese sandwiches with tomato soup to meet both protein and vitamin C requirements, which is where we get the classic pairing that so many of us love today.

Air Fryer Pizza Grilled Cheese

This air fryer grilled cheese sandwich takes both grilled cheese and pizza and squishes them together into one of the best meals you’ll ever eat.

Using the air fryer, the bread gets extra crispy, and the filling gets so ooey-gooey, you’ll never go back to making grilled cheese on the stovetop again!

Ingredients

It only takes a few ingredients to make this air fryer pizza grilled cheese sandwich. Like most grilled cheese sandwiches, it’s incredibly easy to make. However, unlike most grilled cheese sandwiches it tastes like pizza! It’s almost like crispy pizza bread.

4 pieces sandwich bread
¼ cup pizza sauce
1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
1 slices pepperoni
2 tbsp butter, softened

See how simple this recipe is?! It’s literally the easiest way to make pizza at home AND grilled cheese at the same time! This recipe does make two sandwiches as well.

When I’m stressed and busy for the day and know that I don’t have a ton of time to cook much else, this is ALWAYS my go-to recipe because it’s fast and delicious. It’s saved me so many times when I’ve lost track of time!

Making Air Fryer Pizza Grilled Cheese

The ingredient list for this air fryer pizza grilled cheese is your first hint that this recipe is so, so easy. I promise that this is a simple and easy recipe to make so after following the tips and checking out the full recipe and directions below, you’ll be ready to get started!

It only takes a few minutes, and you’ll have one of the best grilled cheese sandwiches you’ve ever had.

The full recipe is in the recipe card at the end of this post, but you can see from the highlights below that this recipe is super simple.

Make certain to butter the bread from crust to crust so that it all crisps up perfectly! The butter sides should be the part that you lay directly onto the air fryer basket.
This simple pizza bread recipe is basic with toppings of pizza sauce, cheese, and pepperoni to keep it classic.
You don’t have to spray the air fryer basket since the butter is on the bread and should help with sticking, but if you want to spray it to be certain, you can.
Make certain to set a timer and flip the sandwich at the 4-minute mark.

Air Fryer Grilled Cheese Sandwich Tips

Did you know that making the perfect grilled cheese is possible? I know this because I’ve found the way. (and after many years of practice, I’m confident that my tips can help save you a ton of time and frustration, too!)

Mayonnaise Works Just as Well as Butter

Yep, it’s true. If you don’t have butter to add to your toast, don’t fret. Instead of rushing out the door to get to the store, peek in the fridge and see if you have any mayo on the shelf.

“Buttering” your bread with mayonnaise works like a charm. Dare I even say that it adds a richer flavor, too? The mayo crisps up the bread perfectly and gives it a lovely golden color.

You Have to Flip Your Grilled Cheese Sandwich

While you might be tempted to skip this step because you think the air fryer can cook both sides at the same time, don’t fall for that trap. You need to flip your grilled cheese, no matter how you’re cooking it.

This is true because while the air might be circulating in the air fryer, flipping it is what needs to happen to cook it consistently on each side. If you fail to flip, you might end up with half of your grilled cheese lacking the crispy texture!

Give it a Few Moments to Cool Down

I know it’s going to be hard, but letting it cool down for just a few minutes will enhance the flavor. Don’t force yourself to eat a piping hot sandwich and risk burning your mouth…just give it a few minutes to cool instead.

Air Fryer Pizza Grilled Cheese Variations

If you’re not a fan of pepperoni or you want to try something else, go for it. The bread is the barrier that holds all the ingredients together so you can easily add whatever toppings you’d like!

Pizza topping options:

Cooked Sausage
Other flavors of cheese
Diced onions
Mushrooms
Green peppers
Tomatoes
Diced cooked chicken
Sliced Jalapenos

Or anything else that you want. However you like your pizza, you can create a grilled cheese that can easily make that happen.

You can also try different breads for your air fryer grilled cheese sandwich. Standard loaf bread works well, but feel free to get creative. You can slice up loaves up Italian bread, French bread, whole wheat bread, and more. Almost any bread will work. It all depends on what you like.

Storing Air Fryer Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

You can store this air fryer pizza grilled cheese sandwich for up to four days in the refrigerator in an air-tight container. It doesn’t freeze well, so you’ll have to eat any leftovers before then.

How to Reheat Grilled Cheese

It can be tricky to reheat grilled cheese, but there are ways to make it happen. I’ve found that popping it in the microwave is a fast and simple way to reheat the sandwich but it’s not going to bring back that crispy texture and taste.

You can also try to use your air fryer on a lower setting and see if that is an option, too. Just stay close and keep an eye on it as you don’t want to burn it.

Finally, you can pop your grilled cheese sandwich on a pan to crisp it up a bit. Just be careful not to burn it!

Get This Air Fryer Pizza Grilled Cheese Into Your Life

The next time that you’re looking for a fast and simple recipe that will have everyone loving every bite, check out this simple grilled cheese recipe. It’s not only perfect for kids, but the adults are going to love it, too.

The best part? It really does taste like pizza! I can’t believe how fast and easy this grilled cheese comes together—we’re talking dinner in just 10 minutes of time!

Have fun creating a fun flavor and taste that will take care of your pizza craving and your grilled cheese want time and time again!

With a recipe this easy and this delicious, you really do owe it to yourself to give it a try. Is it pizza? Yes. Is it grilled cheese? You bet. Is it delicious? Absolutely! So bust out your air fryer and give this delicious air fryer pizza grilled cheese a try. You and your family will be glad you did!