Air Fryer Experiment: What Can You Really Cook?

Air fryers are versatile kitchen appliances that can be used to cook a wide range of foods. They work by circulating super-hot air, quickly and evenly cooking the surfaces of the food, giving it a crispy-fried texture and golden-brown colour without the need for deep-frying.

You can cook just about anything in an air fryer, from proteins like chicken, fish, and pork to healthy vegetable side dishes, appetizers, and even desserts and baked goods. It is especially good for cooking foods that you want to be extra crispy or crunchy, such as French fries, fried chicken, and baked potatoes with crispy skins.

However, there are some foods that are better left out of the air fryer. These include battered foods, as the wet batter will drip through the perforated basket before it has time to crisp. Cake doughnuts are also not ideal, as the dense batter will dry out in an air fryer. Large whole chickens and other large bone-in proteins are not great either, as they will cook unevenly. Bacon is possible, but it will cause a big, greasy mess, so leaner turkey bacon is a better option. Finally, leafy greens like kale will fly around the air fryer basket, so sturdier veggies are a better choice.

Air fryer breakfasts

Air fryers are a great way to make quick, healthy, and delicious meals. They can cook a variety of foods, from proteins to vegetables, appetizers, and even desserts. Here are some breakfast ideas you can make using an air fryer:

Air Fryer Breakfast Ideas:

• Air-Fryer French Toast Sticks: Cut Texas toast pieces into strips, soak them in a vanilla-infused egg custard, and roll them in crushed cornflakes. This gives you crispy French toast sticks that are perfect for dipping in maple syrup or strawberry syrup.
• Air-Fryer Hash Browns: The air fryer makes hash browns crispy all over and frees up the stove for making other breakfast items. Spray the air fryer basket generously with cooking spray, and give the potatoes an extra spritz for the crispest results.
• Air-Fryer Scotch Eggs: This UK dish consists of hard-boiled eggs wrapped in sausage and deep-fried. In this lighter version, use the air fryer to create a crisp exterior with crushed cornflakes.
• Air-Fryer Sausage Bacon Bites: This easy recipe combines bacon and breakfast sausage in one bite! Roll them in brown sugar and air-fry for a crispy treat.
• Air-Fryer Eggs Lorraine: Richly flavored with sour cream and Swiss cheese, these egg gratins are an air-fryer breakfast win. Unlike the quiche Lorraine, this recipe uses smoky Canadian bacon as the base instead of a crust.
• Air-Fryer Cinnamon Breakfast Bites: Like homemade cinnamon doughnut holes without the mess of deep-frying, these treats are made with simple pantry ingredients. Try them for breakfast or as a dessert dipped in chocolate ganache.
• Air-Fryer Breakfast Cookies: These breakfast cookies are packed with fruits, oats, and whole wheat flour, with zero refined sugar. They're a nourishing and convenient option for busy mornings.
• Air-Fryer Apple Fritters: The air fryer makes these fritters extra crispy without the frying. An easy-peasy browned butter glaze gives them a major upgrade.
• Air-Fryer French Toast Cups with Raspberries: Sweet-tart raspberries, dots of cream cheese, and a touch of maple syrup make these pretty French toast cups irresistible. Baking them in the air fryer ensures a crisp top and a luxurious custard layer below.
• Air-Fryer Bacon Egg Cups: These fun breakfast gratins feature bacon-lined custard cups filled with scrambled eggs, a whole egg, cheddar, and green onions. Feel free to mix up the fillings—different cheese, caramelized onions, or roasted red bell pepper can all be swapped in.
• Air-Fryer Ham and Egg Pockets: These breakfast pockets are packed with fluffy scrambled eggs, ham, and cheese. You can easily double the recipe and use an 8-ounce can of crescent roll dough to make four pockets.
• Air-Fryer Apple Danish: Just like pastries from the bakery, these apple cinnamon crescents are the perfect sweet touch for brunch or breakfast. Be careful not to overfill the dough, or it will run out and burn on the bottom of the air fryer.
• Air-Fryer Pumpkin Biscuits with Spiced Apple Butter: Full of cozy fall flavors, these pumpkin biscuits bake up flaky and crispy in the air fryer. Spread them with honey-cinnamon butter and serve with mulled apple cider.
• Air-Fryer Breakfast Burritos: Scramble eggs with cottage cheese in a pan, then add turkey sausage and frozen spinach. Cook and put it in a wheat wrap for a tasty breakfast.
• Air-Fryer Baked Protein Oats: Blend banana, milk, oats, egg, dessicated coconut, baking powder, and dates. Once blended, mix in blueberries and bake in buttered ramekins.
• Air-Fryer Kolaches: Make the dough and fill it with ham and cheese. Air fry and brush the tops with melted butter.
• Air-Fryer Broccoli Nachos: Top broccoli with Mexican seasoning, black beans, salsa, cheese, and chipotle sauce.
• Air-Fryer Croissants: Cut a brioche bun in half, whisk yogurt and eggs together, and add honey. Put the mixture in the bun halves and top with raspberries. Bake in the air fryer and add more honey on top.
• Air-Fryer Potato Hash Browns: Slice baby potatoes, coat them in olive oil and spices, and put them in the air fryer for 25-30 minutes.
• Air-Fryer Bell Pepper Egg Cups: Cut a bell pepper in half, add salt and pepper, crack an egg in each half, and sprinkle with cheese. Air fry for 5-7 minutes, depending on your desired yolk consistency.
• Air-Fryer Sausage Patties: Make your own sausage McMuffins and breakfast bagel sandwiches with these juicy pork sausage rounds. You can also freeze them and pop them into the air fryer whenever needed for a quick breakfast.
• Air-Fryer Frittatas: Spray a circular metal pan with olive oil, cook your desired fillings for 10 minutes, then add spinach, shredded cheese, and eggs. Bake in the air fryer for 12 minutes.

Air fryer snacks and sides

Air fryers are a great way to make crispy, crunchy snacks and sides with little to no added fat. Here are some ideas for snacks and sides to make in your air fryer:

Snacks

• Chicken wings
• Mozzarella sticks
• Jalapeño poppers
• Tater tots
• Avocado fries
• Sweet potato fries
• Zucchini fries
• Potato chips
• Chickpeas
• Pickles
• Mini calzones
• Tortilla chips
• Pumpkin seeds
• Falafel
• Tofu
• Egg rolls
• Samosas
• Crab rangoon
• Quinoa arancini
• Meatballs
• Chicken tenders
• Taquitos
• Chicken drumsticks
• Crab cakes
• Coconut shrimp
• Cinnamon almonds
• Cookies
• Churro bites
• Donuts
• Beignets

Sides

• Roasted potatoes
• Broccoli
• Corn on the cob
• Carrots
• Baked potatoes
• Green beans
• Cauliflower
• Sweet potato
• French fries
• Brussels sprouts
• Butternut squash
• Asparagus
• Potato wedges
• Latkes
• Eggplant fries
• Mushrooms
• Beets
• Spaghetti squash

Air fryer mains

Air fryers are a great way to cook a variety of mains, from proteins to veggies, and even baked goods. Here are some ideas for air fryer mains:

Proteins

Air fryers are perfect for cooking proteins like chicken, fish, and pork. You can cook breaded chicken tenders, chicken wings, chicken parmesan, or chicken quesadillas. For fish, try air fryer tilapia or salmon with an everything bagel seasoning. If you're in the mood for seafood, air fryer shrimp or lobster tails are also great options. Pork tenderloin, baby back ribs, and pork chops are delicious when cooked in an air fryer. You can also make air fryer steak, hamburgers, or meatloaf.

Vegetables

Air fryers are also excellent for cooking vegetables. Try air fryer roasted potatoes, broccoli, corn on the cob, carrots, or baked potatoes. You can also cook cauliflower, sweet potatoes, green beans, butternut squash, asparagus, potato wedges, or zucchini chips.

Baked Goods

While you may not typically think of baked goods as mains, you can certainly make a meal out of air fryer chocolate chip cookies, cinnamon rolls, or donuts.

With so many options, the possibilities for air fryer mains are endless!

Air fryer desserts

Air fryers are a versatile kitchen appliance that can be used to make a variety of desserts, from cookies and brownies to more complex treats like cheesecakes and carrot cakes. Here are some ideas for air fryer desserts to satisfy your sweet tooth:

• Air Fryer Chocolate Chip Cookieshigh fan speed and concentrated heat of the air fryer give these cookies a crispy exterior and a gooey interior.
• Air Fryer Cinnamon Rolls: These cinnamon rolls, made with tube crescent roll dough, are ready in a fraction of the time it takes to bake them.
• Air Fryer Donuts: An easy dessert that uses canned biscuit dough. Cut the dough into rounds, air fry, and coat in cinnamon sugar for a quick treat.
• Air Fryer Honey Toast: Fry slices of bread in butter and cinnamon sugar, and serve with ice cream for an easy, impressive dessert.
• Air Fryer Churros: Skip the deep fryer and make crispy, fluffy churros in your air fryer. Roll them in cinnamon sugar and serve with chocolate ganache or dulce de leche.
• Air Fryer Apple Danish: Use canned crescent roll dough to make these mini pastries that taste like cinnamon apple Danishes from a bakery.
• Air Fryer Bakewell Pie Tarts: Inspired by the English classic, these pretty pastries are made with refrigerated pie dough and stuffed with lemon curd, fruit jam, and almond paste.
• Air Fryer Lemon Oreos: Get the crisp, sweet fun of deep-fried Oreos from the state fair without the mess. This easy recipe uses pancake mix, lemon yogurt, and milk to make a zingy batter.
• Air Fryer Brownies: These classic brownies are crispy on top and soft in the middle. For a deeper chocolate flavor, add a little instant coffee or espresso.
• Air Fryer Oatmeal Cookies: The addition of vanilla pudding mix makes these cookies extra moist and soft. This recipe makes a large batch, perfect for a big family.
• Air Fryer Banana Bread: This spin on the classic delivers moist banana bread thanks to the air fryer's intense heat and air circulation.
• Air Fryer Raspberry Crumble Coffee Cake: This classic coffee cake features a sweet-tart raspberry filling and a streusel topping that's easy to make by rubbing flour, cold butter, sugar, and almonds together.
• Air Fryer Bread Pudding: A rich, chocolatey dessert that's a thrifty way to use up day-old bread.
• Air Fryer Apple Crisp: A healthy air fryer dessert with a not-too-sweet oat streusel topping tucked into a cored apple.
• Air Fryer Apple Fritters: Cinnamon apple-spiked fritters with a nutty, butterscotch-flavored browned butter glaze.
• Air Fryer S'mores Crescent Rolls: These treats have the yummy flavors of s'mores folded into mini croissants! The air fryer makes the crescent roll dough exceptionally crisp and crunchy, a lovely counterpoint to the gooey chocolate marshmallow filling.
• Air Fryer Carrot Coffee Cake: A moist and flavorful carrot cake with pumpkin spice, dried cranberries, and walnuts.
• Air Fryer Scottish Shortbread: Buttery, melt-in-your-mouth shortbread cookies that are deceptively easy to make.
• Air Fryer Cheesecake: A simple cheesecake with a twist—it's made in the air fryer! Top it with cherry pie filling or fresh berries.
• Air Fryer Bacon-Peanut Butter Cornbread Muffins: A sweet and salty glow-up of everyday cornbread muffins with crispy bacon and a trifecta of peanuts.
• Air Fryer Mocha Cupcakes: Rich chocolate cupcakes paired with silky mocha buttercream.
• Air Fryer Peanut Butter Cookies: A classic flour-free peanut butter cookie that satisfies cravings in mere minutes.
• Air Fryer Fried Cookies: Warm, battered Oreos that are less greasy than their deep-fried counterparts.

Air fryer reheating

Air fryers are great for reheating food. They can make leftovers crispy again and don't make them soggy like a microwave. Here are some tips for reheating food in an air fryer:

• Preheat the air fryer for 5 minutes at 400 °F.
• Place the food in a single layer in the air fryer basket.
• Spritz the food with a little oil to help it get crispy again (optional).
• Reheat at 350 °F/175 °C for 3-5 minutes, or until the food is crispy and reaches a safe internal temperature of 165 °F.
• If you're reheating meat, let it sit at room temperature for 15 minutes before reheating, and flip it halfway through.
• For best results, use an instant-read meat thermometer to check that the inside of your food is safe to eat.

Foods that are particularly well-suited to reheating in an air fryer include:

• Pizza
• French fries
• Fried snacks (e.g. onion rings, chicken nuggets)
• Chicken
• Steak
• Burgers
• Roasted or air-fried vegetables

However, there are some foods that are not suitable for reheating in an air fryer, such as:

• Soups and stews
• Pasta and rice
• Leafy greens (e.g. spinach, arugula)
• Whole roasts
• Cheese without a coating

Frequently asked questions