Yes, it is possible to cook cheese in the air fryer — you just have to be smart about it. Cheese can be air-fried in small amounts as long as it can't ooze onto the appliance's interior and get stuck.
Doesn't Work So Well: Fresh Cheese
Unfortunately, you're out of luck unless you start with something frozen. Just putting cheese in the machine causes it to melt and stick to the air fryer…which only results in a mess. (If that happens, here's how to clean your air fryer.)
Using grated cheese? Make sure you grate your own, as shop bought grated cheese has a non stick coating that is likely to fly around your air fryer. Press grated cheese into the toast before air frying. This helps prevent it flying off.
Make sure the cheese melts: If you're slicing cheese off a block, make sure to slice the cheese thin. The thicker the cheese, the longer it takes to melt in the air fryer. So cook the sandwich on lower heat until the cheese melts, then cook it on the higher heat setting to toast the bread.
The problem is cheese can quickly melt and burn in the high temperatures of an air fryer, resulting in a stringy mess. Frozen mozzarella sticks are fine, but fresh cheese is unfortunately a no-no.
Preheat an air fryer to 250 degrees F (120 degrees C). Place eggs in the air fryer basket. Cook eggs in the preheated air fryer for 15 minutes. Transfer eggs to a cold water bath until fully cooled, 8 to 10 minutes.
Tips for the Perfect Fried Egg in an Air Fryer
Preheat your air fryer to 370 °F (187 °C) for 3 minutes and don't forget to place the egg dishes inside. Once you crack the eggs into hot ramekins, the eggs will start cooking immediately. Cook your eggs on air fry mode (air crisp setting).
An air fryer is simply a small oven that runs on convection heat. The heat is circulated around a tight space by a powerful fan that lies just below or behind the heating element. Just as in a standard oven, it is perfectly safe to use aluminum foil in the air fryer.
Bacon is safe to cook in the air fryer, but you need to make sure that you use the proper temperature and that your air fryer is clean before you begin. The best bacon air fryer temperature is 350 degrees F. This will crisp the bacon without causing it to smoke or burn.
The size of the air fryer basket will determine how many rashers you can cook at one time. Set the air fryer to 200C and cook streaky bacon rashers for 6-10 mins – just-cooked bacon will take 6 mins, but crispier bacon will take 9-10 mins.
Cheeses that have a high melting point can be fried. While the cheese melts slightly, it will generally retain its shape in the fryer or skillet. Popular fried cheese options are cheese curds, queso blanco, halloumi, paneer, mozzarella, bread cheese, certain cheddars, and provolone.
What is this? It's important to note that you should never fill the air fryer with water or any other liquid. Doing so could cause serious damage to your appliance and even be a fire hazard. Additionally, adding too much water could also lead to soggy food that won't crisp up properly in the air fryer.
The cheese melts slightly, but largely retains its shape when grilled or pan-fried.
Toasting bread in the air fryer is about as easy as it gets. Add the bread to the air fryer and cook at 390ºF until toasted to your liking. For me, this is around 4-5 minutes. Don't forget to flip halfway through for even toasting!
Pierce the sausages a few times all over using a sharp knife (this is optional, but will help release more fat). Arrange the sausages in a single layer in an air fryer basket. Set the air fryer to 180C and cook for 10-15 mins, turning every 5 mins, until the sausages are cooked through.
Any glass you use in an air fryer should be tempered and oven-safe. The best options for air fryer cooking are those glasses made of borosilicate glass, like the well-known brand Pyrex. What is this? This particular type of glass is made in a 1000 degree F oven, making it super durable!
Did you know you can cook a whole English breakfast in your air fryer? We didn't, but it can be a much quicker and healthier way than frying in a pan with lots of oil. Plus - there's less washing up too, win-win! This recipe includes an air fryer fried egg, crispy bacon, sausages, hash browns and baked beans.
If you do not have a mini cast iron frying pan, you can use an aluminum baking pan that will fit in your air fryer basket. Just spray it with cooking oil or butter before adding the eggs.
Veggies like broccoli, Brussels sprouts, potatoes, zucchini, mushrooms & onions, and cauliflower all turn out incredible in the air fryer. You can also make your main dish IN the air fryer. It works magic with proteins like tofu, chicken drumsticks, meatballs, pork chops, fried chicken… even steak.
Arrange frozen mozzarella in an even layer in air fryer basket. Air fry at 400ºF for 3 minutes. Shake and air fry 2-3 more minutes or until crisp and cheese is melted. Serve with warm marinara sauce.