The 55 Best Air Fryer Recipes, from Chicken Wings to Brussels Sprouts
Frying food in hot oil: The results are crunchy and delicious, but we need to be in the right mood (and have the spare time) to deal with the inevitable mess. Enter the air fryer, a miracle appliance that will take you from zero to French fries in mere minutes, using little to no oil. In other words, you can indulge in all your favorite fried foods, minus some of the fat and calories. Read on for the 55 best air fryer recipes to try for newbies and pros alike.
The 16 Best Rated Air Fryers According to Me, a French Fry Enthusiast
1. Air Fryer Chicken Tenders
Lexi’s Clean Kitchen
Time Commitment: 20 minutes
Why We Love It: <30 minutes, gluten free, high protein
Your kids’ all-time favorite dinner just got a whole lot healthier. And thanks to almond flour, the tenders are gluten free, too.
2. Air Fryer French Fries
The Recipe Critic
Time Commitment: 30 minutes
Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, beginner-friendly, vegetarian
Fries for four in 30 minutes? We had a dream about this once. Go heavy on the Parmesan, please.
3. Air Fryer Bacon
Two Sleevers
Time Commitment: 15 minutes
Why We Love It: <30 minutes, <10 ingredients, beginner-friendly, keto-friendly
To reduce the smoke of the bacon grease, put some water, bread or foil at the bottom of the basket.
4. Clean-Eating Roasted Brussels Sprouts
The Gracious Pantry
Time Commitment: 20 minutes
Why We Love It: vegan, <30 minutes, low carb
Just toss them in oil, herbs and seasoning before air frying them until tender. Ta-da.
5. Sweet Potato Cauliflower Patties
Cotter Crunch
Time Commitment: 35 minutes
Why We Love It: vegetarian, beginner-friendly, crowd-pleaser
Combining flaxseeds with arrowroot starch (a vegan-friendly egg substitute) make these cuties gluten-free. Cut the patties up over greens to make a salad or serve them on buns as sandwiches.
6. Air Fryer Buffalo Chicken Wings
The Mom 100
Time Commitment: 35 minutes
Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, high protein, keto-friendly
If you’ve been on the fence about getting an air fryer, let this game day essential be the recipe to sway you.
7. Avocado Fries
Life Made Sweeter
Time Commitment: 40 minutes
Why We Love It: vegan, crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly
Put them on a burger, serve them with eggs or enjoy them solo, dunked in lemony Cajun mayo.
8. Air Fryer Fried Chicken and Waffles
Stay Snatched
Time Commitment: 40 minutes
Why We Love It: kid-friendly, high protein, special occasion-worthy
These frozen waffles and 30-minute wings are beyond easy. Now for the tough part: hot sauce or syrup?
9. Air Fryer Roasted Asian-Inspired Broccoli
Food Faith Fitness
Time Commitment: 30 minutes
Why We Love It: vegetarian, beginner-friendly
Complete with garlic, sriracha and salted peanuts. Substitute agave for honey to make the dish vegan.
10. Air Fryer Salmon Cakes
Food Faith Fitness
Time Commitment: 50 minutes
Why We Love It: low carb, Paleo-friendly, keto-friendly, high protein
Yellow curry powder does all the heavy lifting flavor-wise, while coconut flakes give the cakes their drool-worthy crunch.
11. Air Fryer Pepperoni Pizza
Stay Snatched
Time Commitment: 30 minutes
Why We Love It: kid-friendly, beginner-friendly, <10 ingredients
Five ingredients, ten minutes and all the mozz. Using a whole wheat pita instead of pizza dough saves a ton of time; the air fryer will crisp it up like a charm.
12. Flank Steak with Homemade Chimichurri Sauce
Fork to Spoon
Time Commitment: 40 minutes
Why We Love It: keto-friendly, high protein, special occasion-worthy
Want tender steak with an impressive outer crust? Let the meat rest at room temperature for at least 30 minutes and preheat the air fryer before cooking.
13. Air Fryer Parmesan-Dill Fried Pickle Chips
The Creative Bite
Time Commitment: 30 minutes
Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, vegetarian, kid-friendly
Cool if we have a whole bowl of these with a side of ranch for dinner? Save a few to use on a sandwich for tomorrow's lunch.
14. Air Fryer Parmesan Shrimp
Bitz & Giggles
Time Commitment: 15 minutes
Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, keto-friendly, low carb
Stick the shrimp with toothpicks for a lightning-fast party appetizer or serve them over pasta or rice for a complete meal.
15. Southern-Style Pork Chops
Stay Snatched
Time Commitment: 55 minutes
Why We Love It: high protein, <10 ingredients, beginner-friendly
Letting the pork marinate for 30 minutes its technically optional, but we wouldn't skip it. The buttermilk brine is key for ridiculously crispy breading and tender meat.
16. Air Fryer Chicken Parmesan
Food Faith Fitness
Time Commitment: 30 minutes
Why We Love It: kid-friendly, high protein, beginner-friendly
What’s saucy, cheesy and ready in half an hour? Tonight’s dinner, of course. Serve with a side of pasta or on garlic bread.
17. Bacon- and Cream Cheese-Stuffed Jalapeño Poppers
Stay Snatched
Time Commitment: 15 minutes
Why We Love It: <30 minutes, <10 ingredients, keto-friendly
These handhelds have Super Bowl Sunday written all over them. And since they only take 15 minutes to whip up, you’ll have plenty of time to watch the game undisturbed.
18. Air Fryer Buffalo Cauliflower
Life Made Sweeter
Time Commitment: 40 minutes
Why We Love It: gluten free, vegan, crowd-pleaser
When it comes to vegan appetizers, Buffalo cauli is that b**** for a reason. If you have a small air fryer, be sure to cook the cauliflower in batches for even crisping.
19. Air Fryer Roast Chicken
Bitz & Giggles
Time Commitment: 1 hour
Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, high protein, keto-friendly, crowd-pleaser
The kitchen appliance of the moment can tackle a 4½-pound bird in an hour flat. Do we feel a dinner party coming on?
20. Brown Sugar-Garlic Air Fryer Salmon
The Recipe Critic
Time Commitment: 15 minutes
Why We Love It: dairy free, high protein, <30 minutes, <10 ingredients
Sweet, spicy and oh so satisfying. Dump some asparagus in the basket with the fish to prepare your veggie and protein in one shot.
21. Air Fryer Hamburgers
Spend with Pennies
Time Commitment: 25 minutes
Why We Love It: kid-friendly, <30 minutes, high protein
When it’s too cold out to fire up the grill, lean on the air fryer for burgers with juicy centers and crispy outer crusts. (These use barbecue sauce in the meat.)
22. Air Fryer Potatoes
Feel Good Foodie
Time Commitment: 20 minutes
Why We Love It: <30 minutes, <10 ingredients, vegan, kid-friendly
Munch ’em like wedge fries or serve as a side to beef or chicken. (Warning: Your kids will ask for seconds.)
23. Sicilian Pizza
Grandbaby Cakes
Time Commitment: 3 hours and 5 minutes
Why We Love It: specail occasion-worthy, kid-friendly
The air fryer does all the work of a pizza stone in a fraction of the time. This pie calls for pepperoni, bacon and sausage, so the meat lovers at your table will be thrilled.
24. Air Fryer Fish and Chips
Feel Good Foodie
Time Commitment: 15 minutes
Why We Love It: <30 minutes, beginner-friendly, dairy free
We’ll take ours drenched in lemon juice and malt vinegar, thanks. (Oh, and tartar sauce couldn't hurt either...)
25. Kofta Kebab
Two Sleevers
Time Commitment: 20 minutes
Why We Love It: high protein, <10 ingredients, dairy free
There’s always room on our plate for this Turkish staple. Make the beef in your oven if you don’t have an air fryer, or on the grill if the weather allows.
26. Air Fryer Hardboiled Eggs
Feel Good Foodie
Time Commitment: 20 minutes
Why We Love It: <30 minutes, <10 ingredients, vegetarian
No stinky pot of water required. Who knew you could make breakfast for the week in 20 minutes flat?
27. Air Fryer Coconut Shrimp
Feel Good Foodie
Time Commitment: 25 minutes
Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, <30 minutes, dairy free
Hold the vat of oil—but don’t skimp on the shredded coconut or sweet chili dipping sauce. (Picky eaters can sub ketchup if they'd prefer.)
28. Air Fryer Meatloaf
My Forking Life
Time Commitment: 50 minutes
Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, high protein, dairy free
It doesn’t get more old-school than meatloaf rocking a brown sugar-ketchup glaze. (The kids won't even notice the chopped mushrooms and carrots inside.)
29. Pickle-Brined Chicken Tenders
Feel Good Foodie
Time Commitment: 30 minutes
Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, high protein, kid-friendly
In case you needed another reason to have a jar of pickle juice on deck at all times. The acidity of the brine tenderizes the chicken just right.
30. Air Fryer Sweet Potato Fries
Feel Good Foodie
Time Commitment: 20 minutes
Why We Love It: vegan, <10 ingredients, <30 minutes
The key to consistently crispy fries? Cutting the sweet potatoes uniformly so they cook as evenly as possible. Be sure not to crowd the fryer basket.
31. Air Fryer Carrots
My Forking Life
Time Commitment: 30 minutes
Why We Love It: vegetarian, gluten free, beginner-friendly
Make the carrots savory with a mix of herbs and Parmesan cheese, or sweet with butter and brown sugar.
32. Taco Calzones
The Creative Bite
Time Commitment: 20 minutes
Why We Love It: kid-friendly, high protein, <10 ingredients, <30 minutes
Face it: Your taco Tuesday menu has gotten a tad stale. Don’t worry though, because store-bought pizza dough and taco seasoning can save the day in a flash.
33. BBQ Pork Tenderloin
Fork to Spoon
Time Commitment: 35 minutes
Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, high protein, special occasion-worthy
Your favorite store-bought barbecue sauce will turn extra sticky and caramelized in the air fryer. Serve with rice, greens or rolls.
34. Air Fryer Mozzarella Sticks
The Mom 100
Time Commitment: 25 minutes
Why We Love It: kid-friendly, vegetarian, <30 minutes, <10 ingredients
Treat yourself to a second coating of egg and breadcrumbs: It’ll keep the mozz sticks' breading from dripping through the rack as they cook.
35. Air Fryer BBQ Ribs
My Forking Life
Time Commitment: 40 minutes
Why We Love It: high protein, special occasion-worthy, <10 ingredients
To the age-old question of rub or sauce, this recipe says: ¿Por qué no los dos? The ribs are begging to be plated with mashed potatoes, corn on the cob and mac and cheese.
36. Air Fryer Baked Potatoes
The Mom 100
Time Commitment: 45 minutes
Why We Love It: vegan, <10 ingredients, beginner-friendly
Forget boiling them first to speed up the baking process. Cheddar cheese, bacon bits and sour cream are totally optional (though strongly encouraged).
37. Stuffed Baby Artichokes
Wholesome Yum
Time Commitment: 30 minutes
Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, keto-friendly, low carb, vegetarian
They’re bursting with what’s basically the easiest, cheesiest spinach dip to ever grace your table. (And in case you need help prepping the fresh artichokes...)
38. Air Fryer Grilled Cheese Sandwiches
The Mom 100
Time Commitment: 15 minutes
Why We Love It: <30 minutes, beginner-friendly, kid-friendly, <10 ingredients
The recipe calls for bacon and Mexican blend cheese, but you can switch up the fillings to your heart’s content, be it sliced apples or caramelized onions.
39. Juicy Air Fryer Meatballs
Spend with Pennies
Time Commitment: 30 minutes
Why We Love It: high protein, make ahead, crowd-pleaser
They’re prime for dousing in marinara or pesto sauce…if you don’t eat them all straight out of the basket first, that is.
40. Herb Butter Dinner Rolls
Fork to Spoon
Time Commitment: 10 minutes
Why We Love It: kid-friendly, <10 ingredients, beginner-friendly, crowd-pleaser, <30 minutes
We’ve never seen a quicker glow-up than these butter-brushed frozen rolls dusted with Italian seasoning. (Your guests won't catch on, promise.)
41. Steak Kebabs
My Forking Life
Time Commitment: 25 minutes
Why We Love It: high protein, special occasion-worthy, dairy free
Well, well, well, aren't you fancy? Make sure to stack the baby bella mushrooms, red onions and green peppers evenly so the skewers cook at the same speed.
42. Easy Air Fryer Turkey Legs
Upstate Ramblings
Time Commitment: 35 minutes
Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, high protein, keto-friendly, special occasion-worthy
Let's get medieval, shall we? Odds are the only ingredient you'll need to buy for this 35-minute main is the turkey legs; pantry staples have the rest covered.
43. Air Fryer Zucchini Fries
Momsdish
Time Commitment: 30 minutes
Why We Love It: vegetarian, <10 ingredients, beginner-friendly
Cooking spray, breadcrumbs and Parmesan cheese make these fries dangerously crispy (and snackable). You won't even miss the spuds, trust.
44. Easy Air Fryer Potato Skins
Stay Snatched
Time Commitment: 1 hour and 10 minutes
Why We Love It: beginner-friendly, kid-friendly, gluten free
These potato boats topped with cheese, scallions, bacon and ranch dressing are just the pairing for your famous game day wings. Don't skimp on the from-scratch ranch seasoning.
45. Air Fryer Sausage, Peppers and Onions
Fork to Spoon
Time Commitment: 30 minutes
Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, high protein, low carb
Whether you plate it atop pasta, rice or a soft hoagie roll, this half-hour recipe will quickly become part of your weekly rotation. Might we suggest topping the sausage with melted provolone cheese?
46. Air Fryer Garlic Bread
Upstate Ramblings
Time Commitment: 10 minutes
Why We Love It: <30 minutes, <10 ingredients, vegetarian
A buttery, garlicky, cheesy piece of Texas toast is the ultimate side for ribs, brisket, pulled pork and all the barbecue foods you can think of. Even better, it's basically picky eater-proof.
47. Air Fryer Pork Belly Bites
Momsdish
Time Commitment: 25 minutes
Why We Love It: <30 minutes, keto-friendly, gluten free, dairy free
Eating low-carb never seemed so appetizing. We'll be dunking ours in gochujang mayo and chile crisp, thank you very much.
48. Air Fryer Tortilla Chips
Berry Maple
Time Commitment: 15 minutes
Why We Love It: make ahead, kid-friendly, beginner-friendly, <10 ingredients, gluten free
Use 'em for nachos, crumble them over taco salad or pair them with air fryer roasted tomatillo salsa for dipping.
49. Air Fryer Scallops with Lemon Cream Sauce
Bitz & Giggles
Time Commitment: 30 minutes
Why We Love It: special occasion-worthy, <10 ingredients, beginner-friendly
Yup, even this elegant shellfish recipe is fair game for the air fryer. Simply sear the scallops in a preheated basket and prepare the sauce while they cook.
50. Air Fryer French Toast Sticks
Noble Pig
Time Commitment: 40 minutes
Why We Love It: kid-friendly, <10 ingredients, vegetarian
It's already your picky kid's favorite breakfast, but just wait until they taste this extra crispy version. Pass the syrup, please.
51. Easy Air Fryer Doughnuts
Momsdish
Time Commitment: 15 minutes
Why We Love It: kid-friendly, beginner-friendly, <10 ingredients, make ahead
Can you believe these cuties only take 15 minutes to prepare from start to finish? You can thank store-bought biscuit dough for that. Finish the doughnuts with velvety vanilla glaze or cinnamon sugar.
52. Air Fryer Brownies
My Forking Life
Time Commitment: 20 minutes
Why We Love It: kid-friendly, beginner-friendly, special occasion-worthy
BRB, hunting down the biggest ice cream scoop we own, since these beauts are incomplete without a crown of vanilla or dulce de leche deliciousness.
53. Air Fryer Apple Pie Chimichanga
Noble Pig
Time Commitment: 40 minutes
Why We Love It: kid-friendly, beginner-friendly, special occasion-worthy
It’s basically a fried dessert burrito stuffed with caramel and cinnamon-sugar apples. Need we say more?
54. Air Fryer Oreos
Bitz & Giggles
Time Commitment: 30 minutes
Why We Love It: kid-friendly, <10 ingredients, beginner-friendly
There's no need to cry over spilled batter with this recipe. These carnival-inspired gems are wrapped in store-bought crescent roll dough instead for minimal mess.
55. Maple Pecan Bars with Sea Salt
Two Sleevers
Time Commitment: 40 minutes
Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy, kid-friendly
Scratch your itch for pie in less time than it takes to roll out a traditional crust. Finely chop the pecans for easier slicing once the bars are baked.
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Taryn Pire is PureWow’s associate food editor. A former bartender and barista, she’s been writing about all things delicious since 2016, developing recipes, reviewing restaurants and investigating food trends at Food52, New Jersey Family Magazine and Taste Talks. When she isn’t testing TikTok’s latest viral recipe, she’s having popcorn for dinner and posting about it on Instagram @cookingwithpire.
