If you’re new to using an air fryer, we’ve got you covered! These are the best recipes for beginners because they are fail proof, easy and help you learn exactly what your air fryer can do! Simple recipes with great flavor!
Leave a comment below and let us know what your favorite air fryer recipe is!
Air fryers are really popular right now and for good reason. I am literally obsessed with my air fryer (I have several but THIS ONE is my favorite). It makes delicious meals without a mess, cooks in a fraction of time, needs little fat, is easy to clean, and makes great food.
So, what can you make in an air fryer?! We’ve got you covered!
Air Fryer Recipes for Beginners
The collection of air fryer recipes below are great starter recipes. Our beginner recipes are:
- easy to make
- fail proof, these are the tried and true favorites
- selected to show you exactly what you can do with an air fryer
- tried, tested and true so they’ll work perfectly in almost any model
5 Beginner Air Fryer Recipes to Start With
1. Roasted Potatoes
AIR FRYER ROASTED POTATOES are crisp on the outside, tender inside and perfect with almost any meal. You’ll see how much quicker an air fryer cooks compared to an oven and how nice and crisp the outside can get. TIPS: Don’t overcrowd the basket. Fresh garlic can burn so use garlic powder.
2. Chicken Wings
AIR FRYER CHICKEN WINGS are just as good as deep fried with without the splatter of grease. Juicy meat and a crispy exterior. This recipe shows how an air fryer can give results similar to a deep fryer without cooking in grease. Ensure the wings are in a single layer so the air can circulate around them. Wings can also be cooked from frozen.
3. Chicken Breast
AIR FRYER CHICKEN BREASTS are very juicy and flavorful and cook up quickly. You’ll see how fast an air fryer is and how it can make lean meats extra tender. TIPS: Check the chicken early with a meat thermometer, chicken breasts can vary in size from 5-10 oz so cooking time can vary.
4. “Boiled” Eggs
AIR FRYER BOILED EGGS are so easy, require no water and the shells just slide right off. They can be cooked to soft, medium or hard-boiled. This recipe shows the variety of recipes you can make in an air fryer. TIPS: It’s fairly easy but might take one or two eggs to learn the exact time on your specific air fryer.
5. Frozen Foods
FROZEN FOODS You’ll be surprised at just how crispy prepared frozen foods from tater tots to fries to egg rolls are in the air fryer. You’ll love how crisp the air fryer can make things. It also demonstrates cooking in batches.
Tip for Frozen Foods: Cook frozen foods in batches so the air can circulate (don’t overfill the basket). Once cooked, put all batches in the air fryer for 2-3 minutes to reheat before serving.
BONUS BEGINNER TIP
Start by using your air fryer to reheat foods. Anything that is crisp or browned reheats beautifully and just as good as the day it was made.
Reheat pizza, burger patties, fried chicken, leftovers, garlic bead, really almost anything! (Pizza can be reheated at 350°F for 3-5 minutes and I don’t even preheat the air fryer! To me it’s even better reheated than when it’s fresh).
What Else Can You Cook in an Air Fryer
Almost anything and everything that isn’t liquid! Meats, eggs, casseroles, potatoes, leftovers, muffins, breads. Here are our favorites:
Air Fryer Appetizers
We love cooking air fryer appetizers because they’re easy, quick and come out as crispy as deep fried without the mess. Make appetizers from scratch or buy prepared appetizers and serve with your favorite sauces.
Air fryer stuffed mushrooms can be filled with almost anything!
Better than deep fried, the air fryer makes popcorn shrimp easy! Serve with a side of cocktail sauce.
Crispy on the outside, tender on the inside and perfectly snack-able!
Air Fryer Bacon Wrapped Brussels Sprouts are sweet, savory, smoky, salty, crispy perfection.
The air fryer makes Pasta Chips a breeze, no deep fryer needed!
Low carb with big flavor, air fryer Zucchini Skins are loaded with cheese and bacon.
Crispy homemade onion rings in the air fryer are great for snacking (or served next to a burger!).
Wonton wrappers with a savory pork filling are easy to make in the air fryer.
Air Fryer Main Dish Recipes
Dinner is ready in a fraction of the time in an air fryer. Meats come out tender and juicy with a nice crust, crumbs and coatings crisp up beautifully and clean up is a breeze.
Sides
The air fryer is great for potatoes and fries but we also love it for roasting veggies. If you have meat drippings in the bottom of your air fryer (especially from chicken skin) toss it with your veggies before you cook them for an extra boost of flavor.
A Few Surprising Ideas
Did you know you can brown beef in the air fryer, make nachos, desserts, or even boil eggs? Here are a few things you probably didn’t know you could make in the air fryer.
How to Use an Air Fryer
An air fryer is essentially a small convection oven that circulates air. The circulation of the air cooks quickly and creates crispy food and great color in a fraction of the time of baking or roasting.
Air Fryers can come in many forms now, from those that are compact countertop versions, to toaster oven style air fryers, and even new full sized ranges with an air fryer feature. Find our top air fryer choices here.
- Preheat the air fryer if needed.
- Prep the food and place in the air fryer basket ensuring there is space for air to circulate around each piece.
- Set the time and temperature on the air fryer and let it work its magic!
How to Preheat an Air Fryer
An air fryer should be preheated if you’d like to get a nice crisp or color on the outside of your food.
- If your air fryer has a preheat button, press it and you should be able to adjust the temperature. Allow the air fryer to preheat for approximately 5 minutes or until the air fryer indicated it is preheated.
- If your air fryer has no preheat button, set the air fryer to the desired temperature and let it heat for 5-7 minutes. Add the food and reset the timer to the correct time as indicated by the air fryer recipe.
Tips
- Add a touch of oil to get a nice crust on most items.
- Ensure foods are not wet or they will steam instead of crisp. Use a kitchen towel or salad spinner to dry washed veggies.
- Don’t overcrowd the basket or the air won’t circulate properly.
- Shake/Flip as needed, this helps to ensure that items cook evenly.
- Check foods early because air fryers (and even a different shape of meat) can cook at a different rate.
If you’re new to air frying, let us know what your first couple of recipes are and how they turn out! Happy cooking!!
Lots of yummy looking recipes
Thank you so much Marsha! To receive emails with new recipes, you can click here to sign up.
I love finally finding good recipes for my air fryer.
Thanks!!
You’re welcome Michelle! Enjoy the air fryer! We love it.
can you cook frozen battered cod in the air fryer
I haven’t tried it so I can’t say for sure Edith, but I think that should work just fine! You will just want to make sure you cook the cod to an internal temperature of 145°F.
Can you do frozen chicken Kiev in the air fryer and if so, how would you cook it?
Sure you can! I cook frozen stuffed chicken at 380°F for about 18-20 minutes. You’ll want to ensure it reaches 165°F.
Thank you so much for sharing tips and recipes for first time Air Fryers, Miss Holly! I just bought an InstaPot with an Air Fryer as a late Christmas present, and I am looking forward to trying some delicious dishes!
You are very welcome, Shawnae! We can’t wait to hear what your favorite recipes are!