Make The Most Of Your Air Fryer
When we think about all of the reasons to love the air fryer, versatility is always at the top of our list. You can use it to make easy appetizers, dinnertime mains, veggies to serve alongside and even chocolate chip cookies for dessert. And, although not everything made in the air fryer is automatically healthy, plenty of your favorites can be made with less fat and oil by utilizing this smart countertop appliance. Youll be surprised at how many different foods you can make in it. You cant go wrong with any of the recipes in this roundup but these kid-friendly chicken fingers are a good place to start. Theyre a healthier alternative to the ones you order from your local pizzeria and guaranteed to please young and old alike.
Air Fryer Chicken Tenders: Air Fryer Chicken Tenders
Bella Electric Hot Air Fryer
The Bella Electric Hot Air Fryer has a 2.6-quart removable basket thats dishwasher-safe and holds up to 2.2 pounds of food, according to the brand. Because it’s smaller, the Bella is better for one or two people instead of a larger family. All you have to do to use the Bella is set the temperature and timer its indicator light will tell you when your food is ready, the brand says. It has a 4.6-star average rating on Amazon, with more than 3,600 customer reviews. It also comes with a two-year warranty, double the warranty lengths of every other air fryer on this list.
Air Frying: The Basics
New to air frying? Ailsa Burt shares her top air frying tips to help you get started.
1. Don’t overfill
“Be careful not to overfill your air fryer basket,” says Ailsa. “This can result in uneven cooking and can leave you with soggy food at the bottom. If you want to cook larger portions, look for an air fryer with a bigger capacity.”
More like this
2. Distribute ingredients evenly
“Try to keep the food in an even layer, as this will ensure the heat circulates and makes the food crispy. If you need to, give the food a shake halfway through cooking.”
3. Be wary of the heating element
“Make sure nothing gets too close to the heating element, as this can easily burn or be a safety hazard,” she adds.
Also Check: Croissant Air Fryer Toaster Oven
Healthy Air Fryer Parmesan Chicken With Broccoli
This chicken gets incredibly crunchy, thanks to a light coating of panko and Parmesan and a quick cook in the air fryer! Serve it with charred broccoli and a tangy yogurt sauce for a healthy and complete meal you can throw together any day of the week.
Get the Recipe: Healthy Air Fryer Parmesan Chicken with Broccoli
Common Mistakes Youre Probably Making With Your Air Fryer
Cleaning it incorrectly or infrequently: Not many of us look forward to cleaning up post-meal. But, to keep your air fryer in decent condition, crumbs should not be left behind. Generally, washing the air fryer with hot soapy water after each use, combined with an occasional soak and light scrub, will help keep your appliance squeaky clean.
Not checking on your air fryer while its cooking: For best results, youll want to periodically check up on your food, which means opening up your air fryer. Most units are designed so you can open them, check on your food, and shake the basket around allowing food to be evenly cooked and crispy without burning or drying it out.
Overcrowding the basket: A mistake a lot of first-time buyers make is filling their air fryer to the brim with food, and expecting it all to magically cook evenly and thoroughly. It is recommended you should never fill your basket more than halfway, so larger portions of foods must be cooked in batches. The general rule of thumb is: resist the temptation to feed a crowd, all in one go.
Not pre-heating: When using an oven to bake or cook, you would usually pre-heat before cooking. Well, the same goes for an air fryer. Spending a few extra minutes waiting for the machine to reach optimum cooking conditions will potentially help you avoid under-baked choc chip cookies or unevenly cooked potato gems.
Also Check: Health Benefits Of Air Fryers
Can I Put Foil In An Air Fryer Safety Advice When Using The Cooking Appliance Explained
As energy bills increase with the rising price cap and the cost of everyday items continue to snowball under inflation, many people are turning to alternative ways of cooking to save energy.
One such cost-effective item is the air fryer, which research has suggested can save roughly £285 a year when used instead of an oven.
Despite being easy to use and highly versatile, many people dont know how to utilise them to their full potential.
Air Fryer Taquitos And Charred Salsa
Taquitos are the ultimate finger foodmini rolled tacos that are warm, cheesy and super crunchy! An air fryer makes this crowd-pleasing snack surprisingly easy to cook up at home. We fill them with chunks of chicken and melty Colby Jack, but you can customize the ingredients to please even the pickiest of eaters with different proteins and cheeses. And while you have the air fryer fired up you can make a delicious charred salsa to serve alongside.
Get the Recipe: Air Fryer Taquitos and Charred Salsa
Also Check: Air Fryer Chicken Strips Frozen
How Does An Air Fryer Work
An air fryer has a heating element that radiates heat and a fan that circulates hot air around the food in the air fryer basket. The hot air circulation allows you to use significantly less oil than you might in the oven, while still getting the crispy foods that you crave. I also find that food browns nicely, giving you delicious flavor, especially on the caramelized edges.
What Are The Pros And Cons Of An Air Fryer
Many people love the air fryer because of its convenience.
It makes cleaning up a breeze. The air fryer is quiet. It is powerful but doesnt make a lot of fuss. It also saves tons of cooking time.
For example, frozen foods cooked in an oven can take 20 or more minutes to cook and an air fryer can cook them in half of the time or less.
Also, your kitchen will not get hot when you use this appliance. So different than cooking with an oven.
But, the biggest draw is that you can fry in a healthier way with up to 75% less fat! Fry without the fat!! YAY!
You May Like: As Seen On Tv Powerxl Vortex Air Fryer
Airfryer Sweet Potato Fries
If you want to mix things up a little bit then these air fryer sweet potato fries are delicious. We also love air fryer frozen sweet potato fries when I dont want to give any real effort to dinner.
The outside is crispy and the inside is fluffy. I love how easy these are to make and thanks to this *potato chipper I can slice the sweet potatoes with ease. We love to turn these into dirty fries by loading them up and then air frying for a couple more minutes. Delicious!
Recommended Reading: Jimmy Dean Air Fryer
Important Tips To Keep In Mind
- Always have the grate in the basket. This allows hot air to circulate around the food, and also keeps the food from sitting in excess oil.
- Air fryers are loud. When its running, youll hear whirring fans.
- Its hands-on. Even browning requires you to remove the basket and shuffle the food around every few minutes.
- It’s fine to pull out the basket for a peek. You can do this at any point into the cooking process. No need to shut off the machine, as it shuts itself off when the basket is out.
- Accordingly, make sure the drawer is pushed all the way in, or it wont turn back on. Youll know, because the air fryer will be suddenly quiet.
- Food cooks fast, faster than youre used to! Its one of the best attributes of the air fryer. Your air fryers manual likely has a handy table of cooking times and temperatures for common foods. The less food in the basket, the shorter the cook time will be the more food, the longer it will be.
- You may need a slightly lower temperature. A lot of air fryer recipes call for lower temperature settings than their conventional counterparts. This might seem fishy, but just go with it. Once again, air fryers get hot very fast and move that hot air around, so a slightly lower temperature will help keep food from getting too dark or crispy on the outside, while still being properly cooked on the inside.
Recommended Reading: Cooks Air Fryer Replacement Parts
Air Fryer Biscuit Egg Sandwiches
PSA: You can and should be cooking refrigerated biscuit dough in your air fryer. Its ready in 10 minutes and the result is much lighter and flakier than the oven-baked version. While youre at it, put beaten eggs and ham into silicone baking cups and air fry them at the same time. Layer with the biscuits, top with hot sauce, and just like that, youll have rich, savory restaurant-worthy egg sandwiches.
Get the Recipe: Air Fryer Biscuit Egg Sandwiches
Air Fryer Potato Chips
These crunchy air-fryer potato chips are a salty, satisfying snack thats a cinch to cook up. A mandoline makes fast work of slicing the potatoes paper thin. Rinsing the sliced potatoes before cooking will remove most of the natural starch and prevent the chips from sticking together don’t skip this step.
Get the Recipe: Air Fryer Potato Chips
Read Also: Best Small Air Fryer Toaster Oven
What Can I Make With My Air Fryer
You can make the regular things like wings and frozen items. Well the question I throw back is, what cant you make in it? I really havent found anything, really. Even our tofu air fryer recipe rocks.
We used to make stuffed bell peppers in the oven but not anymore! After making air fryer stuffed peppers there is no other way.
What Is An Air Fryer
An air fryer can bake and roast just like an oven.
It is similar in size to a deep fat fryer and easily sits on a kitchen countertop.
But unlike a deep fat fryer, it uses rapidly circulated hot air and little to no oil.
The heating elements are only located on top, with a fan circulating the hot air at a high speed, producing a crisp layer on top of the food.
You May Like: Power Xl Air Fryer Oven Pro
Air Fryer Baked Brie With Pesto Sundried Tomatoes And Artichoke Hearts
Thanks to the air fryer, not only does puff pastry get perfectly golden brown and flakey, the overall cook time is a fraction of what it would take in a standard oven. Layered with pesto, sundried tomatoes and marinated artichoke hearts, this crowd-pleaser is loaded with flavor and festive charm.
Get the Recipe: Air Fryer Baked Brie with Pesto, Sundried Tomatoes and Artichoke Hearts
Air Fryer Brown Sugar Ham
This easy ham is perfect for Easter dinner, but why wait for a holiday? The brown sugar glaze–made savory-sweet with apple cider vinegar, yellow mustard and allspice– takes just a few minutes to mix up. And cooking a spiral cut ham in an air fryer produces a delectable, caramelized exterior. Some would say that the leftovers are the best part!
Get the Recipe: Air Fryer Brown Sugar Ham
Don’t Miss: Air Fryer Pro Xl Accessories
Air Fryer Spinach Pepper And Havarti Frittata
You may not have thought to make a frittata in your air fryer, but you can! You’ll get a gorgeous brown crust with a creamy interiorand clever use of a cake pan makes it a cinch to unmold. We used Havarti for its mild flavor and superior melting qualities, but substitute another good melting cheese such as Cheddar, jack or fontina if you like. Serve the frittata warm or at room temperature.
Get the Recipe: Air Fryer Spinach, Pepper and Havarti Frittata
You Dont Check The Foods Temperature
Dont neglect your food safety know-how when you turn on an air fryer. The rules of cooking meat thoroughly apply here just as they would on a grill, oven, or stove surface. Those who think that there is no need to check the internal temperatures when food is air-fried are serving up a recipe for disaster, Zona-Mendola says. You want to make sure that you are practicing the same sanitary precautions, as well as cooking temp precautions, as you would with any other method of cooking. Here are 25 more cooking mistakes that can ruin your food.
Don’t Miss: Cuisinart Toa 28 Compact Air Fryer Toaster Oven
The 25 Best Things To Cook In An Air Fryer
You don’t really need an air fryer, but if you’ve got one, this is what you should cook first.
Air fryers have suddenly found their place on a number of home kitchen counters. The appliance uses convection plus high circulation effectively a small oven with increased air flow to achieve, ideally, the crispy exterior of deep-fried food without the fat content. Really, air fryers are just tabletop convection ovens with a buzz-worthy name, but the countertop gadget works well for any dish that would usually be cooked in an oven or on the stovetop, without producing as much residual heat in your home . Here are 25 things to cook if you’ve got an air fryer.
How Do You Use An Air Fryer
Using an air fryer is really simple, and really you dont even need a full step-by-step guide to understand it. Just take a quick glance below and youll see just how easy this process is.
First, place all your food in the basket. Most air fryers allow for between 2 and 10 quarts but there are some that offer more. When thats done, you can either add a couple of teaspoons of oil or none at all it just depends on what youre making.
When that is sorted, you can set the timer ready to go. Most of the time it will only need to be between 5 and 25 minutes and an air fryer doesnt really need preheating either. The temperature will be between 350-400F, depending on what youre cooking.
Pay attention to the recipe as some will need you to turn the food halfway through the process. When the timer goes off, you can enjoy your food and then worry about cleaning up once you are finished and the air fryer has cooled down.
Don’t Miss: How To Cook Pizza Rolls In Air Fryer
Cheese Can Create A Huge Mess In An Air Fryer
You also want to avoid putting cheese in an air fryer, according to Polak.
“An air fryer is not actually a fryer, so there isn’t the instant outer crust you would get from actually deep-frying cheese for, say, something like a mozzarella stick,” Polak told Insider. “Instead you’ll get a cheesy mess in your fryer.”
What Size Do You Need
Heres the rub: You 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.
Consumer Reports found that the actual capacity of some air fryers was a tad smaller than what manufacturers claimed. This can seem like a drag, but remember, air fryers cook food fast.
Don’t Miss: What Is The Beat Air Fryer
How To Make Hot Dogs In The Air Fryer
- Preheat your air fryer to 390°F/195°C for 3 minutes
- Place your hot dogs in the air fryer.
- Pro tip: For the best results, prick the hot dogs a few times with a fork. This will help them cook evenly and prevent them from splitting.
- Cook for 3 minutes per side
- Gently remove hot dogs from the air fryer using a fork and place them in the prepared hot dog bun. I love my buns toasted.
You Can Cook A Flavorful Steak In An Air Fryer
Yankel Polak, head chef at ButcherBox, told Insider that it’s possible to cook a delicious steak in an air fryer.
“Rub the steak with a little olive oil and a generous amount of salt and pepper before cooking,” he said. “The olive oil helps it get a really good sear and the salt and pepper give a simple, yet satisfying flavor.”
To make sure your steak cooks evenly, Polak said, flip it over halfway through the cooking time. This ensures both sides of the meat have contact with the hot surface of the basket.
Read Also: Baked Potato In Air Fryer
Things You Should Never Cook In An Air Fryer
Air fryers have gained massive popularity due to the convenience and ease of making a wide range of quick meals. Cooking experts recommend using an air fryer to prepare frozen food, bake cookies, and even “fry” bacon. For the uninitiated, an air fryer isn’t actually a fryer at all but more like a countertop convection oven using a bit of oil. The device circulates hot air using an internal fan for faster cooking times than most standard convection or household ovens.
In addition to quicker results, air fryers are designed to be a healthier alternative to regular deep fryers. The air fryer’s health benefits are the result of the reduction of harmful compounds regular deep fryers produce when heating oil to high temperatures. In reality, the eliminated compounds might actually be replaced by other harmful chemicals if food is charred or burned. Reducing heavy oil in general, however, does put people on the path to healthier eating. The Cleveland Clinic found most people reduce their calorie intake by 70 percent to 80 percent on average when using air fryers.
Despite the ingenuity of the device, you’ll want to avoid using an air fryer for some specific foods out there. Results may vary, but some foods will dry instead of fry, overcook, or just create a mess. Home cooks with health and convenience in mind can also get creative to make some of the following foods on the “no” list into a delicious air-fried dish.
