Air Fryer Recipes

Air fryers are probably one of the most buzzed-about kitchen gadgets — if you know someone who has one, they probably can’t stop talking about how much they love it! So what is an air fryer, and how do you use one? We break it down for you below.

What is an Air Fryer? 

An air fryer is a countertop appliance that works similar to a convection oven. They use a high temperature to bake food quickly. Fans of air fryers appreciate how they require little to no oil but produce results similar to deep-frying, in less time and with less mess to clean up afterwards. 

How Does an Air Fryer Work? 

You put the food you want to fry in a basket, then place it in the machine. The air fryer has a heating device and a fan that circulates hot air around the food. Recipes will vary, but in most cases you’ll want to add some oil to help the food get crispy — anywhere from 1 tsp to 2 tbsp depending on what you are cooking. The quick movement of the hot air helps make the food crispy, and taste like it was deep-fried but without using a lot of oil or having that greasy feel common with most deep-fried foods. 

Is Cooking with an Air Fryer Healthy?

It depends what you are cooking! In general, compared to the amount of oil or fat you’d use to deep-fry foods, cooking them in an air fryer is much healthier. You can enjoy the same texture and taste of fried foods without all the fat and calories. 

Air Fryer Recipes

While air fryers are most often used to cook foods that would normally be fried, such as chicken tenders, french fries, or mozzarella sticks, you can use your air fryer for other cooking too — since it’s essentially a convection oven, it can cook meat, roast vegetables, and cook even some types of baked goods. 

Air fryers are also good for reheating foods — put your previously-fried food in for about 5 minutes at 300 degrees and they won’t have the rubbery or dry texture that often comes when microwaving fried leftovers.

Here are a few air fryer recipes to help you get started:

Nashville Hot Chicken

Pickle juice, hot pepper sauce, breading, spices, and chicken tenderloins combine to make hot and crispy chicken to use in sandwiches or as an entree with a green side salad. 

Sweet Potato Fries 

Preheat your air fryer to 400 degrees. Cut sweet potatoes into thin strips, toss with a bit of oil, garlic powder, paprika, salt, and pepper and cook for 12 minutes. You’ll enjoy flavorful fries packed full of fiber and vitamins B and C. 

Mushroom Roll-Ups

This clever recipe combines chopped portobello mushrooms with spices and cheese, then rolls the mixture into flour tortillas. The tortillas are then baked in the air fryer to make a delicious appetizer.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

If you hate turning on your oven during the summer but still crave fresh-baked cookies, try this air fryer recipe instead! The air fryer is perfect if you like your cookies crunchy with a gooey center. 

Popcorn Tofu

Try these crispy panko-crusted tofu nuggets for your next Meatless Monday. They cook in less than 15 minutes and can be dipped into your favorite sauce. Pair with sweet potato fries for a meal the kids will love too.