If you love fried food but don’t want the mess and cleanup involved with frying in oil, or want a healthier alternative, look no further than an air fryer. This versatile kitchen appliance uses convection and high circulation to create great-tasting food.
Their growing popularity is not surprising, considering they are quick and easy to use. From sweet to savoury, and breakfast to dessert, there are so many things you can cook in an air fryer - here are some of the best.
Fries or chips
French fries and chips are some of the most popular and easiest things to cook in an air fryer. You can create chips that are fluffy on the inside and crispy on the outside, and without the greasiness that comes with cooking in a deep fat fryer.
Cauliflower tots
Swap out fries or chips for cauliflower tots for an even healthier option, with less fat and fewer carbohydrates than potatoes. Using the air fryer to cook cauliflower tots, you can achieve a lovely crumbly texture.
Empanadas
Typically fried or baked, empanadas can be filled with savoury meats and vegetables, or even fruit and jam for a sweet treat. Cook in an air fryer to achieve beautifully cooked empanadas with a flaky outer layer.
Falafel
Cook up light and fluffy falafel with a crisp exterior, and serve in a pita with hummus, in a salad, or on a bed of rice. Air frying helps to retain the flavour of falafel without the grease that comes with deep-fat frying.
Mozzarella dippers
It is easy to make mozzarella dippers at home with an air fryer, and they will taste better than any frozen ones. The secret to creating delicious mozzarella sticks is to double-coat them with a lightly beaten egg and breadcrumb mixture.
Macaroni cheese
You can easily make creamy macaroni and cheese in an air fryer. When cooking macaroni and cheese in an air fryer, there is no need to boil the pasta separately, so there’s less fuss and less to clean up.
Fish fillets
Cooking battered or breaded fish in an air fryer will result in a crispy batter or crumb, with soft and flaky fish on the inside. You can use any type of fish fillets, but we especially recommend cod, pollock, hake, haddock, or salmon.
Chicken wings
Create great-tasting chicken wings in just 20 minutes with an air fryer. Use seasonings such as lemon, garlic, pepper and mustard to add flavour without marinating the wings. Cooking in an air fryer will result in juicy and tender chicken with a crispy skin.
Bacon
Another favourite among air fryer owners is crispy bacon. Bacon cooked in an air fryer is typically healthier and creates less mess, as you won’t get grease splattered on your hob or stove. Bacon will be cooked in just 7 to 11 minutes, with no need to preheat.
Doughnuts
You can make yourself some fluffy and delicious doughnuts using an air fryer. Use frozen doughnuts or make your own from scratch. Coat with glaze, sugar, cinnamon or chocolate for extra yumminess!
We hope this has given you some food for thought when it comes to thinking up new things to cook in your air fryer. If you haven’t yet got an air fryer, hopefully, we will have convinced you to invest in one, so you can try these delicious air-fried foods and more.
