What can you do in an air fryer


How to Use an Air Fryer (Beginner's Guide)

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Published on December 29, 2021

Wondering how to use your new air fryer? In this beginner’s guide, I’ll walk you through everything you need to know to get started using this versatile kitchen appliance. How to use an air fryer, what you can cook in an air fryer, safety precautions, how to preheat an air fryer, reheating food in the air fryer, how to clean your air fryer, and the best air fryer recipes for beginners.

I held off on getting an air fryer for quite a while. Honestly, I wasn’t sure that I needed another kitchen appliance, given how much I love and use my Instant Pot and slow cooker. But then I finally made the leap into air fryer cooking, and I’m so glad I did!

An air fryer can help you to get quick, healthy, delicious meals on your table. It has the amazing power to make foods extra crispy while using very little oil. Proteins cook up especially tender and juicy. And when it’s hot outside, using an air fryer instead of your oven allows you to cook without heating up your kitchen.

What Can You Cook in an Air Fryer

You can cook just about anything in an air fryer! Proteins like chicken, fish or pork, healthy vegetable side dishes, appetizers such as zucchini fries or chicken wings, and even desserts and baked goods. For some cooking inspiration, see my collection of my best air fryer recipes.

The air fryer is especially suited for cooking foods that you want extra crispy or crunchy, such as French fries, fried chicken and baked potatoes with crispy skins. It’s also one of my favorite ways to cook meats such as steak or chicken, since they always turn out juicy and flavorful.

Jump to my Favorite Air Fryer Recipes

What is an Air Fryer

An air fryer is a versatile kitchen appliance that can air fry, roast, bake, broil, crisp, dehydrate and reheat foods. It’s easy to use, and once you get the hang of it you’ll be hooked on air frying!

There are two main types of air fryers: basket air fryers and air fryer ovens. Basket air fryers have a removable basket in which you put food. Air fryer ovens look similar to a toaster oven and have racks inside on which you put food. Air fryer ovens have more cooking functions and more room for food inside, but they also take up more space in your kitchen. Both types of air fryers work in a similar way.

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.

Air Fryer Safety

It is important to read and follow all of the safety precautions that are included in your air fryer’s manual. Here are a few tips for how to safely use your air fryer:

Best Air Fryer

There are so many air fryers on the market, it can be hard to know which air fryer is best for you. After lots of research, I decided to purchase the Cosori Air Fryer Max XL 5.8 quart air fryer. I am very happy with this air fryer. It has a relatively large square basket that allows for more room for food, which is perfect for my large family. Other popular air fryers include:

How to Use an Air Fryer

How to Preheat Air Fryer

Do you have to preheat your air fryer before cooking? It depends. Most air fryer instruction manuals state to preheat the air fryer before placing food inside it. Preheating can help food to cook properly, similar to how you preheat an oven before placing food inside. If you don’t preheat the air fryer, it may take a few minutes longer to cook and/or food may not brown as well.

With that being said, sometimes I don’t preheat my air fryer. When cooking foods that brown quickly on the edges but take longer to become tender in the center, such as broccoli or Brussels sprouts, I start cooking in a cold air fryer to keep them from burning on the edges before the centers cook through.

How to Reheat in an Air Fryer

Using your air fryer is a great way to reheat foods and crisp them back up. It usually takes only a few minutes to reheat foods in an air fryer. A guideline when reheating is to use a temperature that is about 30 degrees lower than the temperature at which you would air fry to cook the food.

How to Clean Your Air Fryer

Most air fryers have a nonstick coating that helps to make clean up easy.

Air Fryer Recipes for Beginners

Now it’s time to get cooking! To get you started, here are some of my family’s favorite air fryer recipes. Click through the links below for recipes for how to cook chicken, bacon, salmon, pork and more in your air fryer.

If you have questions about how to use an air fryer that were not answered in this air fryer beginner’s guide, leave them in the comments below.

This site contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through these links, I may receive a small commission, at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting Kristine's Kitchen!

8 Surprising Things You Can Make in an Air Fryer…and 6 You Can't

Air fryers are touted as one of the healthiest methods for frying food. We've compiled a list of air fryer recipes that would turn out great…and some that are kitchen nightmares!

Every editorial product is independently selected, though we may be compensated or receive an affiliate commission if you buy something through our links. Ratings and prices are accurate and items are in stock as of time of publication.

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What’s the big deal with air fryers?

At first, the cooking world’s latest craze of air frying might seem too good to be true. Don’t know what it is? We have a longer explanation here, but it’s essentially a device that gives the texture of deep frying with only a fraction of the oil. With such a device comes the promise that “fried” foods don’t necessarily have to be reserved for state fairs and fast food, especially with this healthier alternative. To find out if this device was all it’s cracked up to be, we asked our Test Kitchen pros, “What can you cook in an air fryer?” They let us know what works and what definitely does not.

Check out our Test Kitchen’s entire guide to air fryers.

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Taste of Home

Works Well: Ravioli

The crispy coating on ravioli reaches a whole new level when introduced to this machine. Please do yourself (and your friends and family) a favor and try out this recipe!

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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, you’ll 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.

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Shutterstock / Goncharov_Artem

Works Well: French Fries

If you’re a french fry fanatic, this is the machine for you. Frozen french fries were practically made for air fryers (like our Test Kitchen’s fave model). They turn out crunchy, crispy and baked to perfection, just like air fryer tater tots! With 75% less oil than a deep-fryer, you can eat air-fryer fries without guilt!

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Aris Setya/Shutterstock

Works Well: Egg Rolls

Whether you’re making savory egg rolls for an appetizer or sweet ones for dessert, it can be difficult to nail the balance between a crispy shell and a well-cooked filling. With an air fryer, you don’t have to worry. You’ll end up with a firm, fried texture on the outside without ruining the soft interior.

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MaraZe/shutterstock

Doesn’t Work So Well: Raw Vegetables

While the air fryer can cook up some delicious fried veggies from the freezer, it doesn’t have the same superpower with raw produce. We’ve found they turn out soggy—definitely not the texture you’re going for! These eggplant fries are a delicious exception.

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Melica/shutterstock

Doesn’t Work So Well: Most Greens

We don’t know why you’d want to put lettuce in your air fryer, but throwing unseasoned spinach or romaine in there will just cause it to fly around and make a mess. However, there is one thing you can do with leafy greens…kale chips! Just be sure to coat your greens in olive oil so they’re weighed down when they go into the air fryer.

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GCapture/Shutterstock

Doesn’t Work So Well: Fresh Cheese

Wouldn’t it be great if you could make homemade fried cheese curds with this thing? Unfortunately, you’re out of luck unless you start with something frozen. Just putting cheese in the machine causes it to melt and stick to the air fryer…which only results in a mess. (If that happens, here’s how to clean your air fryer.)

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mikeledray/shutterstock

Doesn’t Work So Well: Battered Foods

Liquid batter will go flying the minute you close up the air fryer. That means you’ll have some trouble making breaded cod, chicken or pork chops, unless you follow an air fryer-specific recipe. Fortunately, we have a list of those right here!

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zefirchik06/shutterstock

Doesn’t Work So Well: Foods with Loose Seasonings

As you can imagine, any herbs or spices that aren’t stuck to your food might not stay put in an air fryer. Hold off on salting, peppering and seasoning your foods until they come out of the device—otherwise, the little bits could get caught in the air fryer’s nooks and crannies, making it harder to clean.

However, if you do make this mistake, it’s not the end of the world: most air fryer pieces are dishwasher safe. Here are more tips for using one.

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KELENY/shutterstock

Doesn’t Work So Well: Feeding a Crowd

While air fryers come in a range of sizes, even the largest model can only fit food for a handful of people, which is why finding the best air fryer size for your needs is crucial. If you have a large family or you plan on using your air fryer for a bigger gathering, you’ll have to make your food in batches. You’ll probably be better off using these dinner recipes guaranteed to feed a crowd.

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ROLAND ANCLA LEGASPI/shutterstock

The Verdict

After consulting this list, you might be wondering whether you should purchase an air fryer for yourself. If you’re a big fan of fried chicken, french fries or even dessert, we suggest you give it a try—especially if you’re interested in the health benefits of forgoing so much oil! However, if you make a lot of roasted veggies or tend to make big-batch meals, an air fryer might not be the ideal device for you.

Originally Published: November 06, 2019

Emma B. Kumer

Emma Kumer is a marathon-runner, magazine-writer, and graphic design addict. She was a digital editorial intern for Taste of Home Magazine for Summer 2017. She is also a junior in Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism.

What can be cooked in an air grill, simple recipes for dishes

Once you try to cook on an air grill, you will not be able to refuse it. It is so convenient, versatile and practical that it can be compared to a compact size convection oven. In an air grill, you can smoke, and cook pastries, and stew, and cook. And all this without the addition of fat and oil.

How to cook with an Airfryer?

Thousands of dishes are prepared on the airfryer at home. Just before starting cooking, you should study its main capabilities and features. The most important thing in it is the cover, in which the heating system, control panel and fan are built. A glass flask plays the role of an oven or chamber. In this flask, the process of cooking takes place. When the device is in operation, a halogen lamp or heating element heats the air inside the flask to the set temperature, and the fan circulates.

Modern aerogrills can not only bake meat, cook cereals and soups, but also dry fruits and berries, smoke foods or preserve them.

There are several modes for preparing different types of food. Modern air grills can not only bake meat, cook cereals and soups, but also dry fruits and berries, smoke food or preserve them.

An interesting feature of cooking is that fat is rendered from meat and poultry and possible additives that some producers may use. All the liquid drains neatly into a separate bowl (if you cook food on a wire rack).

Advantages of the device that make food tastier and cooking more enjoyable:

Airfryer is used instead of an oven, toaster, grill, frying pan, roaster, double boiler and other kitchen appliances. It can defrost and reheat food. Thanks to its compactness, it saves kitchen space, and you can also take it with you on the road.

Food in clay pots is especially tasty - cereals, sour cream, milk, soups, potatoes and mushrooms taste like they are cooked in a real Russian oven. Meat, fish and poultry can be baked on skewers or on a grill.

It is important for every housewife that food does not burn in the air grill at the right temperature. You can set the operating mode and go about your business. Due to the fan, each ingredient will be cooked evenly. This is especially convenient when cooking in breadcrumbs, as they usually burn on the pan.

The secret to making breaded cutlets is as follows: prepared semi-finished products or homemade cutlets are smeared with a little oil and baked on a wire rack for 10 minutes on each side. Wings or kebabs are prepared in the same way.

How to use the Airfryer?

All flask accessories included. Before cooking, you need to place in it (depending on the recipe) either a baking sheet, or a wire rack, or a heat-resistant pan. If space allows, you can place several dishes at once. It is better to cook a whole bird, large pieces of meat or fish on the lower grate.

Before the start of the working process, the temperature mode, cooking time and air circulation intensity are set. A bonus for the cook is the opportunity to observe the whole process through a transparent flask. After cooking is complete, be sure to wash the appliance.

What to cook?

What can be cooked in an air grill at home will take a very long time to list. The main types of culinary goodies include cooking recipes:

Cured meats are interesting and tasty. At home, with the help of an air grill, you can get a rich and special aroma of smoked meats. Experienced chefs advise using alder shavings or "liquid smoke" for the best effect.

To cook smoked fish, cook it as usual: wash it, rub it with salt, brush it with “liquid smoke” and leave it to soak for an hour. After that, we tie it with a rope and lower it into the flask on the grate. The baking temperature for mackerel is set at 180 o C, for carp and other types of fish - about 150 o C. Cooking time is 30 minutes.

For the preparation of smoked meat, the same technology is used as for fish: we wash the meat, rub it with salt, process it with “liquid smoke” and leave it to marinate for an hour. Put the alder shavings into the heated grill and put the meat with the addition of a small amount of water. The dish is cooked for 30 minutes at a temperature of 240 o C with medium fan speed.

The most unusual dish cooked in an air grill will be homemade sprats. To do this, you need: 500 g of sprat sprat, vegetable oil, bay leaf, pepper, salt and alder sawdust. The cooking technology is simple: the processed sprat without entrails and head is salted and poured with oil. The fish is laid out in a bowl in layers and placed on the lower grate. Alder shavings are poured under it. Bake at a temperature of 175 o C for half an hour until a yellow color appears.

Airfryer dishes, delicious airfryer recipes

Airfryer lasagne 3.

2

Airfryer lasagne recipe. Lasagna is an original dish, interesting and very tasty. Its main ingredients are minced meat, potatoes and mozzarella cheese. ...more

3.8

With the advent of smart technology in the house, making preparations has become much easier and more convenient, for example, in an air grill we can easily prepare delicious currant jam and we will make it right in the jars. ...more

Added by: Dashuta 07/22/2014

4.5

If you ever happen to cook pizza in an air grill, remember that the main thing is to keep a close eye on it and remove it in time. In all other respects, the pizza turns out, as usual, tasty and satisfying! ...more

Added by: Alexey Marchuk 08/26/2015

Smoked sea bass 5.0

I suggest smoking sea bass - you will have a great beer snack! I recommend a simple recipe for smoked sea bass in an air grill. ...more

Added by: Marina Shcherbakova 05/20/2015

3.3

The proposed recipe for cooking quails in a mixture of Italian herbs and spices captivated me a long time ago. Since then, I have been preparing this dish on significant holidays or when I want to please my loved ones! ...more

Added by: Ekaterina Matsulina 07/28/2016

4.3

This classic Airfryer Baked Potato recipe will take you some time, but it looks festive and is swept away in no time! This healthy and satisfying dish is not difficult to prepare at all! ...more

Added by: Dasha Petrova 11/18/2013

Air grill omelette 5.0

There are many alternative ways to make an omelette. Can be cooked in a pan, oven or oven. I suggest cooking an omelet in an air grill, it will turn out very magnificent! ...more

3.5

For fans of kitchen appliances, I offer this surprisingly simple recipe for pies in the air grill, which can be made with absolutely any filling to your taste. ...more 5.0

For the sake of cooking such dishes in my house, this miracle of technology for cooks appeared - air grill. The fish in it is simply delicious, and not only fish. But today we will talk about mackerel. ...more

Added by: Povarforlife 04/19/2015

3.9

Let me show you how to cook juicy yet crispy and flavorful Airfryer Chicken Legs for dinner for the whole family. Superbly simple and delicious dish, see for yourself! ...more

Added by: Marina Shcherbakova 12/21/2015

Airfryer turkey thigh 5.0

Airfrying is a great way to get rid of excess calories in your diet. In this recipe, you will learn how to cook airgilled turkey thigh - fried and very tasty! ...more

Added by: Elena Alex 01/12/2019

4.5

In this recipe, I will tell you how to cook puff pastries in an air grill. The recipe is very easy to follow. The pies are fluffy and tender. I recommend cooking this for the joy of loved ones! ...more

Added by: Margarita 10/19/2016

Mushrooms in air grill 4.9

If you decide to treat yourself to a nutritious dish, then the air grilled mushroom recipe is just what you need: tasty, satisfying and simple. Great appetizer for all occasions! ...more

Added by: Ekaterina Matsulina 5.0

Having tried to cook dumplings in air grill according to the proposed recipe, you will solve the problem of fast food forever and will cook food in this way in the most extreme cases. ...more

Added by: Ekaterina Matsulina 11/09/2016

3.8

A large and juicy piece of meat grilled to a golden brown is loved all over the world. But it is not always possible to go outside and cook it on the coals. In such cases, I fry the meat on an electric grill. ...more

Added by: Lesya Fedunova 12/15/2018

Meat in French in air grill 4.7

Recipe for French style meat in an air grill. The meat cooked according to this recipe is tender and incredibly tasty. ...more

4.3

Recipe for mushrooms "stunned" in air grill. As a rule, such mushrooms are very good to cook on a fire, although at home they turn out to be very tasty. ...more

Added by: Alteredego 04/30/2014

Air grilled meat loaf 4.

6

Recipe for meat loaf in air grill. Dishes are prepared very quickly and do not require great culinary knowledge. ...more 3.6

Recipe for cooking "Nests" with red fish. The main ingredient of the dish is potatoes, and salted fish is well suited for the filling. It turns out beautiful and tasty potato baskets. ...more

Added by: Alteredego 12/26/2011

Cottage cheese casserole in chocolate streusel 3.9

Recipe for cottage cheese casserole in chocolate streusel. The main ingredients that are used in the preparation of this dish are cottage cheese, sugar and cocoa. ...more

Air grilled apples 4.1

Air grilled apples can be prepared according to the original recipe, simple and easy. You will get a pleasant, tasty dessert that can be served to both children and adults. Read how to cook! ...more

3.5

Recipe for Crazy Pumpkin. The main ingredients of this dish are: pumpkin, cottage cheese and puff pastry. The dish is very beautiful, healthy and very tasty. ...more

Added by: Alteredego 10/11/2011

Chicken in beer in air grill 3.3

Another amazing recipe for the lucky owners of an air fryer. Incredibly tasty and soft chicken cooked with a secret ingredient. ...more

Added by: Dashuta 05/16/2018

3.7

Airfryer is an amazing thing that helps to prepare many delicious dishes. For example, kebab in an air grill is a lazy chicken kebab, which in terms of its qualities is not inferior to kebab on charcoal. ...more

Added by: Gertruda 05/22/2014

Air grilled potatoes 4.5

I will tell you, probably, the simplest recipe for potatoes in an air grill, and I advise you to try it - delicious, tender, and, moreover, without excess overcooked oil. Fried potatoes are useful, I advise! ...more

Added by: Dasha Petrova 11/16/2013

3.3

I especially like the recipe for french fries in the air fryer due to the golden appetizing crust that forms on the potatoes. So if there is an air grill on the farm - let's get started! ...more 3.2

How to cook marrow caviar in an air grill? The answer is very simple! I will tell you a classic recipe for cooking zucchini caviar in an air grill. A minimum of effort - a great result! ...more

Added by: Vaso 09/16/2013

Air grilled pork ribs 3.7

Pork ribs - what could be better than such an appetizer? The ribs are spicy, crispy and incredibly tasty! Rate it yourself! ...more

Added by: Antares 01/07/2014

4.2

A very simple and quick recipe for cooking delicious crucian carp for those who like to cook in an air grill. ...more

Added by: Dashuta 12/28/2013

Meat in pots in air grill 5.0

With the Airfryer you can cook tasty, tender and juicy meat. I give a recipe for meat in pots in an air grill - I hope you need it! ...more

Added by: Arina Volskaya 11/11/2013

Airfryer peach jam 5.

0

Cooking in an Airfryer is pure pleasure! Easy and hassle free! Would you like delicious jam? Buy a kilogram of peaches and sugar, prepare jars and in half an hour the fragrant jam is ready! ...more 4.6

Airfryer-cooked dumplings are very different from boiled or pan-fried dumplings. Such dumplings are tastier, moreover, they contain fewer calories. I advise you to try! ...more

Added by: Antares 12/20/2013

Pickled mushrooms in air grill 4.7

Easy, simple and delicious! These are the words that describe this recipe. Honey mushrooms are marinated in a cooked marinade, and then fried in an air grill, it turns out very well! ...more

Added by: Alexey Marchuk 09/06/2014

Air grill 5.0

Air grilled meatballs recipe for those who love healthy food - they are steamed, which is better than fried. Meatballs are tender and juicy. ...more

Added by: Marina Shcherbakova 3.4

Cooking red fish always ends in the same way - a tasty and satisfying dish. Below you will find a recipe for cooking chum salmon in an air grill. ...more

Added by: Mengrel12 11/26/2014

Air grilled pilaf 4.4

If you're looking to buy an air grill, this recipe will show you how indispensable it is in the kitchen. Today we will cook delicious pilaf using this smart technique. ...more

Added by: Dashuta 10/24/2013

4.3

I would like to offer a surprisingly appetizing and simple recipe for fish in foil in an air grill with nuts and potatoes. This is a healthy and tasty dish for the whole family. ...more

Added by: Marina Zolottseva 12/27/2014

Porridge in a pot in air grill 5.0

If you have not tried it yourself yet, then take my word for it - porridge in a pot in an air grill is something amazing. Delicious, tender, crumbly porridge with a minimum of effort from you. ...more

4.7

Juicy, fragrant, perfectly cooked boiled pork in an air grill at home. Do you want to treat yourself and loved ones to such a delicacy? Then remember the recipe.


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