The once-beloved saucepan has quickly been overtaken by events and replaced by better, faster, healthier, and more efficient technologies. Take the air fryer, for example.
Air fryers have been trending for a couple of years now as more and more people embrace clean eating. This article will look at how it works alongside some amazing recipes to try out on an air fryer.
Are you toying with the idea of buying an air fryer but don’t know what you would cook in it? This should be the least of your problems; here are 25 recipes you can make on your air fryer.
1. Healthy Air Fryer Chicken and Veggies
These air-fried chicken and veggies are perfect for making an easy keto, low-carb meal in less than 20 minutes.
This meal is absolutely perfect for lazy weekends and those work nights when you would rather not slave away at the stove. When it’s all done, you get a succulent, most plate of chicken and colorful veggies to add color and flavor to your meal. Try this recipe out for chicken wings, things, and chicken breasts. Use this recipe for pork chops as well.
Everything goes into the air fryer, meaning you won’t have several pans to clean afterward.
Ingredients
- 1 pound chicken breast, chopped into bite-size pieces (2-3 medium chicken breasts)
- 1 cup broccoli florets (fresh or frozen)
- 1 zucchini chopped
- 1 cup bell pepper chopped (any colors you like)
- 1/2 onion chopped
- 2 cloved garlic minced or crushed
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon EACH garlic powder, chili powder, salt, pepper
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning (or spice blend of choice)
2. Air Fryer Salmon
This recipe makes your salmon just as you love it; it is tender with a flaky center and perfectly seared edges.
This is another weekday night hit that’s ready in just 10 minutes. Before air frying them, you only need to rub pepper, paprika, salt, and a little olive oil on your salmon pieces.
Plate the salmon with some lemon slices on the side.
Ingredients
- 4 salmon fillets 6 ounces each
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Lemon wedges for serving
- Tartar sauce for serving
3. Crispy Parmesan Buttermilk Chicken Tenders
The parmesan buttermilk chicken tenders recipe is healthy, yummy, and with an unexpected panko and parmesan crunch.
Before the air fryer, these would have to be deep fried, adding more oil onto the tenders. You can now air fry or bake them as a healthier option.
You can also make these in batches over the weekend for the kids to have over the week as they freeze pretty well. However, re-heart them in the oven when eating as opposed to the microwave.
Ingredients
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 3/4 cup buttermilk
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce, divided
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
- 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika, divided
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 1/2 cups panko breadcrumbs
- 1/4 cup ground Parmesan cheese
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- Honey mustard sauce, barbecue sauce, or Ranch dressing, for dipping
4. Air Fryer Sweet Potato Fries
Sweet potatoes contain vitamins, fiber, potassium, and other essential nutrients. Their sweetness is not overpowering and helps them go down faster, especially with young ones.
Their versatility means you can pair them with many other dishes and have them for any meal, breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
You have some control over crispiness as well. The thinner you cut the sweet potato slices before air frying, the crisper they will be, and vice versa.
Ingredients
- 2 medium sweet potatoes peeled
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
5. Air Fryer Sweet Potatoes
We stay with the sweet potato theme a bit longer with yet another sweet hit. This recipe yields fluffy and tender insides, with a nice crisp outside, much like roast potatoes.
Their taste and texture will go with just about anything sweet or sour.
Some suggested toppings to experiment with include chipotle butter, chili, and mash. You can also place them in a burrito with salsa and black beans or eat them with marshmallows or guacamole.
You can refrigerate for 3-4 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
Ingredients
- 3 sweet potatoes
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- salt
- Cinnamon Butter for serving optional
6. Delicious Air Fryer Cauliflower Bites Recipe
Cauliflower goes in either one of two ways for most people. One group hates it with all its might, and another group loves it beyond measure. Unfortunately, many people who hate it have only had the soggy version that can be boring.
This recipe shows you how to make crispy, bite-sized cauliflower bites. These have Italian seasoning and have a panko and parmesan crust.
You can bite on these as a snack or make a dipping sauce. You can also serve them as an appetizer or side dish.
Ingredients
- 1 cup panko
- ¼ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
- 1 Tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1/3 cup melted butter
- 4 cups cauliflower florets (1 medium cauliflower head)
7. Easy Air Fryer Apple Chips
Be warned; this recipe can get addictive pretty quickly as apple crisps are fantastic.
You only need two ingredients for this: apples and ground cinnamon. Even better, no sugar or oil, making this a healthy snack you can indulge in as often as you wish.
Add these to school lunches, after-school snacks, and even breakfast granola and other breakfast cereals.
Ingredients
- 1 apple
- ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
- Pinch of salt
8. Air Fryer Banana Bread
Yes, you can make banana bread in your air fryer, which will be just as delicious.
If you ever get stuck with a bunch of unripe bananas, you have another recipe to use them with. Additionally, you don’t have to fire up your oven in the summer, as an air fryer will do just fine.
Lastly, we bet you always have the ingredients for this recipe in your pantry anyway.
Ingredients
- 2 very ripe bananas (mashed)
- ¼ cup butter (melted)
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup sugar
- 3 Tbsp sour cream
- ¾ tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp Vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 ¼ Cup All purpose flour
9. Air Fried Mexican Street Corn-On-The-Cob Elotes
We are willing to bet that this Mexican street corn on the cob will be a hit with everyone in your household. This delicacy is common in Mexican food festivals and county fairs, and this is your chance to bring it to your kitchen.
Learn to make this delicious recipe with Mexican crema and cotija cheese, and your parties will never be the same.
Quick tip; while you can use frozen corn, always try and use fresh corn for this recipe.
Ingredients
- 4 ears (4 ears) corn, husked
- 2 Tablespoons (30 g) butter, melted (approximately)
- Kosher salt, to taste
- black pepper, to taste
- FOR CHEESE MIXTURE
- 1/3 cup (80 ml) Mexican cream or sour cream
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) mayonnaise
- 1/2 cup (75 g) finely crumbled cotija (or parmesan cheese or feta cheese) plus more for serving
- 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 ml) smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 ml) chili powder, plus more for serving
- 1 teaspoon (5 ml) garlic powder
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) finely chopped cilantro leaves, and extra for garnish (optional)
- 1/4 teaspoon (1.5 ml) kosher salt, or to taste
- fresh cracked black pepper, to taste
- 2 stalks (2 stalks) of green onions, sliced thin
- 1 (1 ) lime, cut into wedges
10. Air Fryer Zucchini Fries
Air fryer vegetables, anyone?
Learn to make easy and healthy, crisp, gluten-free fries in an air fryer.
Most recipes for zucchini fries use eggs as a binding agent, which is a bummer for people who don’t eat eggs. This recipe is eggless. Yay!
It’s also vegan and low-carb (just in case you mind your waistline).
Ingredients
- 250 grams of zucchini cut into ¼ to ½ inch thickness
- 1 tsp salt or to taste
- 2.5 tbsp almond flour
- 2.5 tbsp cornstarch
- ½ tsp red chili powder or to taste
- 1 tbsp oil divided
11. Easy Air Fryer Omelette
This simple air fryer omelet is ready in 6 minutes, meaning you have no excuse to dash off without breakfast again.
If you want to save yourself a couple of minutes in the morning, feel free to cut up your ingredients for the following morning, the night before. Once you place the omelet in the air fryer to cook, set the timer, and get on with your morning prep. You really can’t miss breakfast anymore.
Ingredients
- 2 eggs
- 1/4 cup milk
- Pinch of salt
- Fresh meat and veggies, diced (I used red bell pepper, green onions, ham and mushrooms)
- 1 teaspoon McCormick Good Morning Breakfast Seasoning – Garden Herb
- 1/4 cup shredded cheese (I used cheddar and mozzarella)
12. Crispy Low-Fat air fryer chicken
You will be surprised at how tasty a buttermilk and hot sauce marinade makes this chicken. When it’s done, expect a nice yummy crust encasing the moist, tender meaty bits inside.
Don’t let the simplicity fool you; this is a classic. Aside from crispy chicken, use this recipe for pork chops or pork tenderloin, too; tender on the inside and crunchy on the outside.
Ingredients
- 1 whole chicken cut up, or equivalent parts
- 2 cups buttermilk
- 1 tbs hot sauce
- 1 cup seasoned flour such as Kentucky Kernel flour
- oil for spraying
13. Air fryer turkey burgers
Even the most ardent turkey burger lovers get frustrated at their patties sticking to the grill. However, an air fryer does the job perfectly, and your burger comes out nice and juicy.
And guess what? Nothing sticks to the air fryer basket.
We also throw in a tip to show you a way to cook your ground turkey to make it bind together during cooking. This only takes a few minutes in the air fryer.
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground turkey, 85% lean
- 1 cup butter cracker crumbs
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon chopped chives
- 2 teaspoons seasoned salt
- 4 burger buns
- 4 tablespoons butter, softened
- 4 slices cheese
14. Air Fryer Cajun Shrimp Dinner
Healthy air-fryer recipes are by no means boring.
This one-pot meal (more like one air fryer meal) has shrimp, sausage, and a bunch of colorful veggies.
After you master the recipe, experiment with different veggies and coconut shrimp.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon Cajun or Creole seasoning
- 24 (1 pound) cleaned and peeled extra jumbo shrimp
- 6 ounces fully cooked Turkey/Chicken Andouille sausage or kielbasa*, sliced
- 1 medium zucchini, 8 ounces, sliced into 1/4-inch thick half moons
- 1 medium yellow squash, 8 ounces, sliced into 1/4-inch thick half moons
- 1 large red bell pepper, seeded and cut into thin 1-inch pieces
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
15. Flourless Air Fryer Onion Rings
Indeed, flourless onion rings are a thing, and they allow gluten-intolerant folks to enjoy this delicacy with the rest of us.
These onion rings are also great for Paleo, Weight Watchers, Slimming World, and Low Carb diet plans.
Ingredients
- 1 Large Onion
- 2 Bread Maker Gluten Free Rolls
- 2 Large Eggs
- 120 g Oat Flour
- 1 Tbsp Basil
- 1 Tsp Garlic Puree
- 1 Tsp Paprika
- ½ Tsp Mustard Powder
- Salt & Pepper
16. Low Fat Air Fryer Pizza
What you will love most about this recipe is that you will get a fresh, homemade pizza in just 30 minutes.
Pizzas made this way have very little, and you get a say on which topping to have, the amount, and how they are prepared. Top that!
Ingredients
- 1 C (120g) All Purpose Flour
- 1/2 tsp Baking Powder
- 1/4 tsp Kosher Salt
- 1/4 tsp Garlic Powder
- 2/3 C (150g) Fat-Free Greek Yogurt
- For the Toppings
- 1/3-1/2 C (80-120g) Pizza Sauce or Marinara
- 1/2 C (56g) Shredded Italian Cheese Blend (mozzarella and parmesan)
- 30g Turkey Pepperoni
- Pinch of Crushed Red Pepper and Oregano (optional)
17. The Best Air Fryer Italian Sausage
Making your sausages in an air fryer might be much easier than any other method. It’s also much faster, and oil is not necessary.
These sausages are guaranteed to be a delight, whether for breakfast or served with pasta, a sauce for dinner, or with veggies.
Ingredients
- 1 pkg uncooked Italian sausage, mild, sweet, or hot
18. Air Fryer Stuffed Mushrooms With Cheese
The only thing that tastes better than mushrooms is mushrooms stuffed with cheese.
These make a yummy snack or appetizer. Making them on an air fryer is super easy, and they come out perfect. What’s better than cheese-stuffed mushrooms? Cheese-stuffed mushrooms topped with bacon bits. If these sound finger-licking, it’s because they are.
You can serve these with asparagus, broccoli, kale, or brussels sprouts for vitamins.
Ingredients
- 8 oz. (227 g) button mushrooms
- 4 oz. (113 g) cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 ml) garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon (1.25 ml) paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon (1.25 ml) chili powder
- 1/4 teaspoon (1.25 ml) salt, or more to taste
- fresh cracked black pepper
- 1/4 cup (30 g) grated cheese, for topping
- minced parsley (optional)
19. Air Fryer Greasy Spoon Home Fried Potatoes
Do you know those yummy Greasy Spoon potatoes? Well, what if we told you we could teach you how to make them at home, only with less fat and fewer calories? This recipe will teach you to do just that.
You can throw in red peppers, and green peppers, or combine green, orange, and red. There is also a special bacon grease tip you will probably want to use each time you make fries.
Ingredients
- 3 large Potatoes scrubbed and diced into 1/2-3/4 cubes
- 1 medium Yellow/Brown Onion diced
- 1 small Red Pepper diced (optional)
- 2 Tablespoons Bacon Grease (or Ghee, Coconut, or Olive Oil)
- 2 teaspoons Sea Salt (or Smoked Salt)
- 1 teaspoon Granulated Onion Powder
- 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
- 1 teaspoon Paprika
20. Best Tofu Air Fryer Recipe
This tofu recipe yields tofu bites with tender insides and nicely crispy on the outside. No breading or cornstarch is required.
If you find tofu bland, the Asian marinade accompanying this recipe injects so much flavor that this might be your next best thing.
Ingredients
- 14 oz tofu extra firm is best
- 1/4 c soy sauce used low sodium
- 1 tbsp garlic chili sauce
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 1 tbsp minced garlic
- sesame seeds garnish
- green onions diced, garnish
21. Best Air Fryer Stuffed Peppers
We need an excellent comfort-food recipe to fall back on those dreary days.
This recipe has peppers stuffed with sausage, rice, ground beef, and cheese. You can add some garlic powder for extra flavor.
Red, yellow, and orange peppers work great for this recipe as they are sweeter than the green variety, but feel free to experiment with all and pick your poison. Feel free to sprinkle some sesame to add a different flavor.
Ingredients
- 4 bell peppers seeds removed, cut in half
- 1 lb ground beef or ground sausage, or half and half
- 1 onion diced
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp basil
- 1 tsp parsley
- 2 tomatoes diced
- 1 c rice cooked
- 1 c cheese shredded
- 1/2 c tomato sauce or spaghetti sauce
22. Best Air Fryer Beets Recipe
Beets contain nutrients and few calories.
However, most people are unsure what to do with beets aside from juicing them and adding them to salads. If you are guilty as charged, here is a new recipe to try out. And yes, this is made in the air fryer.
You can serve these with meatballs, chickpea salad, or other protein.
Ingredients
- 8 slices bread
- 1 c pancake mix
- 1 egg
- 1/4 c water
- 1/2 c milk whole
- 16 slices ham
- 16 slices cheese Swiss, Gouda, or Gruyer
23. Air Fryer Breakfast
Contrary to popular belief, air fryers are not only for making dinners and lunches. You can make your breakfast in an air fryer just as quickly.
You can bake, make eggs, quiches, and so on.
Here are a couple of recipes to try out.
Ingredients
- 3/4 c all-purpose flour
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 egg
- 2 bananas overripe, mashed
- 1/4 c sour cream
- 1/4 c vegetable oil
- 1/2 c sugar
- 1/2 c chocolate chips mini, optional
24. Air Fryer Tilapia
This recipe gives you perfectly flaky, golden brown fish, whether you have fresh fish or frozen fillets.
Many people find breaded tilapia delicious. However, the extra calories and hassle associated with breading aren’t for everyone. You can forgo the panko breadcrumbs, but marinate your fish with salt, pepper, and other ingredients you like.
Still, fish air-fryer recipes are few and far between. That makes this air fryer tilapia recipe very welcome. Best of all, your fish will be ready in 20 minutes.
Ingredients
- 4 tilapia fillets
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
25. Air Fryer Turkey Tenderloin
Turkey is an excellent source of lean protein.
On your plate, you want it tender, juicy, and tasty. This recipe helps you achieve just that with just a dash of oil, seasoning, and your air fryer. If nothing else, this is among the few recipes you need to try.
Ingredients
- (2) 1.5-pound turkey tenderloins
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- salt and pepper to taste
If you are reluctant about buying an air fryer because you think it will waste away on your kitchen counter, think again. Air fryers are relatively easy to use, and there are numerous yummy recipes you can make using them. Let this list of healthy air fryer recipes help you get your feet wet, then broaden your recipe list.
FAQs on Healthy Air Fryer Recipes
Here is a quick snapshot of commonly asked questions on eating healthy with an air fryer.
First of all;
How does an air fryer work?
Despite being called a ‘fryer,’ an air fryer does not fry. Instead, the food you intend to cook goes inside a perforated basket. The appliance then cooks food by blowing hot air around it.
The force of the blown air creates a convection effect which cooks the food and gives it a crunch. It also gives food the same brown exterior you would get from deep-frying.
This cooking method is much healthier as it uses far less oil than deep frying. Air fry
What are good air fryer recipes?
The best air fryer recipes provide clear instructions for making tasty, healthy food from start to finish. The recipes listed above fit that bill.
Which are the best healthy air fryer recipes for beginners?
As a beginner with an air fryer, start with the most straightforward recipes such as – Air fryer chicken tenders, Air fryer salmon or even air fryer brussels sprouts
Do Air Fryers Help with Weight Loss?
Air fryers can support your weight loss efforts by enabling you to cook using very little oil. Either way, you must find healthy recipes like lean meats and veggies. Weight loss is also very heavily dependent on a regular workout plan.
Does cooking normally deep-fried chicken tenders in the air fryer make them healthier?
Yes, it does, albeit indirectly. Deep frying uses more oil than air frying. This makes the latter significantly healthier. An air fryer can help you make healthy meals, but you have to be conscious of the meal and ingredients.
Is Using an Air Fryer Healthy?
Air fryers can be a healthier way of cooking depending because they use less oil. However, what you cook matters just as much as the cooking method.
Are there healthy air fryer recipes for weight loss?
Yes, there are. All the above recipes are considered healthy and good for weight loss because they require the use of very little oil.
However, watch your sides to ensure they are within your caloric threshold.
