Lekker Brekker Monday: Melty cheese & onion toasties in your air fryer

An air fryer turns out perfect toasted sandwiches, if you follow a few simple rules. I made cheese and onion sandwiches – very simple, using shop-bought bread. Use a fancier loaf if you prefer.

The onions are sliced and fried in butter in a pan to draw out their sweet aromatic flavours. It’s important to grate the cheese finely.

Here are my tips:

• Preheat the air fryer;
• Use lots of grated cheese to make a satisfyingly cheesy sandwich;
• Use a cheese that melts well, such as Cheddar, Emmental, Gouda or Mozzarella. A nice stringy “pull” makes for a better sandwich;
• Once assembled with the top slice of bread in place, push the sandwich down firmly with your palm;
• Spray the sandwiches on both sides with cooking oil spray before putting them in the air fryer;
• Cook the sandwiches in the air fryer long enough for the top and bottom of the toast to be well browned and for the cheese to have melted. It took about 8 minutes at 200°C in my air fryer.
• Turn half way; and
• Use 1 cup of cheese or more (when grated) per two sandwiches.

Tony’s melty cheese & onion toasties in your air fryer

(Makes 4 toasted sandwiches)

Ingredients

8 slices of white or brown shop-bought bread

Butter or canola margarine to spread on the insides of the bread

1 medium onion, sliced

2 Tbsp butter for frying the onions

2 cups grated cheese (I used Cheddar)

Salt and black pepper

Herbs of your choice (oregano, thyme, marjoram or snipped chives)

Spice of your choice (cayenne pepper, paprika, nutmeg, ground coriander)

Cooking oil spray

A sprig of herb for garnish

Method

Preheat the air fryer to 200°C.

Butter the bread on the insides.

Fry the sliced onion in butter and spoon it on four of the buttered slices.

Grate the cheese and place it on top of the four slices.

Sprinkle salt and black pepper on top.

Sprinkle on any spice and scatter any herb leaves of your choice.

Place the remaining four slices of bread on top, and press the sandwiches down very firmly with your palm. This is important as it is what keeps the toasted sandwiches intact; without it, the top slice may not “stick”.

Spray the top and bottom slices generously with cooking oil spray.

Place in the air fryer and cook at 200°C until you can see that the top slices are crisp and golden. Turn carefully and repeat until the other side looks just as good.

Plate them up, with a garnish of herb leaves. DM

Tony Jackman is twice winner of the Galliova Food Writer of the year award, in 2021 and 2023

Order Tony’s book, foodSTUFF, here.

Follow Tony Jackman on Instagram @tony_jackman_cooks.

This dish is photographed on a plate by Mervyn Gers Ceramics.