Air Fryer Patty Melt

Make this juicy air fryer patty melt on busy weekdays for dinner or lunch. Top with your favorite cheese, air fried caramelized onions and serve on rye or sourdough bread. Cooking a patty melt in the air fryer makes for perfectly toasted bread and juicy well-cooked patties with easier clean up at the end. For more easy air fryer ground beef ideas to make on busy days, check this post for 15+ Air Fryer Ground Beef Recipes.

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Ingredients

• Ground Beef – Shape the ground beef patties to match the shape of the bread.
• Rye bread – Can be substituted for sourdough or any other type of bread.
• Cheese – For this recipe, I’m using Swiss and cheddar cheese together.
• Butter & Garlic – Spread garlic butter on both sides of the bread for some added flavor.
• Onions – Make these air fried caramelized onions to add to the patty melt.
• Patty Melt Sauce – Make it homemade or buy a store-bought version.

Shape the ground beef patties as seen below.

Transfer the patties to the air fryer to cook in batches.

Build the patty melt as seen in the below picture.

How To Make An Air Fryer Patty Melt

1. Sautee, grill or make the caramelized onions in the air fryer. Follow this easy recipe for the air fried version. Set aside for now.
2. Preheat the air fryer to 375 degrees for 5 minutes.
3. Chop and mince the garlic clove and combine with softened butter in a bowl.
4. Spread garlic butter on one side of the each slice of bread.
5. In a bowl, season the ground beef with salt, pepper and granulated garlic.
6. Shape the ground beef into patties, placing them next to the bread to ensure they are of similar shape and just a tiny bit larger than the bread. They will shrink during the cooking process.
7. Transfer the patties to the air fryer and cook at 375 degrees F for 8-11 minutes, flipping half way. Cooking time will vary depending on personal preference for doneness. For very well done burgers, you may need to cook for up to 15 minutes.
8. Place a slice of cheese on top of the bread (the side without butter), transfer the burger patty and add on top of the cheese.
9. Top with another slice of cheese, caramelized onions and another slice of bread, butter side up.
10. Transfer the patty melt to the air fryer, butter side down. For the slice of bread on top, make sure the buttered side is facing up.
11. Air fry for an additional 6-7 minutes at 375 degrees F, flipping the patty melt halfway through.
12. Serve with patty melt sauce and chips on the side.

Recipe Notes

• Burger patties are safe to consume once the internal temperature reaches at least 160 degrees F. Use a kitchen thermometer for accurate reading.
• I used a combination of Swiss and cheddar cheese for this recipe but you may use whatever cheese you prefer.
• Make the patty melt sauce yourself or buy this store-bought version if you prefer.
• Always read your air fryer manual before using it.