Cody Casey
Air fryers have simplified home cooking, allowing you to prepare a variety of tasty, healthy, and flavorful meals in a fraction of the time. From mains to desserts, snacks to sides, there are plenty of easy options to cook in an air fryer.
For mains, you can cook salmon, steak, chicken wings, grilled cheese, and even a whole chicken. Sides and snacks include crispy potatoes, chips, hash browns, and frozen boxed foods like hot dogs, mozzarella sticks, and spring rolls. You can also cook vegetables like Brussels sprouts, broccoli, and asparagus.
If you're craving something sweet, air fryers can be used to make desserts like berry crisp, zucchini chocolate cake, apple pie, and cookies.
Easy Air Fryer Recipes
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Proteins | Chicken, Salmon, Steak, Sausages, Pork Loin, Lamb Leg, Bacon, Halloumi, Tofu |
| Sides | Chips/Fries, Hash Browns, Roast Potatoes, Asparagus, Brussels Sprouts, Green Beans, Chickpeas, Cauliflower, Broccoli |
| Carbs | Pizza, Bread, Bagels, Buns, Ravioli, Arancini, Rice |
| Desserts | Cookies, Cake, Pie, Brownies, Donuts, S'mores |
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What You'll Learn
Chicken, steak, and fish
Chicken is a versatile option for air frying, with chicken breasts being a popular choice. To prepare, you can brine the chicken for 30 minutes, using either a wet brine (saltwater solution) or a dry brine (sprinkling with salt). You can also marinate the chicken or add spices, such as cayenne pepper, for extra flavour. When cooking, ensure the chicken is evenly cooked by flipping it halfway through. The cooking time will depend on the size of the chicken breasts, but typically, chicken is cooked at 165°F, and you can remove it from the air fryer at 155-160°F as the temperature will continue to rise as it rests.
Fish is another great option for air frying, particularly if you're craving fried fish without the oily mess of deep frying. It's recommended to use firm, mild white fish, such as cod, haddock, or pollock. Before cooking, you can dredge the fish in flour, dip it in egg, and then coat it with breadcrumbs to create a tasty crust. Add a tablespoon of oil to help the breadcrumbs get crispy. Cook the fish at 400°F for 10-12 minutes, turning halfway through, until it's golden and flakes easily with a fork.
Steak is a quick and easy option for air frying, resulting in a juicy and flavourful dish. To prepare, pat the steak dry with a paper towel and rub it with olive oil and your choice of seasonings, such as Italian seasoning, salt, and black pepper. Preheat the air fryer to 400°F and cook the steak for 10-12 minutes, flipping it halfway through, for a medium-rare to medium steak. For a well-done steak, increase the cooking time to 12-15 minutes. Let the steak rest for 10 minutes before serving.
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Vegetables
Air fryers are a great way to cook vegetables, and they can be used to make a variety of tasty and healthy dishes. Here are some tips and tricks for cooking vegetables in an air fryer:
Preparation
Before cooking, cut your vegetables into small, evenly sized pieces to ensure even cooking. For tender vegetables like zucchini, yellow squash, and peppers, aim for thin strips or rounds. For firm vegetables, such as root veggies (carrots, beets, potatoes, parsnips), you can cut them into slightly larger pieces, but keep in mind they will take longer to cook.
Oil and Seasoning
Drizzling olive oil over your veggies will help them brown and crisp up during cooking. You can also use avocado oil or a cooking spray. For seasoning, a simple blend of salt and pepper and garlic powder or Italian seasoning works well. You can also experiment with spices like cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes for an extra kick.
Cooking
Preheat your air fryer to 375-400°F (190°C). Place the vegetables in a single layer in the air fryer basket, ensuring they aren't overcrowded. Cook for 8-15 minutes, stirring or shaking the basket halfway through to prevent sticking and promote even cooking. The veggies are done when they are tender and slightly charred.
Serving
Air fryer vegetables are delicious on their own or as a side dish. Serve them with a squeeze of lemon juice, fresh parsley, or grated Parmesan cheese. They also pair well with proteins like chicken or fish.
Vegetable Options
Almost any vegetable can be cooked in an air fryer. Some popular options include:
- Broccoli
- Cauliflower
- Zucchini
- Bell peppers
- Brussels sprouts
- Green beans
- Asparagus
- Eggplant
- Avocado
- Beets
- Summer squash
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Snacks
Air fryers are a great way to make snacks with full flavour without spending hours in the kitchen. Here are some snack ideas that are easy to cook in an air fryer:
Crispy potatoes
Cut a russet potato in half lengthwise, then slice it into quarter-inch slices. Run the slices under water, then put them in a microwave-safe bowl and add onion powder, garlic powder, and crushed rosemary. Cover and microwave for about three minutes. Drizzle about a tablespoon of oil on them and stir to coat. Put them in the air fryer and set it to 400 degrees Fahrenheit for about 12 minutes, shaking the basket after six minutes. They should be nicely browned and crispy on the outside, with a soft centre.
Crispy Chickpeas
Canned chickpeas crisp up perfectly in the air fryer. They are also inexpensive and can be seasoned in a variety of ways, such as za'atar, spicy, French herb, or Italian.
Grilled Cheese
Gooey grilled cheese is a classic snack that can be made in an air fryer. Assemble your sandwich with your choice of spreads, add-ins, and melty cheese, then put it in the air fryer for about 10 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Mozzarella Sticks
Double-coat your mozzarella sticks and freeze them between coats before putting them in the air fryer.
Cookies
Air fryers can also be used to make desserts, such as cookies. You can make mini cookies for snacking and packing in lunch boxes.
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Desserts
Air fryers are a great way to make desserts without deep-frying them. You can make treats like pastries, cakes, cookies, doughnuts and even brownies. Here are some dessert ideas that you can make in an air fryer:
Cookies
You can make a variety of cookies in an air fryer, including chocolate chip cookies, peanut butter cookies, coconut cookies, and oatmeal-raisin cookies with walnuts and tahini. You can also make shortbread cookies and roll them into fingers to dip into your coffee.
Churros
Churros are typically made by deep-frying ropes of dough in hot oil, but you can use an air fryer to achieve a similar effect. Simply drop the ropes of dough into the air fryer and roll them in cinnamon sugar once they're golden and crisp.
Baked Apples
Baked apples are a great dessert to make in an air fryer. You can add brown sugar, cinnamon, and butter to enhance the flavor, and they'll be ready to serve in just 8 minutes. You can also make apple chips in the air fryer by thinly slicing apples and air-frying them until they're crunchy.
Cakes
You can make a variety of cakes in an air fryer, including lemon drizzle cake, chocolate cake, and carrot cake. You can also make cupcakes and muffins in an air fryer, which will be ready in half the time it takes to bake them in an oven.
Brownies
Air fryers are perfect for making brownies, as they require less prep time than oven-baked brownies. You can make classic brownies or get creative with additions like dark chocolate and white chocolate chips.
Cheesecake
You can make both full-sized and mini cheesecakes in an air fryer. For a fun twist, try making a caramelized pineapple upside-down cheesecake, or a low-carb version with zero-calorie sweetener and no crust.
Donuts
Air fryers are great for making doughnuts with a slightly different texture than deep-fried ones, but they still come out fluffy and delicious. You can also make apple fritters, which are similar to doughnuts but made with a simple batter instead of yeast.
Other Desserts
In addition to the desserts mentioned above, you can also make cinnamon rolls, peach cobbler, apple crumble, French toast sticks, beignets, and even crispy fried Oreos in an air fryer.
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Reheating food
The circulating hot air helps refresh the crisp on any food that you want to be crispy, like French fries, fried chicken, or chicken wings. You can also reheat pizza in an air fryer; the crust will crisp up while the cheese on top melts.
When reheating food in an air fryer, it's important to leave space between the food in the air fryer basket. Overcrowding prevents the amazing, magical hot air circulation. You can also place parchment paper or an air fryer liner in the basket to simplify cleanup, especially with messier foods.
There are some foods that are not recommended for reheating in an air fryer. These include leafy greens like spinach or arugula, which can start flying around and land on the heating vents. Whole roasts, like roast beef or chicken, are also not ideal for air fryer reheating—but if you slice them first, you can then reheat them in the air fryer, just like a regular steak! Cheese without a coating is also not recommended, as it will melt and drip through the basket.
Some foods that are perfect for reheating in an air fryer include:
- Pizza
- French fries
- Fried chicken
- Chicken wings
- Mozzarella sticks
- Onion rings
- Other deep-fried appetizers
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Frequently asked questions
There are many easy foods to cook in an air fryer, including chicken wings, salmon, steak, tofu, and vegetables such as potatoes, asparagus, and Brussels sprouts.
It takes about 8-10 minutes to cook salmon in an air fryer, including preheating time.
Yes, you can cook chicken in an air fryer. Chicken thighs, legs, wings, and breasts can all be cooked in an air fryer and will be crispy and tender. You can also cook a whole chicken in an air fryer, which is easier than using an oven.
Some healthy options to cook in an air fryer include roasted vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, and asparagus, as well as salmon and other lean proteins.
Yes, you can cook frozen foods in an air fryer. Frozen boxed foods, frozen dinner rolls, and frozen mozzarella sticks are all great options.
