The Best Foods To Cook In An Air Fryer
Take a break from chips and make one of our finest air fried things
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Coming up next on T3’s air fryer news feed: the best things to cook in an air fryer, as chosen by me. When I launched this roundup, it was my 3 best things to air fry but because it’s Friday I’ve expanded it to 5 delicious foods and one of them is actually a vegetable! But all the rest are not sorry vegetarians and vegans, I’ll get an article like this done just for you, very soon.
2022 has been a crazy year, not least because I’ve belatedly come to enjoy using air fryers. If you’d asked me last year I’d have said, ‘I’ve got an £800 oven. Why on earth would I want to cook things in a small plastic box with a fan and a heating element in it?’ However, a few portions of perfectly cooked meat and a few very easy post-dinner clean-ups later and I am now the typical late convert. Always telling people they should buy one, with the evangelical air of a door-to-door god botherer. And these are a few of my favourite things to cook in one.
Which Air Fryer Is Best
There are so many models and different brands of air fryers on the market. Ive had mine for many years, and when I was investing in mine, I bought this 5.8 quart XL Cosori model.
I like it because the basket is big so I dont have to cook in as many batches.
There are models on the market now that have double baskets like this 10 quart Ninja Double Basket. Its basically twice as big as my Cosori. Personally, I dont have the storage space for this but if you do, I think it could be a great option!
Foods That Taste Better When Made With An Air Fryer
- Slurrp Editorial
This appliance is well-known for its ability to cook healthy food quickly air fryers cook food in 70% less time than ovens and with 95% less oil than deep frying. Thats also good for your wallet, one might add. Recent research has shown that cooking in electric ovens can be more expensive than cooking in pressure cookers and air fryers.
The air fryer is a modern innovation that is becoming more popular in India. And why not? You can get your favorite dishes faster and a fair bit healthier, from roast chicken to fillet, steak, and fries.
This appliance is well-known for its ability to cook healthy food quickly air fryers cook food in 70% less time than ovens and with 95% less oil than deep frying. Thats also good for your wallet, one might add. Recent research has shown that cooking in electric ovens can be more expensive than cooking in pressure cookers and air fryers. There are simple ways to reduce energy consumption, and electric ovens are a major culprit because they use five times more energy than pressure cookers and air fryers. Cooking in an air fryer is one of the most sustainable kitchen ideas.
What can you cook in an air fryer?
Air fryers can be used to make healthier snacks like sweet potatoes and peppers and more luxurious treats like fried chicken strips or even bacon. It all comes down to personal preference. This is what the experts love about this new kitchen must-have.
Also Check: Ninja Foodi Air Fryer Replacement Parts
Making Crispy Baked Potatoes
We already know that it’s super easy to make fries and tater tots in an air fryer, but what about baked potatoes? Of course, you can always make baked potatoes in the microwave if you’re feeling lazy, but most of the time, they come out kind of soggy if you opt for this method. If you’re looking for a way to get your spuds nice and crispy on the outside, then you need to give air frying them a try. Per AllRecipes, pretty much all you have to do is throw them in the air fryer and let them cook for about 50 minutes. And while yes, this process does take longer than microwaving them, we think the extra time is totally worth it.
When they’re done cooking, you can top your potatoes with whatever toppings you love the best. But the best part is cutting into the potato and feeling that crispy skin break under the pressure of the knife. And our advice? Don’t pick around the skin. When it gets super crispy, it’s totally worth eating along with the rest of the potato.
Air Fryers Can Take Gnocchi From Gummy To Golden
Dang told Insider that she thinks using an air fryer is one of the best ways to prepare premade, frozen gnocchi.
“The first time I tried frozen cauliflower gnocchi, I didn’t get the appeal I just wound up with a gummy mess,” she said. “But when I tried them again in the air fryer, they came out golden and crispy.”
Also Check: What Do You Make With An Air Fryer
Can I Use A Microwavable Container In An Air Fryer
The microwaveable container can be used in an air fryer if it meets the following criteria: The containers must be made of a material that is safe to use in the air fryer, such as ceramic or glass, and not plastic. The container must be able to withstand the high temperatures that are generated in the air fryer. The container must be able to hold the food that will be cooked in it.
Air Fryer Chicken Chimichangas
These chimichangas use whole wheat tortillas paired with leftover rotisserie chicken for a satisfying dinner.
Loaded with fresh pico de gallo, pepper Jack cheese, and sour cream, this dish is so filling, it might just put you in a food coma.
Once youre done assembling, simply place the chicken chimichangas into the air fryer for that added crispiness.
A simple recipe of air fried vegetables is the most ideal side dish for any main course.
Why complicate things when the yummiest recipes are also the most simple ones to make?
While this dish calls for broccoli and cauliflower, the truth is that you can air fry absolutely any vegetable.
With a little bit of oil and your favorite seasonings, this recipe couldnt get any easier!
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Also Check: Cosori Toaster Oven Air Fryer
What Size Do You Need
Heres the rub: Y ou cannot fit a lot of food in basket-type air fryers. You and your air fryer will have a much better relationship if you accept this.
An air fryer with a 1.75- to 3-quart capacity is best suited for preparing meals for one or two people. Dont expect leftovers, either.
Even a large air fryer often needs to run food in batches. If a recipe serves more than two people, youll likely need to cook it in more than one batch.
Recommended Reading: Barber Chicken In Air Fryer
Air Fryer Chicken Tenders
Chicken tenders are a go-to easy meal for many families. Theyre wonderful for dipping and there is a dipping sauce for everyone.
The good news is that you can enjoy these handy little golden strips of wonder without the added oil from frying them.
These chicken tenders are coated in mayonnaise and dijon mustard. Then, theyre dredged in a breadcrumbs and parmesan cheese mixture
Another thing you can try to get the perfect chicken tenders is to marinate them in creamy buttermilk and then coat the tenders in the breadcrumb mixture.
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Air Fryer Chicken Wings
Even people who eat a totally healthy diet seem to have difficulty resisting their favorite flavor of fried chicken wings.
Now, you can enjoy this family favorite with a lot less guilt because you can make them in your air fryer.
One of the easiest healthy air fryer recipes for beginners, crispy chicken wings are perfect to serve for appetizers or an entire meal.
The best part is that you can use a variety of different sauces and flavorings so that everyone has their favorite wing.
Air fryer butternut squash bites can be served as a side dish or over a bed of creamy mashed potatoes.
Either way, this delicacy will melt in your mouth.
You can roast butternut squash bites in the oven, but its lots more satisfying when you make them in the air fryer.
When you cook butternut squash cubes in the air fryer, they come out soft inside but have excellent crispiness on the outside.
These bites are seasoned with paprika and garlic powder.
Have you got a craving for a classic Chick-fil-A Chicken Sandwich but dont want to leave the house?
No problem. You can make this popular sandwich right in your own kitchen with your air fryer.
This copycat recipe for the Chick-fil-A Chicken Sandwich will become a new family favorite before you know it.
For the breading, use garlic powder, paprika, and cayenne pepper for a little kick.
The secret to this sandwich is that the chicken is sauteed in buttermilk and pickle juice.
One of the most popular air fryer dinner recipes is fried chicken.
Crispy Parmesan Air Fryer Brussel Sprouts
If you love brussels sprouts like I do, youll adore this easy recipe! Super-crunchy and dripping with flavor, these sprouts are coated with garlic, olive oil, and Parmesanplus Panko! Yum!
And, thats a wrap! I hope you enjoy the ease of cooking in an air-fryer, and the tasty recipes you can make using it! Its truly one of my favorite ways to make crispy, crunchy food, fast.
Read Also: Grill And Air Fryer Combo
The Best Easy Air Fryer Recipes
Whats your favorite recipe to make in the air fryer? Ive tried to pick one, but I just cant! Frying in my air fryer makes so many of my favorite recipes possible, with no mess. On top of that, the air fryer cooks quickly and gives the food inside a great crispy crunch. It doesnt get better than that!
Whether youre new to air frying or a major fan, I hope youll take a look at this fun recipe roundup and find something you love. Theres something for everyone! Well start with appetizers, move on to main courses, and highlight a few simple side dishes.
Use The Appliance To Make Your Own Kale Chips
Since air fryers use extremely hot air to both cook and remove surface moisture from foods, they’re actually great for making kale chips.
Cummings said he recommends tossing kale with coconut oil and sea salt before adding the leaves to your air fryer.
“The air fryer brings out the aroma of the coconut while keeping the kale chips light,” he explained.
Also Check: Make Frozen Fries In Air Fryer
Works Well: Pumpkin Seeds
Pumpkin seeds, say hello to your new best friend. The air fryer is an easy way to get those yummy little seeds baked to crispy perfection. While traditional methods would take you around an hour to complete, youll save plenty of time by using an air fryer.
No air fryer? No problem. We have a guide to roasting pumpkin seeds the traditional way, too.
Healthy Air Fryer Meals
- And a air fryer Monte Cristo sandwich with air fryer frozen waffle fries are to die for.
The real game changer for us was when we figured out how to make air fryer ground beef!! Then used it to make ground beef egg rolls. I mean, air fryer popcorn chicken was a win but this could be used for a multitude of recipes.
Throw it into a pot of spaghetti or make our favorite chili mac recipe. For a quick meal or fun appetizer, make air fryer oysters that taste like they were deep fried.
You can even cook frozen salmon in air fryer that comes out perfectly. Served with frozen okra in air fryer its a healthy complete meal.
The grease drains away so its super lean, then throw it into spaghetti or make taco meat out of it. Or use it to make a batch of air fryer won tons!
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Air Fryer Frozen Broccoli
Some fresh vegetables, including broccoli, can turn out too dry or too soggy after being cooked in an air fryer. But frozen florets are a whole different story. Frozen broccoli is amazing in the air fryer, says Yoder. You will never want to go back to steamed broccoli again. In an air fryer, the broccoli defrosts and cooks at the same time, making them deliciously crisp-tender instead of limp. To give your stalks slightly crispy tops, spritz them with some olive oil before the last minute or so of cooking. When it comes to broccoli or anything else, heres how long food lasts after you pull it out of the freezer.
LauriPatterson/Getty Images
Best Air Fryer Main Dishes For Dinner
Carl Hanson is a Senior Editor at Allrecipes who has been writing about food and wine for nearly 20 years. He enjoys creating content that informs, entertains, and assists busy home cooks get nourishing meals on the table for their families.
You may already be in on a little secret. Sure, the air fryer makes amazing appetizers and fried foods with a lot less fat. But it’s also a magnificent machine for making main dishes for dinner. And the same benefits are in play: the air fryer gets main dishes done with less fat, less mess, and quick as lightning. We’ve gathered together some of our very favorite dinner recipes for the air fryer, featuring crispy Cajun-style salmon, stuffed chicken breasts with Mexican flair, beautiful BBQ ribs, amazing meatloaf, breaded pork chops, and more. Here are the dinner recipes you crave, ready for the air fryer!
A salmon dinner is ready in about 10 minutes in the air fryer. “This moist and delicious salmon is full of flavor with a hint of sweetness,” says France C. “You may want to add salt before serving if you are using an unsalted Cajun seasoning.”
Easy meets impressive, with delicious results. “Just over 10 minutes in the air fryer gives you juicy, tender chicken breasts filled with spicy veggies,” says Buckwheat Queen. “Serve with fresh pico de gallo and tortillas.”
Also Check: Air Fryer Toaster Oven Convection Oven
How Air Fryers Work
Your air fryer is like an amazing convection oven. Its small, yet mighty, and you can roast, broil, or bake in it. You cannot deep fry in it.
Need a refresher on convection cooking? No problem.
Heat rises, so in a regular oven the top rack is always the hottest spot, which leads to uneven doneness.
In a convection oven, however, fans blow hot air around so the temperature is equalized throughout the oven.
Air fryers arent exactly like convection ovens their airflow is designed to more closely replicate the heat distribution of deep-frying in hot fat. But for our purposes, the convection oven analogy is good enough.
Stuffed Peppers Are An Easy And Versatile Air
Chelsea Knight, chef at Fable Lounge in Nashville, Tennessee, told Insider that stuffed peppers cook well in an air fryer.
“You can use any kind of filling, from a delicious cream cheese to your favorite meat,” said Knight. “I would also suggest wrapping the peppers in bacon.”
For a savory, air-fryer party snack, you can also try stuffing smaller peppers with cubes of mozzarella and serving them with a marinara dipping sauce.
Recommended Reading: What Is The Best Air Fryer Oven On The Market
What Frozen Foods Can You Cook In An Air Fryer
As well as how to cook air fryer corn dogs and frozen mozzarella sticks in an air fryer the best way ever in your kitchen. We share all the things you need to know for success here.
I offer up a bunch in my Ninja Foodi cookbook too if you want to print that out.
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Best Air Fryer Recipes
You can just add some salt and pepper, or our homemade dry rub to this salmon in the air fryer and it comes out perfect every time.
And making a whole chicken in an air fryer has never been easier. Way better than rotisserie.
Then lets move on to something like air fryer chicken parmesan. It is simple and gets that crunch on the outside you love.
Air fryer fried shrimp is delicious with Old Bay seasoning which I love. If you love spicy, give air fryer firecracker chicken a whirl. Paired with fried ravioli without any oil is great.
- Zucchini boats can be made with cheese or meat. Either way it is simple to make and really cheap too.
- Make air fryer hard boiled eggs and make egg salad for lunch.
Want a really quick meal that your kids will love to dress up just the way they want to? Try a frozen turkey burger in air fryer tonight.
- This semi homemade air fryer pizza is a favorite with a fast cook time.
- you can also make it as an air fryer hot pocket which is fun for the kids to eat
You can read our article about Ninja air fryer recipes if you have that specific machine. Many are listed here though.
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