• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
theveganlunchbox.co.uk
  • Home
  • Recipe Index
  • Meet Jac
  • Packing Lunch
  • Privacy
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • Recipe Index
  • Packing Lunch
  • Meet Jac
  • Privacy
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
  • ×

    Home » Easy Vegan Air Fryer Recipes » Vegan Air Fryer Cheese Toasties

    Vegan Air Fryer Cheese Toasties

    Published: Mar 30, 2022 · Modified: Apr 20, 2022 by Jacqueline Meldrum · 8 Comments

    These vegan air fryer cheese toasties will become your favourite lunch. Air fryers make the best toast, just like fried bread but less oil.

    Air Fryer Vegan Cheese Toastie

    My son was the one that suggested making cheese toasties in the air fryer.

    It became a constant refrain in my kitchen, once the air fryer arrived "Can you cook it in the air fryer?".

    This question was asked about just about everything. Yes, the men in my life were excited about this new gadget.

    The boy was spot on as these vegan air fryer cheese toasties are so, so good.

    Jump to:
    • 🍞 Toast in the air fryer
    • 🍞 Air fryer toast tips
    • 🧀 Helping vegan cheese to melt
    • 🥪 What you need to make the best vegan grilled cheese
    • 🍞 What type of bread makes the best cheese toastie?
    • 🥪 Vegan grilled cheese variations
    • 🥗 How to serve vegan grilled cheese
    • 🥪 More toasted sandwiches to try
    • 📋 Want new recipes delivered to your inbox?
    • ⭐ Pin it for later
    • 🥦 Living on the Veg
    • 💭 How to make easy air fryer cheese toasties
    • 📖 Recipe
    • Comments

    🍞 Toast in the air fryer

    Healthy fried bread with a fine spray of light oil and cooked until crisp in the air fryer.

    Super crisp and golden. Wait until you try it!

    Add it to a full cooked vegan Scottish breakfast with vegan sausages, baked beans, tattie scones (Scottish potato scones), air-fried or grilled tomatoes and mushrooms.

    Or use it to make the best vegan air fryer cheese toasties.

    🍞 Air fryer toast tips

    If you can get hold of a grill rack to fit your air fryer or if it comes with one, you can slide slices of bread between each of the struts upright, so you can toast a few slices at once.

    All standing upright in a row like a line of soldiers on parade.

    While we are talking about air fryers, have you tried my air fryer falafel, which is oil-free, air fryer golden syrup flapjacks, crunchy air fryer chickpeas or air fryer vegan fruit scones?

    vegan smoked cheese

    🧀 Helping vegan cheese to melt

    You might be wondering how I got vegan cheese to melt like that, all gooey and delicious.

    Applewood Smoky Vegan Cheese was a good place to start as it melts quite well already.

    However, you could use this technique with plain vegan cheddar too.

    vegan cream cheese

    I grated the cheese and mixed it with vegan cream cheese for that super melt in these grilled cheese sandwiches.

    I also air-fried the cheese toastie open first to give the cheese a chance to melt before adding the top slice and allowing it to continue to toast.

    🥪 What you need to make the best vegan grilled cheese

    Here are the ingredients you need.

    • white bread
    • spray olive oil - or rapeseed oil
    • smoked vegan cheese - grated
    • vegan cream cheese
    • paprika
    • tomato puree - optional
    • pizza seasoning - optional
    • salt and pepper

    We spread one slice of the bread with tomato puree before adding the cheese mixture.

    This was another of my son's ideas and it does give it a bit of a pizza flavour, especially if you top the cheese with dried oregano or even my homemade pizza seasoning.

    That seasoning is fabulous stuff. It perks up so many dishes.

    🍞 What type of bread makes the best cheese toastie?

    For the best British-style cheese toastie, you want bog-standard white sliced bread.

    Once toasted it is soft inside and crisp on the outside and is a good size for a filled toastie.

    🍞 Types of bread that make good toasties

    Here are a few more options. Each on you choose will make a very different toastie.

    • White sliced bread - a good old British classic
    • Bloomers bread - heavenly toasted
    • Sourdough - for that bistro type grilled cheese
    • Wholemeal bread - so you can pretend it's healthy
    • Seeded bread - same again

    🥪 Vegan grilled cheese variations

    Here are some tweaks you can make to your air fryer vegan grilled cheese.

    How to make a toastie in the air fryer
    1. Smoked Cheese - use vegan cheddar instead
    2. Mozzarella - mix vegan mozzarella with vegan cheddar
    3. Pickle - a very British option, use vegan cheddar and top with sandwich pickle.
    4. Gherkins - sliced gherkins, also known as dill pickles are a tasty addition to grilled cheese
    5. Tomato - add thin sliced seasoned with salt and pepper
    6. Onion - add fine slices
    7. Mushrooms - add grilled or air fried mushroom slices
    8. Sriracha - spread one slice of bread with this tasty hot sauce
    9. Chilli - add chilli flakes to the cheese
    10. Oregano - add a good sprinkle on top of the cheese

    🥗 How to serve vegan grilled cheese

    Here are some ideas for serving grilled cheese.

    The Best Vegan Air Fryer Cheese Toastie
    • Green Salad - with a dressed green salad (try my vegan ranch dressing)
    • Chopped salad - try Tex Mex corn chopped salad
    • Coleslaw - try carrot & dill coleslaw or balsamic beet slaw
    • Potato salad - I am crazy about this dill potato salad
    • Sweet potato fries - try these chunky paprika sweet potato fries
    • Chips - good old British chips or skinny fried
    • Tortilla chips - try making your own paprika tortilla chips, they are super easy to make and so crunchy
    • Tomato soup - a classic combo, try this easy recipe for creamy tomato soup made with tinned tomatoes

    🥪 More toasted sandwiches to try

    Here are a few more toasted sandwiches you might enjoy.

    Vegan Reuben Sandwich with Russian Dressing on a patterned plate
    Vegan Reuben Sandwich
    • Black Olive & Tomato Toasties - with black olive tapenade
    • Falafel Beetroot Bagel Sandwich - a toasted bagel sandwich and a favourite in this house
    • Smoky Vegetable Quesadillas - a toasted sandwich of sorts and delicious
    • Vegan Cuban with Mushrooms - for all you mushroom-lovers
    • Reuben Sandwich - with a creamy dressing

    Check out my vegan sandwich and wrap page for more ideas.

    📋 Want new recipes delivered to your inbox?

    Sign up for my Vegan Lunch Box newsletter and I'll send the latest recipe straight to your inbox as soon as it is published.  

    Also, sign up for my Tinned Tomatoes newsletter for a selection of recipes delivered to your inbox each week or sign up for my email updates and don't miss out on the latest recipe.

    Check your spam folder they don't arrive, I share a new recipe on each of my blogs every week.

    ⭐ Pin it for later

    These vegan air fryer cheese toasties will become your favourite lunch. Air fryers make the best toast, just like fried bread but healthier.

    Follow me on Pinterest, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. 

    🥦 Living on the Veg

    Once you've signed up for my newsletters and followed me on social media, why not join my Facebook group Living on the Veg?

    Such a friendly community with lots of recipes and chat. I'm in there every day chatting. It's such a nice place to spend time.

    💭 How to make easy air fryer cheese toasties

    Step-by-step photos. Keep scrolling for the full printable air fryer toastie recipe (with full ingredient list and nutritional info).

    Vegan Air Fryer Toastie - Step 1

    Step 1

    • Mix the vegan cream cheese in a bowl to soften it.
    • Add the grated smoked vegan cheese or cheddar to the bowl, then add the spice and season.
    • Mix well.
    Vegan Air Fryer Toastie - step 2

    Step 2

    • Lightly spray the outside of each slice of spread with light oil.
    • Spread the other side with tomato puree (optional), then top with cheese mix.
    • Add both of your topped bread and a plain slice to the shelves of your air fryer, if you don't have shelves you should be able to get a shelf with legs to place in your air fryer drawer to separate the slices.
    • Let it melt.
    Vegan Air Fryer Toastie - step 3

    Step 3

    • Once the cheese has melted, add the top slice and pop back in the air fryer.
    • Air fry the whole toastie until golden.
    • Enjoy!

    📖 Recipe

    The Best Vegan Air Fryer Cheese Toastie

    Vegan Air Fryer Cheese Toasties

    Jacqueline Meldrum
    These vegan air fryer cheese toasties will become your favourite lunch. Air fryers make the best toast, just like fried bread but healthier.
    5 from 4 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 5 mins
    Cook Time 7 mins
    Total Time 12 mins
    Course Easy Vegan Sandwiches & Wraps
    Cuisine British, vegan
    Servings 2 toasties
    Calories 327 kcal

    Ingredients
     
     

    • 4 slices white bread
    • 4 sprays oil
    • 100 g vegan cream cheese
    • 100 g vegan cheese smoked or cheddar, grated
    • ½ teaspoon paprika
    • 1 pinch salt and pepper
    • 2 teaspoons tomato puree
    • 1 teaspoon pizza seasoning or dried oregano

    Instructions
     

    • Mix the cream cheese, with the grated cheese, paprika, salt and pepper.
    • Give one side of each slice of bread a quick spray of oil. This is optional.
    • Spread the other side (no oil) of two slices with tomato puree, then add the cheese mixture and spread in an even layer.
    • Sprinkle pizza seasoning or oregano over the cheese.
    • Place the two slices of cheese topped bread in your air fryer and cook for 3 mins at 180c/350f to give the cheese a chance to start melting before adding the top slice. If you have an air fryer with a drawer and not shelves, you may need to do one slice at a time.
    • Now add the top slice (oil side out) on top of the melted cheese slice and cook for another 4 mins until golden.
    • Serve and enjoy!

    Notes

    • For a plain grilled cheese you can just mix the cream cheese with grated cheese, season and spread on plain bread.
    • The spray of low-calorie oil is optional but makes the toasties extra crispy.
    • Cooking the slice topped with cheese before adding the top slice of bread helps the cheese to melt.
    • If your air fryer has shelves you may be able to cook two toasties at once (or more). If you have a drawer you would need a shelf on legs to allow you to cook two toasties at once.
    • Air fryers vary, so do keep an eye on your toastie. It should be golden and crisp.
     

    Nutrition

    Calories: 327kcalCarbohydrates: 43gProtein: 10gFat: 7.5gSaturated Fat: 6.5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 1gSodium: 954mgPotassium: 91mgFiber: 7gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 76IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 190mgIron: 3mg
    Keyword classic British sandwich, grilled cheese, sandwiches, toasted sandwich, toastie
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

    « Vegan Jam Doughnut Muffins
    Easter Vegan Mini Egg Fudge »

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Jeanne @ Cooksister

      April 01, 2022 at 5:42 pm

      5 stars
      As somebody who does not (yet!) own an air fryer, I continue to be amazed at their versatility! Toasties - who knew?? Also, very impressed with the melt of the vegan cheese that you used 😍 Any particular brand?

      Reply
      • Jacqueline Meldrum

        April 05, 2022 at 10:58 am

        Yes, they are great and especially with prices rising like they are for energy. I use Violife cheddar or vegan smoked applewood, but adding a little mayo really helps with the melt.

        Reply
    2. Pat

      April 14, 2022 at 11:22 pm

      5 stars
      I tried these and they are so crispy. Pat 🥰

      Reply
      • Jacqueline Meldrum

        April 15, 2022 at 11:24 am

        I am so glad you enjoyed them Pat and yes the air fryer makes toasties so, so crispy.

        Reply
    3. Karen M.

      April 14, 2022 at 11:24 pm

      5 stars
      Love how you made the cheese melty I always have trouble getting vegan cheese to melt.

      Reply
      • Jacqueline Meldrum

        April 15, 2022 at 11:23 am

        Yes that can be frustrating. It took s bit of experimenting but this really works well.

        Reply
    4. Jill

      April 16, 2022 at 8:06 am

      5 stars
      I couldn't believe how crispy these were. I think I will give my daughter my toastie machine now. Air Fryer it is all the way. Jill

      Reply
      • Jacqueline Meldrum

        April 16, 2022 at 2:08 pm

        Yep air fryer all the way for crispy toasties.

        Reply

    Leave a comment Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    JACQUELINE MELDRUM

    Welcome to The Vegan Lunchbox.

    If you need tasty lunch inspiration, you've come to the right place. Easy recipes and ideas from my Scottish kitchen. Jac x

    Read more -

    Featured Recipes

    • Dill Potato Salad
    • Vegan Pesto Cheese Swirls
    • Vegan Cheese & Red Pepper Filo Hand Pies
    • Vegan Sesame Bagel Pizza

    Copyright © 2022 theveganlunchbox.co.uk on the Foodie Pro Theme