21 Air Fryer Recipes You'll Make Over and Over

These 21 game-changer air fryer recipes include a few surprises—such as hot dogs, frozen rolls, and salmon—that will have you reaching for your air fryer again and again.

By
Robin Shreeves
Robin Shreeves
Robin Shreeves
Robin Shreeves is a food and beverage writer.
Learn about Simply Recipes' Editorial Process
Published May 14, 2023
Robin Shreeves
Fried Chicken in Air Fryer
Nick Evans

There was a time, not so long ago, when air fryers weren't a common appliance in everyone's kitchen. And we managed. But once we got our hands on these powerful kitchen tools that quickly crisp up foods without deep frying them, we were hooked.

Once you've used your air fryer to cook these 21 recipes, you'll think twice about cooking them the traditional way again. These recipes are quick, easy, flavorful, and many of them will save you money. Have you seen the price of crispy chickpeas in the snack aisle of the grocery store? Making them in the air fryer costs a fraction of the store-bought ones.

  • Air Fryer Hot Dogs

    A Plate of Air Fryer Hot Dog in a Bun Topped with Mustard and a Side of Pickles and Pretzels. Next to It Is the Air Fryer Basin with Another Hot Dog in a Bun and a Bowl of Pretzels.

    Simply Recipes / Nick Evans

    In the time it takes you to boil the water to boil hot dogs, they'll be done in the air fryer. They'll also be crispy on the exterior and very juicy on the inside. You can also toast your hot dog buns in just 90 seconds, with the dogs in them. If you want, add a slice of cheddar to the buns before popping them in the air fryer, or top them with pineapple bacon relish.

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  • Air Fryer Baked Potatoes

    Air Fryer Baked Potatoes Topped with Sour Cream

    Simply Recipes / Alison Bickel

    It can take over an hour to bake potatoes in the oven. If you use your air fryer for the potatoes, you can cut that time down to 40 minutes. And your potatoes will have crispy skin and a light and fluffy interior.

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  • Air Fryer Green Beans

    Air Fryer Green Beans with Lemon Zest

    Simply Recipes / Nick Evans

    Looking for a new way to prepare green beans? Before cooking them in the air fryer, toss fresh green beans in olive oil and a seasoned breadcrumb mixture. It gives them a really nice crunch. When they come out of the air fryer, sprinkle with lemon zest, and you'll have your new favorite way to prepare green beans.

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  • Frozen Dinner Rolls

    Dinner rolls in air fryer

    Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe

    Keep your oven free to cook the main course and heat up frozen dinner rolls in your air fryer. The air-fried frozen dinner rolls end up with extra-crispy crusts and warm, fluffy interiors. If you want to jazz them up a bit, during the last minute, brush them with butter and sprinkle them with flaky salt.

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    Continue to 5 of 21 below.

  • Air Fryer Mozzarella Sticks

    air-fried mozzarella sticks with tomato dipping sauce
    Alison Conklin

    The secret to making the best-ever mozzarella sticks in the air fryer is to double coat them and freeze them in between coats. The extra step is worth it. They turn out crunchy and full of flavor—nothing like many of the bland frozen ones from the grocery store that you bake in the oven.

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  • Air Fryer Hamburgers

    Air Fryer Burger on a Plate with Onion Rings

    Simply Recipes / Nick Evans

    Tired of splattering grease all over your stove when cooking burgers on the stovetop? Cook them in the air fryer, and you'll save the splatter. Flip once and add cheese in the last minute, if you want cheeseburgers. While the burgers rest a minute before serving, toast the buns in the air fryer.

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  • Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts

    Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts on a Plate

    Simply Recipes / Alison Bickel

    Soak Brussels sprouts in water for 15 minutes before seasoning and tossing them into the fryer, and you'll avoid burning the edges as they cook. Season them simply with olive oil, salt, black pepper, and crushed red pepper, or add Parmesan or lemon zest. This is an easy, versatile way to cook sprouts.

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  • Air Fryer Bacon

    Air Fryer Bacon on Plate and in Air Fryer

    Simply Recipes / Nick Evans

    Air-fried bacon comes out perfectly crispy in about 10 minutes without splattering grease in your oven, on your stovetop, or on your shirt. Clean up is a breeze, too. This recipe includes a trick to keep the grease rendered out of the bacon from smoking in the air fryer.

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    Continue to 9 of 21 below.

  • Air Fryer Chicken Wings

    Crispy Air Fryer Chicken Wings with Gochujang Sauce on rectangle board sprinkled with sesame seeds with radishes and peas nearby.
    Alison Bickle

    Making wings in the air fryer is faster and crisper than oven-roasting them and also less greasy and messy than deep frying them. These wings aren't your typical Buffalo fair. Dredge them in a salty-spicy gochujang sauce and serve with a toasted sesame mayo with cucumbers and radishes.

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  • Air Fryer Tostones

    Air Fryer Tostones on parchment paper with a bowl of salt nearby.
    Marta Rivera

    These tostones—green plantains that you fry until they are soft, then mash and refry—make great snacks. Toss them in oil and double air fry them. Serve with a simple, but tasty mayo/ketchup/garlic sauce.

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  • Air Fryer Crispy Cauliflower

    crispy breaded air-fried cauliflower over a bed of lettuce with a dipping sauce
    Nick Evans

    Is it an appetizer or a side dish? You decide. Either way, the air fryer makes coated cauliflower super crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. The air fryer is also a convenient way to make cauliflower Buffalo wings.

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  • Air Fryer Salmon

    Salmon with Lemon Slices in Air Fryer

    Simply Recipes / Nick Evans

    Drizzle salmon portions with olive oil and season with lemon pepper, salt, and pepper, and pop the in the air fryer. In 8 minutes, they'll be perfectly cooked and ready to eat. It's the ultimate healthy fast food dinner.

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    Continue to 13 of 21 below.

  • Air Fryer Hash Browns

    Air Fryer Hash Browns on a Plate with a Sunny Side Egg and in an Air Fryer Basin

    Simply Recipes / Nick Evans

    The fact that you don't have to scrape burnt grated potato off a frying pan after eating breakfast is reason enough to use your air fryer for hash browns. If you need another reason, air fryer hash browns—made from fresh Yukon gold potatoes—are delicious, quick to make, and super crispy. If you want a totally pan-free breakfast, serve with microwave poached eggs.

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  • Crispy Air Fryer Chickpeas

    air-fried seasoned, crispy chickpeas in a blue bowl
    Alison Conklin

    Canned chickpeas crisp up perfectly in the air fryer because the air circulates all around them, even on the bottom. And, they're so inexpensive to make. Seasoning options are endless, and we offer four versions—za'atar, spicy, French herb, and Italian.

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  • Crispy Air Fryer Tofu

    Crispy Air Fryer Tofu on a Plate Served with a Bowl of Sauce

    Simply Recipes / Alison Bickel

    Marinate tofu in a soy sauce mixture that doubles as a dipping sauce. Air fry till crispy and serve as a snack or a topping of a grain dish or salad.

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  • Air Fryer Crab Rangoon

    6 crab rangoon with dipping sauce
    Nick Evans

    Take-out crab Rangoon can be hit or miss. Sometimes they're full of crab and cream cheese. Sometimes, the filling is super skimpy. These air-fried versions are always stuffed with a delicious filling. The recipe makes 30 of them, and the uncooked ones freeze really well. You can whip up a batch, air fry 10 of them as a snack, and freeze the rest for another time.

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    Continue to 17 of 21 below.

  • Air Fryer Chicken Nuggets

    Overhead view of Homemade Air Fryer Chicken Nuggets with ketchup and mustard.
    Nick Evans

    What's the ultimate kid-friendly food? Chicken nuggets, right? Air-fried nuggets are crisp, flavorful, and so much tastier than store-bought frozen nuggets. Marinate the chicken in pickle juice before dredging in seasoned flour, egg, and bread crumbs. Make a simple honey mustard sauce for dipping or get fancy and make your own ketchup.

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  • Air Fryer Avocado Fries

    air fryer avocado fries with sriracha ranch sauce
    Nick Evans

    Crispy on the outside and creamy on the inside, you'll turn to these air fryer avocado fries again and again for a healthy snack. Mix ranch with sriracha for a dipping sauce with a little kick.

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  • Air Fryer French Fries

    air fried French fries on a board with side of ketchup
    Alison Conklin

    Make crispy-on-the-outside, soft-on-the-inside French fries in less than a half an hour in your air fryer. Russets are the best potatoes to use for these close-as-you-can get to deep fried French fries without using a deep fryer.

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  • Air Fryer Fried Chicken

    Air Fryer Fried Chicken on a platter

    The payload of air fryer recipes. Fried chicken without the frying and mess. Remember that the cooking time will depend on the size of the pieces and the power of your air fryer. It might be a big help to cut large breasts into 2 pieces so they cook evenly.

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    Continue to 21 of 21 below.

  • Air Fryer Egg Rolls

    Egg rolls in air fryer recipe air fry the egg rolls
    Nick Evans

    Egg rolls always seem like a great idea...until you burn your mouth biting into one because it's steaming hot and dripping with grease. These babies are crispy and dippable without the grease factor.

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