65+ of Our Favorite Air Fryer Recipes to Make Immediately

updated Sep 8, 2023
We independently select these products—if you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. All prices were accurate at the time of publishing.
air fryer grilled cheese cut in half on a plate
Credit: Photo: Joe Lingeman; Food Styling: Cyd McDowell

Countertop air fryers are an increasingly popular kitchen gadget. Almost every small appliance maker, including Instant Pot, has gotten into the air frying game, with new models and even air frying lids coming out.

Air fryers work by circulating super-hot air, which quickly and evenly reaches all the surfaces of the food. In other words, it gives food that crispy-fried texture and golden-brown color without having to actually deep-fry anything.

If you’ve joined the air fryer club and need some ideas for new dinner essentials, we’ve got you covered. You can make practically anything that you would fry in an air fryer. It’s great at heating frozen foods, but it’s also fantastic for from-scratch foods, like chicken wings, potato chips, donuts, and extra-crisp cookies. Here, we’ve rounded up more than 65 air fryer recipes to show just how versatile the appliance can be.

Air Fryer Recipes for Beginners

From baked potatoes to ultra-crispy bacon, these are staple recipes you’ll come back to again and again. And they’re a perfect starting point if you’re just getting started with air frying.

1 / 14
Air Fryer Roasted Potatoes
Turn to your air fryer for this impossibly crispy and easy side dish.
Go to Recipe
2 / 14
Air Fryer Hard-Boiled Eggs
The surprising value of cooking an egg in the air fryer is not having to deal with a big pot of water at all!
Go to Recipe
3 / 14
Air Fryer Butternut Squash
For crispy and tender butternut squash in a fraction of the time, use your air fryer.
Go to Recipe
4 / 14
Air Fryer Carrots

In less than 12 minutes, the carrots are hot, blistered, and ready for a squeeze of fresh lemon and herbs.

Go to Recipe
5 / 14
Crispy Air Fryer Baked Potatoes
The high fan speed and concentrated heat of the air fryer makes baked potatoes that are fluffy and tender on the inside and shatteringly crisp on the outside.
Go to Recipe
6 / 14
Air Fryer Grilled Cheese
The air fryer is the answer for always crispy, always gooey grilled cheese sandwiches. Here's how to make them.
Go to Recipe
7 / 14
Air Fryer Green Beans
Air fryers are great for cooking green beans (fresh or frozen!).
Go to Recipe
8 / 14
Air Fryer Tater Tots
These hot and crispy air fryer tater tots taste just like the ones from your favorite burger joint.
Go to Recipe
9 / 14
Crispy Air Fryer Bacon
Want the crispiest bacon possible? Let your air fryer do all the work for you — fuss-free and easily cleanup.
Go to Recipe
10 / 14
Air Fryer Sweet Potato
Even better than the air fryer recipe are the many toppings you can experiement with.
Go to Recipe
11 / 14
Perfect Air Fryer Salmon
These salmon fillets cook up perfectly on all sides in minutes, and the resulting salmon is crisp on the outside and juicy and flaky on the inside.
Go to Recipe
12 / 14
Air Fryer Cinnamon Rolls
These air fryer cinnamon rolls, which start with a tube of crescent roll dough, are ready in a fraction of the time.
Go to Recipe
13 / 14
Air Fryer Tortilla Chips
Turn store-bought tortillas into crispy, restaurant-style chips with an air fryer.
Go to Recipe
14 / 14
Air Fryer Sweet Potato Fries
Crispy-on-the-outside, soft-and-creamy-on-the-inside air fryer sweet potato fries.
Go to Recipe

Air Fryer Chicken

Not only can the air fryer treat to you to impossibly crisp chicken that rivals deep fried, it also makes the juiciest chicken breast.

1 / 8
Air Fryer Chicken Parmesan

This version includes a cheesy improvement to the traditional breading and a tip for making sure the mozzarella melts where it should.

Go to Recipe
2 / 8
Air Fryer Chicken Drumsticks
The best part about these crispy chicken drumsticks is the creamy raita dip.
Go to Recipe
3 / 8
Air Fryer Greek Chicken and Potatoes
Garlic, lemon, dill, and oregano add tons of flavor to a simple chicken and potatoes dinner, and, thanks to the air fryer, everything's crispy-crunchy.
Go to Recipe
4 / 8
Air Fryer Chicken Tenders
For the crispiest chicken tenders, look to the air fryer.
Go to Recipe
5 / 8
Air Fryer Chicken Sandwich
This DIY crunchy, spicy, juicy fried chicken sandwich tastes even better than the deep-fried fast-food versions.
Go to Recipe
6 / 8
Air Fryer Chicken Breast
The air fryer is your answer for always-juicy, always-tender boneless, skinless chicken breasts.
Go to Recipe
7 / 8
Air Fryer Fried Chicken
This fried chicken is basically the number-one reason that you should own an air fryer. It delivers on all the crispy, juicy flavors you’re craving.
Go to Recipe
8 / 8
Air Fryer Chicken Wings
These are some of the juiciest wings you’ll have outside of a restaurant. They’re also some of the crispiest — thanks to being cooked twice. Don’t forget the dipping sauce!
Go to Recipe

Vegetarian Air Fryer Recipes

It you need a quick vegetable side or ultra-crispy tofu, the air fryer has you covered.

1 / 20
Air Fryer Buffalo Cauliflower
This plant-based bar-style snack is unbelievably crispy, thanks to one smart step.
Go to Recipe
2 / 20
Air Fryer Falafel
Falafel, even eaten on its own with a simple dipping sauce, is a treat that hits the spot regardless if you're a vegetarian or not.
Go to Recipe
3 / 20
Air Fryer Broccoli
Air-fry slender stalks of broccoli for a tender and crispy-tipped side dish to serve all year long.
Go to Recipe
4 / 20
Air Fryer Potato Wedges
Old Bay seasoning is the star of this crispy air fryer potato wedge recipe.
Go to Recipe
5 / 20
Air Fryer Cauliflower
Tender, golden brown air-fried cauliflower is the perfect side dish for any meal on your plan.
Go to Recipe
6 / 20
Air Fryer Tofu
Air fryer tofu has those amazing crisp edges that make fried tofu so delicious, but there’s no actual frying with this method.
Go to Recipe
7 / 20
Air Fryer Beets
Air frying beets is a quick and easy way to create a nutritious and colorful side dish.
Go to Recipe
8 / 20
Quick & Easy Air Fryer Asparagus
Air fryer asparagus comes out perfectly tender and crisp every time, with just the right amount of char at the tips. Plus, it's ready in less than 10 minutes.
Go to Recipe
9 / 20
Crispy Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts
All veggies in the air fryer are so good — thanks to the super-hot circulating air, they’re sweeter, crunchier, and more flavorful than roasted vegetables — and Brussels sprouts are no exception.
Go to Recipe
10 / 20
Air Fryer Blooming Onion
If your Outback go-to is a blooming onion, you'll love this air fryer version.
Go to Recipe
11 / 20
Air Fryer Mozzarella Sticks
Never greasy and always satisfying, these mozzarella sticks actually start in the freezer, which helps keep the cheese from melting away in the air fryer.
Go to Recipe
12 / 20
Air Fryer Stuffing Hushpuppies
Here's how to use your air fryer to make near-instant, two-ingredient hushpuppies, which are easier and way less messy than traditional deep-fried hushpuppies.
Go to Recipe
13 / 20
Air Fryer Tofu Nuggets with Smoky Broccoli Recipe
This easy family dinner is the ultimate choice for Meatless Monday. Serve the nuggets with ketchup for the kids and sweet chili sauce for the adults.
Go to Recipe
14 / 20
Air Fryer French Fries
An easy way to make crispy-on-the-outside, creamy-on-the-inside fries, no deep-frying required.
Go to Recipe
15 / 20
Air Fryer Zucchini Chips
Thin and crispy Parmesan zucchini slices served with an herb-yogurt sauce is summer's answer to chips and dip.
Go to Recipe
16 / 20
Air Fryer Squash
This colorful bowl of veggies is the quintessential summer side.
Go to Recipe
17 / 20
Air Fryer Onion Rings
Onion rings are a classic example of how breading just about anything can transform a few humble ingredients into a fun and impressive side dish or snack.
Go to Recipe
18 / 20
Air Fryer Pickles
This any-occasion recipe is an easy, crowd-pleasing appetizer that's sure to get devoured in record time.
Go to Recipe
19 / 20
Air Fryer Eggplant
There are a bunch of ways you can cook eggplant in the air fryer, but crispy fries are the absolute best.
Go to Recipe
20 / 20
Air Fryer Latkes
This super-simple air fryer latkes — made with grated potatoes, onion, matzo meal, and eggs — are just as crispy and delicious as traditional fried latkes.
Go to Recipe

Air Fryer Desserts and Snacks

Don’t forget dessert! The air fryer does that too. And it’s also the best way to make crispy potato chips at home.

1 / 10
Air Fryer Oreo
The best, easiest way to get your fried Oreo fix at home.
Go to Recipe
2 / 10
Honey Toast

The air fryer is one of the best tools to make this easy, yet impressive dessert toast. Finish the freshly baked, hot honey toast with scoops of ice cream and a drizzle of honey.

Go to Recipe
3 / 10
Air Fryer Churro Bites with Chocolate Dipping Sauce
Because the classically fried dessert is made with a pâte à choux batter that can either be baked or fried, it’s perfectly suited to the air-fryer.
Go to Recipe
4 / 10
Air Fryer Chocolate Chip Cookies
Thanks to the high fan speed and concentrated heat of the air fryer, these chocolate chip cookies are crispy on the outside and perfectly gooey on the inside.
Go to Recipe
5 / 10
Easy Air Fryer Donuts
When it comes to desserts, it doesn’t get much easier than these donuts. They have a super smart-shortcut: Take canned biscuit dough, slice it into rounds, and cut the center out. Top them with a cinnamon-sugar mix or your favorite icing, and voilà!
Go to Recipe
6 / 10
Air Fryer Apple Cider Donuts
These super-delicious cakey donuts are an autumn New England treat — but you can enjoy them any time of year, and anywhere you are. All you need is a little apple cider, and some baking ingredients. One bite and you’re strolling through an orchard, picking apples!
Go to Recipe
7 / 10
Air Fryer Apple Chips
The air fryer is the secret to the crispiest apple chips. Tossing the apple slices in cinnamon and nutmeg before frying them gives them warmly spiced flavor (and makes the kitchen smell delicious).
Go to Recipe
8 / 10
Air Fryer Pumpkin Seeds
Roasting up a batch of pumpkin seeds is one of the many delights of autumn.
Go to Recipe
9 / 10
Air Fryer Sweet Potato Chips
These golden savory chips are a favorite snack from the air fryer. Sweet potato slices get super crisp without much added oil and definitely without frying or roasting.
Go to Recipe
10 / 10
Crispy Air Fryer Potato Chips
These easy air fryer potato chips are crispy and perfectly salted — not hot oil required.
Go to Recipe

Air Fryer Dinners

There’s nothing the air fryer can’t turn out for an easy dinner.

1 / 18
Air Fryer Miso-Ginger Salmon

An easy miso ginger marinade adds a ton of flavor to your weeknight salmon dinner.

Go to Recipe
2 / 18
Air Fryer Taquitos
Crispy tortillas rolled around a creamy chicken filling.
Go to Recipe
3 / 18
Air Fryer Spaghetti Squash Parm
Warm, cheesy, perfectly al dente spaghetti squash made at turbo speed in the air fryer.
Go to Recipe
4 / 18
Air Fryer Cornish Hen
A perfect Thanksgiving substitute for turkey for one or two.
Go to Recipe
5 / 18
Air Fryer Meatloaf
This classic savory mix of onion, garlic, Worcestershire, and beef is air fried until juicy in the middle with delightfully crispy crust.
Go to Recipe
6 / 18
Air Fryer Brats
Making golden and juicy bratwurst doesn't get any easier thanks to the air fryer.
Go to Recipe
7 / 18
Air Fryer Tilapia
Crispy air fryer Parmesan- and panko-crusted tilapia is perfect for busy weeknights.
Go to Recipe
8 / 18
Air Fryer Hamburgers
Skip the hassle of the grill and make an extra-juicy hamburger right in the air fryer.
Go to Recipe
9 / 18
Air Fryer Pizza
The air fryer comes in handy when everyone wants a different pizza topping.
Go to Recipe
10 / 18
Air Fryer Steak
Air frying combines the ease of baking with all the deliciousness of pan-searing. The hot, circulating air quickly browns the outside of the steak, resulting in golden-brown edges that mimic a hard sear.
Go to Recipe
11 / 18
Air Fryer Salmon and Brussels Sprouts
Thanks to the air fryer, you can leave the oven off and dig into tender, flaky salmon and super-crispy brussels sprouts in a fraction of the time.
Go to Recipe
12 / 18
Air Fryer Fish
Fish and chips aka the epitome of the pub-food experience.
Go to Recipe
13 / 18
Air Fryer Fried Shrimp
Here's how you can create crispy, crunchy shrimp at home with your air fryer — no hot oil required!
Go to Recipe
14 / 18
Air Fryer Meatballs
These quick and easy air fryer meatballs are as moist and flavorful as they come, thanks to a combination of ground meat and the addition of ricotta.
Go to Recipe
15 / 18
Air Fryer Hot Dogs
Hot dogs get super plump and juicy in the air fryer and snap when you bite into them. Here's how to do it.
Go to Recipe
16 / 18
Air Fryer Mini Calzones
These mini calzones use prepared pizza dough to make delicious pockets filled with cheese and pepperoni that are perfect for parties or after school snacks
Go to Recipe
17 / 18
Air Fryer Pork Chops
Thanks to the convection heat of the air fryer, these breaded pork chops cook up crisp and juicy every time.
Go to Recipe
18 / 18
Air Fryer Scallops
Plump sea scallops in a lemon-dill marinade are an easy weeknight win with the air fryer.
Go to Recipe

What’s your favorite thing to cook in your air fryer? Tell us in the comments.