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Air Fryer Cheesy Dip

Name: Air Fryer Cheesy Dip
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: 8 ounces cream cheese (room temperature); 1 cup mayonnaise; 8 ounces sour cream; 8 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese; 4 ounces Gruyere cheese; 8 pieces bacon (cooked and diced); 1 stalk green onion (diced)

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Rich, creamy and addictive, this Air Fryer cheesy dip is going to become your next favorite appetizer to make and serve whenever you’re entertaining.

Team it up with pretzels, crackers, nachos, veggie sticks or even just some crusty bread and you’ve got yourself a total crowd pleaser. It takes just under 15 minutes to make, and is perfect if you want to put together something that’s easy, versatile and delicious.

Air Fryer Cheesy Dip bubbling in a baking pan, fresh from the air fryer.

Dips and spreads are my absolute go-to during the holidays, game-day celebrations and movie nights. I feel like they’re such a great low-effort dish that everyone ends up enjoying.

So of course, I keep experimenting with those! My Air Fryer queso and Instant Pot buffalo chicken dip are all-time favorites, but on occasion, I also make my classic Air Fryer salsa or Carrabba bread dipping oil to change things up a bit.

This time, I wanted to make something ooey, gooey and irresistible, and here we are!

Why You’ll Love this Recipe

Ultra delish: There’s nothing that can beat the rich and creamy flavor of a good cheese dip, and this one’s just that, if not better.
Versatile: Use it as a dip or a spread with some bread or crackers, or team it up with your favorite appetizers and fried foods- it is incredibly versatile that way.
Customizable: Bring lots of fun flavor variations to the dip by adding other mix-ins and seasonings of your choice.

Ingredients For the Air Fryer Cheesy Dip Recipe

Ingredients Needed For Air Fryer Cheesy Dip on table.

Cream cheese: I used full fat cream cheese for the rich, creamy texture. You could use low-fat cream cheese too, if that’s what you prefer.
Sour cream: For a bit of tanginess.
Mozzarella cheese: For that stretchy, gooey deliciousness.
Gruyere cheese: For another layer of flavor. Swap this with any other kind of cheese you prefer.
Mayonnaise: Choose full fat or light-whatever works for you.
Garnishes: I used chopped crispy bacon and some green onions. You could use whatever you like.

Variations & Substitutions

Swap the Gruyere and Mozzarella cheese in the recipe for another kind of cheese of your choice. Cheddar, Monterey Jack, Fontina, Mexican blend and Parmesan are all great choices.
Lend some extra flavor to the cheesy dip by adding a dash of garlic powder or Italian seasoning.
To spice up the dip, add chopped jalapenos or a dash of cayenne. You can also just mix in some hot sauce of your choice to add a kick of heat to the dip. I love adding my Mc Donald’s copycat buffalo sauce.

How to Make Cheesy Dip in the Air Fryer

Mixing cheese and seasonings in a bowl to prepare Air Fryer Cheesy Dip.

Prepare the mixture: In a bowl, combine cream cheese, mayonnaise, sour cream and all the other cheeses with a bit of chopped, browned bacon.

Combining ingredients for Air Fryer Cheesy Dip before placing in the air fryer.

Assemble: Pour the mixture into a baking dish that’s big enough to fit into your Air Fryer basket. Cover it up with foil and transfer the dish into the Air Fryer basket.

Air fry: Air fry the dip for 8 to 10 minutes, at 320 degrees F, or until the mixture has turned melty and bubbly.

Serve time: Remove the foil and top with the remaining bacon and green onions.

Finished Air Fryer Cheesy Dip served in a dish with a variety of dippers.

Tips & Tricks to Make the Air Fryer Cheesy Dip

Make sure the cream cheese is softened and ideally at room temperature before you use it for the recipe. This makes it easier to get that perfect uniform texture in the dip.
For best flavor and deliciousness, shred the cheese fresh instead of buying pre-shredded cheese.
Be careful not to overcook the dip. Letting it stay in the Air Fryer for too long will cause the oil to separate from the cheese and mayonnaise. Check it at the 10 minute mark to see if it is nice and bubbly, and pop it back in again if you think it needs a few extra minutes.
Experiment with different toppings and mix-ins to create different versions of the dip. I love adding some drained, chopped artichoke hearts or a can of shrimp or crab into the mix sometimes.
To lend an Italian spin on the dip, mix some dried herbs like rosemary, chives and oregano, and top it with some sliced olives.

Storage Instructions

Refrigeration: Store your leftover Air Fryer cheesy dip in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Cover up the dish with plastic wrap or foil before you store it, or transfer the dip to an airtight container.

Freezing: I wouldn’t recommend freezing this dip. You can prep it a few days ahead of time if you want to, but freezing can ruin the texture of the dip.

Reheating: To reheat the dip, pop it back into the Air Fryer again for a few minutes, or microwave it, pausing in between every 30 seconds or so until it has warmed through.

Serving Ideas & Suggestions

Serve this creamy air fried cheesy dip with your favorite crusty bread, crackers or veggie sticks.

I love teaming it up with my Air Fryer sourdough bread slices, air fried olive cheese bread (for that extra bit of flavor), and Italian pull apart bread rolls and even with my Air Fryer Old Bay saltine crackers and Air Fryer ranch Ritz crackers.

You could also serve the dip with some chicken! Some crispy cornbread crusted chicken tenders would taste incredible with the cheesy dip!

If you’re looking for a low-carb option, try my Air Fryer keto cheese garlic bread with this dip! It tastes amazing!

You can also use the leftover dip which has a nice thickened texture, as a spread over your morning toast, bagel or sandwiches.

FAQs

My cheesy dip seems too thick. Will air frying make it thicker? Air frying the dip will actually help it get to the right consistency. If you’re still worried about it being too thick, you can add a splash of milk or heavy cream to loosen it up before you pop it in the Air Fryer.

How can I keep the cheese dip warm when serving? If you’re making the dip in advance, a good way to warm it up while serving it is to keep it in an electric saucepan or a Crockpot.

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