You know those days when you need a quick meal and are crazy busy? This Sourdough Grilled Cheese Sandwich is your friend. Take your grilled cheese game to new heights with your air fryer. You can whip up this crispy melty sandwich in no time…
The air fryer is amazing. It can transform a simple grilled cheese sandwich into a culinary masterpiece. But how does the air fryer work its magic?
What makes the air fryer so special is its ability to evenly distribute heat. Unlike traditional methods of grilling or frying, the air fryer uses hot air circulation to cook your food from all angles. This means your grilled cheese sandwich gets perfectly crisp on the outside while maintaining a gooey, melty centre.
The air fryer is efficient too. With its quick cooking time, you can have your grilled cheese sandwich ready ASAP. No more hanging around heating up the oven or constantly flipping your sandwich to get that perfect golden-brown crust.
The Perfect Blend: Bread and Cheese for Your Sourdough Grilled Cheese Sandwich
When it comes to grilled cheese, the combination of bread and cheese is crucial. And for the ultimate sourdough grilled cheese, you need the perfect match of bread and cheese. Sourdough bread, with its sturdy texture and tangy flavour, pairs beautifully with various kinds of cheese, creating a mouthwatering symphony of flavours and textures. But not all sourdough bread and cheese are created equal. In the following sections, we’ll delve into the art of choosing the right sourdough bread and explore the cheese options that will truly elevate your sourdough grilled cheese experience.
The Art of Choosing the Right Sourdough Bread
Selecting the perfect sourdough bread is the first step towards creating a gourmet grilled cheese sandwich. The hearty texture of sourdough bread holds up well to the heat of grilling, resulting in a sandwich that is both crispy and chewy. While store-bought sourdough bread can be a convenient option, homemade sourdough bread adds an extra level of satisfaction and flavour to your sandwich.
Look for sourdough bread with a sturdy texture, preferably one that is thickly sliced. This will ensure that the bread doesn’t become too soggy from the melted cheese. A well-made sourdough bread will have a tangy flavour profile, which perfectly complements the richness of the cheese. If possible, opt for aged white cheddar on sourdough bread for a delectable combination of flavours.
Cheese Options that Complement Sourdough Bread
Now that you’ve chosen the perfect sourdough bread, it’s time to explore the cheese options that will take your sourdough grilled cheese to the next level. From creamy cheddar to tangy pepper jack, there are a plethora of cheese varieties that pair beautifully with sourdough bread:
Consider the following cheese options that will complement the hearty texture of sourdough bread:
- Pepper Jack: This cheese brings a subtle kick of heat, adding a delicious twist to your grilled cheese sandwich.
- Cheddar cheese: Sharp cheddar, white cheddar, or aged cheddar all work wonderfully on sourdough bread, providing a rich and creamy cheese melt.
- Monterey Jack: This cheese has a smooth texture and a mild flavour that melts beautifully, creating a perfectly gooey centre in your grilled cheese sandwich.
- American cheese: Known for its meltability, American cheese delivers a classic grilled cheese experience, with a smooth and creamy texture.
- Aged white cheddar: The sharpness and complexity of aged white cheddar on sourdough bread create a grilled cheese sandwich that is truly gourmet.
- Goats cheese – tangy and slightly earthy, it can add a unique twist to your grilled cheese experience.
- Blue cheese – strong, pungent, and distinct, this cheese can elevate the flavours in your sandwich.
- Mozzarella – mild and creamy in flavour but melts so well and gives that stretchy cheese pull we all love.
- Emmental – I like the buttery milder taste of this cheese to pair with the sharp tang from cheddar in my grilled cheese sandwich
How to Make a Sourdough Grilled Cheese Sandwich In The Air Fryer
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Butter your bread (both sides) – I like to liberally butter both sides of my bread. The butter helps to crisp up the outside but also provides flavour to the inside of the sandwich aswell. It also helps to secure the cheese to the bread when you assemble your sandwich.
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Grate your cheese – I like to grate the cheese to get a nice even melt on the inside of the sandwich. I also like to mix up the cheese with some cracked black pepper before assembling.
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Choose the right setting on your Air Fryer. I used 200° C to make this sandwich. I have tried it using a ‘crisp’ option on the fryer itself, but this resulted in the bread becoming crispy and almost burnt before the centre was gooey and melted. Your fryer will have its own settings.
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Top with grated parmesan – this is optional but I like to add some grated parmesan to the top slice of the sandwich. The sandwich will get crispy without this extra cheese but parmesan is lovely and extra crispy when melted, plus it’s extra cheese and this sandwich is all about that cheesy hit.
Great add-ins for your grilled sandwich
Add a touch of sweetness. Try spreading a thin layer of honey on your bread slices before assembling the sandwich. The subtle sweetness will help balance the salty flavour of the cheese.
Like it spicy? Try adding in some thinly sliced jalapeños or a pinch of chili flakes. This will give a nice kick to your grilled cheese.
For a touch of tanginess, a dollop of whole-grain mustard or some sliced pickled gherkins can give some zing. As you experiment, remember to balance the flavours. Each ingredient should complement the cheese and not overpower it.
FAQ’s
You can use your favourite bread, I love sourdough and it stands up well to the melted cheese. If you like a more tender lighter crumbed sandwich, try good old white sandwich bread or even brioche.
You can shred your own cheese for this sandwich, it will melt more evenly. Be careful not to opt for pre-shredded cheese, it’s coated in starch and will not melt as well.
For me its classic cheddar with some mild emmental but you can pair any of your favourite cheeses or stick to trusty cheddar. An alternative is brie, which is nice and tangy and melts well. If you want a creamier sandwich go for mozzarella.
Try My Other Recipes
Sourdough Grilled Cheese
Equipment
- 1 Air Fryer
Ingredients
- 2 thick slices of sourdough bread
- 60 g grated Emmental cheese
- 60 g grated mature cheddar
- 30 g grated parmesan
- Salted butter to spread on each side
- Cracked black pepper
Instructions
- Butter both sides of both slices of bread liberally then preheat your air fryer for a few minutes
- Top one slice with the grated emmental cheddar mix
- Place other slice on top of the cheese and place in the air fryer
- Once in the air fryer, top with the grated parmesan before you close the drawer
- I used 200°C for around 6-8 minutes one side, then flipped and finished off for another few minutes till golden and crisp all over
