Yes, you can cook the most delicious cheeseburger in the Air Fryer!
You only need to open the air fryer twice: once to flip the patties and once to add the cheese. It’s quick, simple, and yields juicy, evenly cooked burgers. Ready to learn how to make an air fryer cheeseburger? Let’s get cooking.
Table of Contents
The Best Cheeseburger Recipe
The air fryer excels at cooking burgers because it circulates hot air around the patties for even browning and a juicy interior. Compared with grilling or skillet cooking, you don’t need to hover over the stove — just set the timer and check once to flip.
Seasoning can be as simple as salt and pepper — this classic approach highlights the beef — but you can also use a favorite burger seasoning for extra flavor.
Can You Cook Cheeseburgers In The Air Fryer?
Yes. The air fryer handles burgers, steaks, fries, and even baked goods well. The circulating heat melts cheese quickly and keeps the patty at the right temperature without drying it out.
What You Need For This Recipe
Gather the essentials below. Quantities and full measurements appear in the recipe card further down.
- Ground beef
- Hamburger buns
- White onion and red onion
- Lettuce leaves
- Tomatoes
- Sliced pickles
- Soft cheese such as Gouda, Cheddar, or mozzarella
- Salt and pepper (or burger seasoning, optional)
- Favorite burger sauce (optional)
How To Make Air Fryer Cheeseburgers
Preparing the Burgers
- Place the ground beef in a mixing bowl. Season with salt and pepper, or use a tablespoon of burger seasoning if you prefer.
- Form the seasoned beef into evenly sized patties so they cook uniformly.
- Preheat the air fryer to 375°F (190°C) for about 3 minutes.
- If you have an air fryer grill pan, use it. If not, line the basket with parchment paper only after placing the patties; loose parchment can blow around and is a fire risk if used without weight.
- Add the patties to the air fryer and cook for 5 minutes. Flip and cook another 5 minutes for medium doneness; adjust time for thinner/thicker patties or desired doneness.
- While the burgers cook, thinly slice the white and red onions and prepare the other toppings.
- When the patties are nearly done, place cheese slices or grated cheese on top and close the air fryer for 30–60 seconds to melt the cheese.
Building Your Cheeseburger
- Split the burger bun and place the bottom half on your plate.
- Layer with lettuce, pickles, tomato, and both onion slices.
- Top with the hot cheeseburger and drizzle burger sauce if desired.
- Cap with the top bun and serve immediately.
Can I Make Vegetarian Air Fryer Burgers?
Yes. Plant-based patties like Beyond Burgers cook very well in the air fryer and offer a satisfying alternative. Add cheese for vegetarian versions or skip it for vegan options — either way, you’ll get great texture and flavor.
Serve Air Fryer Cheeseburgers With
These cheeseburgers make a complete meal but pair beautifully with many sides:
- Air fryer French fries
- Salads like a French bistro salad or Salad Niçoise
- Oven-baked potato wedges or baked potatoes
- Garlic green beans or grilled cauliflower
- Corn on the cob
Great Cheeseburger Sauces And Condiments
Enhance your burger with any of these toppings:
- Burger sauce — creamy and tangy for classic flavor
- Spicy mayonnaise — adds a kick and pairs well with fries
- Ranch dressing — creamy and herby on lettuce and bun
- Roasted tomato salsa — a bright, smoky alternative to ketchup
- Ketchup — a familiar favorite
- Sautéed onions — soft, caramelized onions add sweetness and depth
Air Fryer Cheeseburger
Easy to prepare and ready in under 15 minutes, this air fryer cheeseburger is melted, juicy, and perfect on a homemade bun.
Ingredients
- 250-gram ground beef (½ lb)
- 2 homemade burger buns
- 1 cup hamburger sauce
- 1 white onion
- ½ red onion
- 3 cherry tomatoes
- 1 pickle, sliced in half
- Pinch of salt and pepper or 1 tablespoon burger seasoning
- 4 lettuce leaves
- 2 slices soft cheese (Gouda, Cheddar, or mozzarella)
Instructions
- Add ground beef to a bowl, season with salt and pepper or burger seasoning, and shape into patties.
- Preheat the air fryer to 375°F (190°C) for 3 minutes. Place patties in the basket and cook 5 minutes, flip, then cook another 5 minutes.
- Thinly slice the red and white onions while the burgers cook.
- Top patties with cheese and close the air fryer for 30–60 seconds to melt.
- Split the bun and layer lettuce, pickles, tomato, and onion on the bottom half.
- Place the cheeseburger on the assembled bun and drizzle burger sauce if desired.
- Cap with the top bun and serve immediately.
Notes
- Using an air fryer grill pan gives nice sear marks, but a lined basket works fine.
- Only use parchment paper in the basket when patties weigh it down; otherwise it can blow around.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 2
Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving:
Calories: 864
Total Fat: 43g
Saturated Fat: 17g
Cholesterol: 180mg
Sodium: 1583mg
Carbohydrates: 60g
Fiber: 4g
Sugar: 11g
Protein: 59g
Please note: Nutrition information is provided for reference and may not be exact.