It feels like there’s a new kitchen appliance fad every few years. In the last decade, we’ve seen juice makers, Instant Pots, and sous vide gadgets all take their turn on the throne. But if you’ve been in the market for a countertop cooking appliance that’s equal parts trendy and practical, look no further than the air fryer. Like its sibling the deep fryer (but unlike its other sibling the juicer), an air fryer is capable of serving up mouthwatering comfort food in minutes instead of hours. Wondering what kinds of dishes an air fryer can help you produce? Look no further! We’ve rounded up some of our favorite recipes that are perfect for this hot new item:
Delicious burger and patties
To cook a delicious burger or patty in the air fryer, start by lining a baking tray with foil and placing it inside your machine. Add the frozen meat to the tray on top of the foil, making sure to place it evenly across the entire surface. Set your air fryer to 400º F (200º C) and bake for 12 minutes before flipping over and cooking for an additional 8–10 minutes.
To ensure you get as much flavor out of your meat as possible when using an air fryer, we recommend seasoning patties with salt, pepper, garlic powder and onion powder before cooking them in an air fryer. The added flavor from these herbs will enhance any dish you make with them!
French fries.
French fries are a classic, and they’re one of the most popular things to make in an air fryer. You can use any kind of potato you like. Regular potatoes are good if you want something that’s traditionally crispy on the outside and soft inside. Sweet potatoes have more vitamins and fiber, but they take longer to cook due to their high water content. Parsnip fries taste similar to sweet potato fries without all the carbs or calories! Potato wedges are faster than wedges because there’s no skin involved: just cut an even amount from each side of a raw potato, then slice down into wedges (as shown above). Make sure your food is cut into evenly sized pieces so everything cooks at about the same time; otherwise, some pieces will burn before others are cooked through! Carrot fries have only recently become popular—they’re crunchy like regular carrots because they’re often sliced lengthwise—and beetroot chips are excellent if you love beets but hate them boiled whole or shredded into salads (I do!). Butternut squash also works well with this method since it creates nice thick slices that don’t break up while frying
Reheated leftovers
If you have leftover food and don’t want to waste it, then the air fryer is your best friend. You can reheat pizza, chicken nuggets, chicken wings, sweet potatoes—anything that’s already been cooked in a pan. But be careful not to overdo it: While you can use an air fryer for reheating leftovers or even cooking meat from raw if necessary (more on this later), never crowd the appliance with too many items at once or they’ll end up soggy instead of crispy.
Frozen chicken goujons
- Frozen chicken goujons: You can cook frozen chicken goujons in an air fryer. The preparation time is about 15 minutes, including defrosting and marinating.
- How to prepare frozen chicken goujons:
- Preheat your air fryer for 5 minutes on the medium setting, then add the chicken to it (you might need to use a spatula).
- When you’re inserting food into the air fryer, be careful not to let anything spill out of it — this can cause burns or fires!
- Place the frozen food on one side of the basket and place other items around it so they don’t touch each other while cooking.
Crispy bacon
In this case you should use a pan that will fit in your air fryer, and place it inside the basket. Cook for 10-12 minutes on 400°F / 200°C – if using frozen, cook for 12-15 minutes at 380°F / 190°C until crispy but not burnt. The bacon can be removed from the pan using tongs or a slotted spoon to drain off excess fat before setting aside to cool and eat cold.
A succulent roast chicken
If you’re looking for a comforting dish that is easy to make and can feed the whole family, look no further than a succulent roast chicken.
Place the chicken in your air fryer, then set the temperature to 400F and choose a timer setting of fifteen minutes (or whichever time suits your schedule). It’s important that you check on the progress of your roast every few minutes to ensure it cooks thoroughly. If it doesn’t appear cooked after 15 minutes, continue cooking until it reaches an internal temperature of 165F (check with a meat thermometer).
Crispy roast potatoes
Roast potatoes are delicious, but they can be pretty labor-intensive. You have to cut up the potatoes, boil them and bake them for 30 minutes or so at 400 degrees F, and then you have to stand there and flip them every few minutes to make sure they don’t burn.
That’s why air fryers are such a godsend: They take care of all that for you in about half the time it would normally take! Just follow these steps:
- Chop your potatoes into 1-inch pieces (or however big your preference is)
- Toss them in olive oil (about 1 tablespoon per pound) to coat then sprinkle with salt
Cauliflower tots
Cauliflower tots are a great way to get the kids to eat their vegetables, and they’re also delicious. They’re super easy to make: all you need is a head of cauliflower and some breadcrumbs. You can cook them frozen or fresh, but either way, they’ll be delicious! Try serving these with ketchup, honey mustard dressing or ranch dressing for dipping!
If you want something more substantial than just cauliflower tater tots then try these other recipes using this nutritious vegetable: Cauliflower Nuggets (AIP) and Cauliflower Pizza Crust (AIP).
BagelsChicken Wings
You can cook many different foods in an air fryer. From chicken wings to bagels, if you want to make a delicious meal, the air fryer is one of the best ways to do it. However, even though air fryers are great for cooking healthy food and can help you cut out some fat and calories from your diet, there are some foods that should never be cooked in one of these devices.
Here’s a list of some things that should never be cooked in an air fryer:
- Hamburger patties
- Fruit pies or other pastry dough items (cooking pastry dough can result in dried out pastry)
Empanadas
Empanadas are a popular Latin American dish consisting of a pastry dough filled with meat or cheese. The filling is usually a combination of ground beef, onions, garlic, spices, and hard-boiled eggs. Empanadas are often served for breakfast or as a snack. There are many kinds of empanadas that can be baked or fried.
The air fryer allows you to make these delicious treats at home with ease!
Mozzarella Sticks
- Dip the mozzarella sticks in flour, then egg, and finally bread crumbs.
- Coat with vegetable oil spray.
- Cook at 400 degrees for 5 minutes. Flip the sticks and cook for another 5 minutes.
Tofu
Tofu is an excellent choice for the air fryer. It’s a versatile ingredient that can be used in savory and sweet recipes alike.
To prepare tofu, drain any excess liquid from it by placing it between paper towels or a clean kitchen towel and pressing firmly. Then slice the tofu into pieces of your desired thickness; thicker chunks will result in chewier texture, while thinner slices will be more crispy.
The best temperature for air frying tofu is 350 F (175 C). You should also prevent the tofu from sticking to the fryer basket by spraying with cooking spray before cooking and then tossing with cornstarch once cooked. The most common way of preparing tofu is by marinating it first—you can use soy sauce or tamari (a gluten-free alternative) as well as various herbs and spices such as garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper or ginger root powder!
Schnitzel
Schnitzel is a traditional Austrian dish made by breading and pan-frying a thin slice of meat. Typically, the cut used is veal or pork; other meats such as venison and chicken can also be used. The schnitzel is usually served with potatoes and vegetables in Austria, whereas many countries around the world serve it with pasta or in sandwiches.
To prepare a schnitzel, place your meat between two pieces of plastic wrap before pounding it out with a mallet until it’s about one quarter inch thick (you’ll probably need to do this in batches). Slice the meat into strips about one inch wide by three inches long—just make sure that you don’t cut them too big or they won’t fit in your air fryer! Next, season both sides of each strip with salt, pepper and paprika (if desired).
Once seasoned, dip each strip into beaten eggs followed by bread crumbs or Panko crumbs (depending on personal preference). Air fryer instructions vary slightly depending on brand but most recommend cooking at 400°F for 10 minutes per side if using boneless chicken breasts. For more detailed instructions on how to cook air-fried chicken breasts using an air fryer without drying them out too much—and other tips for getting perfect results every time—check out my article How To Cook Chicken Breasts In An Air Fryer!
Wrapped up
Now that you’ve learned how to use an air fryer, it’s time to get cooking! There are so many things that can be cooked in an air fryer. Some of the best foods for air frying include:
- Chicken and pork chops
- Fish fillets or steaks
- Veggies and potatoes (fries!)
- Eggs (fried hard-boiled eggs are a great snack)
You’ll also want to experiment with baking, grilling, and roasting using your new appliance. You may find yourself using it more frequently than your oven or stovetop, depending on what food you’re preparing. And if it’s something small like cookies, who cares? They’ll come out delicious!
