Things to cook with an air fryer

Best Air Fryer Recipes - What To Cook In An Air Fryer

PHOTO: JOEL GOLDBERG; FOOD STYLING: HADLEY SUI

Years ago (before our first air fryer cookbook was even a twinkle in our eye), we were definitely wary of another kitchen gadget. Our kitchens are full enough as it is (with slow cookers, waffle irons, stand mixers…), so anything new has to be great. Turns out, the air fryer is TOTALLY worth it. Our top reasons why: We love deep-fried foods (who doesn’t?!), but we are not about all the oil, mess, and cleanup involved. The air fryer solves all of that, in less than half the time. It turns out the crispiest, crunchiest foods with juiciness still locked in, thanks to hot air convection cooking. Check out this complete list of all our favorite air fryer recipes to see how versatile it truly can be—and if you don't have one yet, consider this your sign to take the plunge!

What’s really wild is how often we use ours. It’s become our go-to for everything from breakfast to dessert, and has even edged out our toaster as our on-counter appliance of choice. Speaking of toast, you can make almost every one of your regular breakfasts in your air fryer. We’re talking omelets, muffins, avocado toast, sausage, bacon, pancakes… We know, INSANE, right?

It’s just as good at helping you make delicious lunches and dinners too. If you’ve got a main dish you want to spend more hands-on time with, pop your sides in the air fryer and let it do all the work. Veggies like broccoli, Brussels sprouts, potatoes, zucchini, mushrooms & onions, and cauliflower all turn out incredible in the air fryer. You can also make your main dish IN the air fryer. It works magic with proteins like tofu, chicken drumsticks, meatballs, pork chops, fried chicken… even steak.

Need a last-minute appetizer? Stick with your favorites, but make them in your air fryer. Check out our crab artichoke stuffed mushrooms, our loaded zucchini skins, our spinach artichoke zucchini bites, or our bacon-wrapped jalapeño poppers for ideas—your air fryer can make them in half their usual time.

And we can’t forget dessert. The air fryer can turn out some really killer options, like a berry crisp, vegan zucchini chocolate cake (so moist!), apple pie “baked” apples, or GF peanut butter chocolate chip cookies. Also should be noted, the air fryer is great for reheating things, especially desserts. Have some leftover pie, and don’t want to turn on your oven to warm it up? Want to serve a warm brownie with your ice cream? Have a baked good that needs livening up? Pop them in your air fryer briefly and you’ll never guess they’re not fresh out of the oven.

For more air fryer inspiration, check out our new bookazine, Easy + Healthy Air Fryer, out now.

PHOTO: JOEL GOLDBERG; FOOD STYLING: HADLEY SUI

1 of 138

Air Fryer Salmon

For the fastest seafood dinner ever, turn to your air fryer. This salmon cooks in just 10 minutes and comes out perfectly tender and flaky on the inside with an amazing top crust. The sweet mustard topping takes this over the top, but feel free to swap for your favorite marinade too.

Get the Air Fryer Salmon recipe.

PHOTO: JOEL GOLDBERG; FOOD STYLING: BARRETT WASHBURNE

2 of 138

Air Fryer Spinach, Roasted Red Pepper, and Goat Cheese Omelet

This veggie-packed omelet really highlights what an air fryer can do. Customize the fillings just like your very own at-home omelet bar. Hot tip: This omelet will look set on top before it’s fully cooked. If you take it out to fold it and there’s still some runny egg on the bottom, just pop it back in the air fryer for another minute.

Get the Air Fryer Spinach, Roasted Red Pepper, and Goat Cheese Omelet recipe.

Parker Feierbach

3 of 138

Air Fryer Potatoes

The air fryer works some kind of magic on potatoes—they get extra crispy all over and stay perfectly soft on the inside. Toss them in just a little bit of oil so all of the seasonings stick to make these the most delic=i potatoes ever.

Get the Air Fryer Potatoes recipe.

PHOTO: JOEL GOLDBERG; FOOD STYLING: HADLEY SUI

4 of 138

Air Fryer Tandoori Turkey Breast

Keeping the bone in and skin on the turkey breast helps to seal in moisture so the outside doesn’t dry out from the intense air fryer heat. Instead you get crispy skin and a super moist, tandoori-spiced turkey breast. 😍

Get the Air Fryer Tandoori Turkey Breast recipe.

Parker Feierbach

5 of 138

Air Fryer Chicken Wings

Fried chicken wings are delicious, but they make a big mess. These air fryer wings are super easy, and they're just as crunchy as the deep-fried kind. We're hooked!

Get the Air Fryer Chicken Wings recipe.

PHOTO: JOEL GOLDBERG; FOOD STYLING: BARRETT WASHBURNE

6 of 138

Air Fryer Everything Bagel Avocado Fries

Meet the love child of two iconic breakfasts: toasted everything bagel with cream cheese and savory avocado toast. Their superpowers combine in these irresistible avocado fries, which rely on the magical air fryer for their crisp texture, rather than deep frying.

Get the Air Fryer Everything Bagel Avocado Fries recipe.

Parker Feierbach

7 of 138

Air Fryer Pork Chops

Most of the time, we don't get very excited over pork chops. Often overdone, they come out dry, sad, and flavorless. Cooking them in an air fryer changes all that. Due to the intense heat circulation that happens, the outside crisps slightly while the inside stays nice and juicy.

Get the Air Fryer Pork Chops recipe.

PHOTO: JOEL GOLDBERG; FOOD STYLING: HADLEY SUI

8 of 138

Air Fryer Berry Crisp

A fruit crisp is one of the best baking tricks in the book: They're easy to make, you can toss in whatever fruit you have in them, and when served with a scoop of good vanilla ice cream, they're a perfect way to end a meal. Now, you can make this delicious summer dessert without even turning the oven on!

Get the Air Fryer Berry Crisp recipe.

Lucy Schaeffer

9 of 138

Air Fryer Chicken Parmesan

The fact that crispy golden chicken can be achieved without the use of any oil whatsoever is amazing (not to mention how quickly the air fryer can do it!). There's no need to turn on your oven or make a whole oily mess on your stovetop: This chicken Parm tastes every bit as good as the traditional version with much less effort to get there.

Get the Air Fryer Chicken Parmesan recipe.

PHOTO: JOEL GOLDBERG; FOOD STYLING: BARRETT WASHBURNE

10 of 138

Air Fryer Lemon Garlic Shrimp

This recipe is a flavor explosion thanks to a slightly spicy lemon-garlic marinade that infuses each bite with flavor. The quick-cooking shrimp (especially in your air fryer) are ideal served with cocktails or to begin a dinner party.

Get the Air Fryer Lemon Garlic Shrimp recipe.

Emily Hlavac Green

11 of 138

Air Fryer Cheeseburger

When we went on the quest to make the world's best burger, we really wish we would have tested out our air fryer version then. With the quick cook time, these stay perfectly juicy and basically beg for a melty slice of cheese. Load it up with your favorite toppings and feel like the burger master you are, without all the smoke in your face.

Get the Air Fryer Cheeseburger recipe.

Erik Bernstein

12 of 138

Air Fryer Tofu

To get crispy tofu you'd typically need to heat up a bunch of oil, worrying about over cooking or a messy cleanup. But, the air fryer makes getting perfect golden brown tofu a cinch.

Get the Air Fryer Tofu recipe.

Parker Feierbach

13 of 138

Air Fryer Donuts

If you've ever had a baked doughnut, brace yourself: These are SO much better. Thanks to the yeasted dough, these taste like freshly fried classic glazed donuts. They are light and airy, but without the extra oil!

Get the Air Fryer Donuts recipe.

PHOTO: JOEL GOLDBERG; FOOD STYLING: BARRETT WASHBURNE

14 of 138

Air Fryer Banana Blueberry Muffins

PHOTO: JOEL GOLDBERG; FOOD STYLING: HADLEY SUI

15 of 138

Air Fryer Orange Chicken

Typically deep- or pan-fried in oil, the option to air fry orange chicken instead saves a ton of calories and fat. Of course, this dish is perfect over rice or whole grains, but if you are looking for a low-carb side, serve this over simple air fried vegetables, letting them soak up the extra sauce in place of grains.

Get the Air Fryer Orange Chicken recipe.

PHOTO: JOEL GOLDBERG; FOOD STYLING: HADLEY SUI

16 of 138

Air Fryer Fried Brown Rice

The best thing about fried rice is that it works better with day-old grains. BUT we found this air fryer recipe works just as well with packaged cooked brown rice. Great news, cheaters!

Get the Air Fryer Fried Brown Rice recipe.

PHOTO: JOEL GOLDBERG; FOOD STYLING: HADLEY SUI

17 of 138

Air Fryer Moroccan-Spiced Carrots

PHOTO: JOEL GOLDBERG; FOOD STYLING: BARRETT WASHBURNE

18 of 138

Air Fryer Tostones with Creamy Mojo Dipping Sauce

Though they’re typically twice fried, these tostones are as crispy as the classic version with a fraction of the fat—and there's no scary pot full of hot oil! The mojo-inspired sauce is so good and easy, you’ll want to make it with or without the tostones. Keep it in your back pocket when you need a quick dip for veggies or chips.

Get the Air Fryer Tostones with Creamy Mojo Dipping Sauce recipe.

PHOTO: JOEL GOLDBERG; FOOD STYLING: BARRETT WASHBURNE

19 of 138

Air Fryer Sweet Potato Hash

Smoked paprika and dill make these supercharged potatoes a savory breakfast-lover’s dream. Change up the spices depending on what’s in the pantry (chili powder would be nice!). This is a pretty powerful breakfast as is, but for extra oomph, add a dollop of Greek yogurt or a poached egg on top.

Get the Air Fryer Sweet Potato Hash recipe.

PHOTO: JOEL GOLDBERG; FOOD STYLING: BARRETT WASHBURNE

20 of 138

Air Fryer Crunchy Chili-Spiced Chickpeas

Crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, these snackable chickpeas are delicious as a crunchy topper for salads, creamy soups, or grain bowls. You can also toss them with hot popcorn for a protein-packed movie snack.

Get the Air Fryer Crunchy Chili-Spiced Chickpeas recipe.

PHOTO: JOEL GOLDBERG; FOOD STYLING: MICAH MORTON

21 of 138

Air Fryer Tuscan Stuffed Mushrooms

These poppable snacks harness umami to the power of three. Savory mushrooms, sweet and tangy sun-dried tomatoes, and nutty Parmesan combine for irresistible bites you’ll be craving long after they’re gone (so make extra!).

Get the Air Fryer Tuscan Stuffed Mushrooms recipe.