Is there more to an air fryer than cooking your typical beige food? It’s a fair question, and one that many people ask when they first see an air fryer in action. You’ve probably seen plenty of people online raving about how great their air fryer is for making chips, chicken nuggets, or fish fingers. The kind of quick, convenient meals we all turn to now and then. But does it stop there? Is that really all an air fryer is good for?
The good news is: absolutely not. While air fryers do an excellent job of crisping up those beige basics, they’re capable of so much more. In fact, with a bit of creativity, you can use your air fryer to make meals that are colourful, full of flavour, and surprisingly gourmet. Think roasted veggies bursting with caramelised edges, vibrant curries, golden halloumi bites, even grilled peaches for dessert. Yes fruit!
The beauty of the air fryer lies in its versatility. Once you understand how it works and how to adjust recipes accordingly, you’ll find that it’s a tool for much more than frozen food. You can create dishes that not only taste amazing but also look great on the plate, packed with fresh ingredients, bold spices, and satisfying textures.
There’s nothing wrong with keeping things simple, and we all love an easy midweek meal. But if you’re ready to go beyond the basics and try something new, your air fryer is more than up to the task. It’s time to embrace its full potential and explore dishes that are as vibrant and exciting as anything from your favourite restaurant.
Here are some of my favourite suggestions for what to cook in your air fryer, beyond just beige!
Vegetables
There are so many vegetables that you can cook in your air fryer. You can do them on their own or as part of a bigger recipe. And you can keep it simple and add a tiny spray of oil or a sprinkle of salt when you want to. Or you can dress up those vegetables and make them into sumptuous starters or side dishes to make your mouth water.
The following work really well cooked in an air fryer:
- Kale
- Tomatoes
- Courgette
- Bell Peppers
- Potato’s – made lots of different ways
- Sweet potato
- Butternut Squash
- Mushrooms
- Aubergine
- Chilli’s
- Pumpkin
- Brussel Sprouts
- Red Onion
- Onion
- Chickpeas
- Carrots
- Asparagus
- Cauliflower
- Broccoli
- Parsnip
And so many more! If I made a list of all the veg that can be cooked in your air fryer, we would be here all day. I’ve included in this list a number of foods that are technically fruits, but which most of us eat as if they are vegetables, read on though for more on fruits.
Think of dishes like stuffed tomato’s, stuffed peppers or chilli’s, roasted vegetable skewers, or a more traditional tray of chopped veg ready to roast, how about roasted chickpeas for a snack? All of these and so much more can be made in your air fryer and you will most likely find that they will cook faster. If you want to recreate some of the flavours you might get from other cooking methods, then think about all the herbs and spices you can add and all that flavour you can easily create.
Fruits
Yes, that’s right you can cook fruits in your air fryer. This will be a whole new world to creating delicious healthy snacks and sumptuous desserts. Fruit might not be the most obvious choice for what to air fry but trust me when I say that once you have tried it, you won’t go back.
Fruits you can try in your air fryer:
- Apples
- Strawberries
- Rhubarb
- Banana
- Pineapple
- Peaches
- Blueberries
- Raspberries
- Watermelon
- Oranges
- Jackfruit
- And more…
It really is all about experimenting when it comes to an air fryer, don’t be afraid that you might mess things up. Just have a little fun.
Fish and Meats
I’m not even going to bother listing them because pretty much most fish and meat can be cooked in an air fryer. You have control over the temperature and time that you cook your food for so you can still go for something tender and juicy or opt for creating something a little more rustic.
You can also cook vegan options like tofu and tempeh in your air fryer so there really is no reason not to be using one. They are incredibly versatile and there are so many options of what to air fry.
Recipes
It’s not just about cooking single ingredients though. You can create some truly lovely dishes. How about beetroot and carrot muffins, or courgette and red pepper kebabs, or mini sausage and red onion tarts, or how about spring rolls, or apples stuffed with strawberries? My mouth is watering just thinking about all of the incredible meals that can be created using the air fryer.
I started out just the way that you probably feel right now: dubious! And I was wondering what I could cook in an air fryer and what benefits it would really bring. I was wondering if it really would be something that I would use on a regular basis, or if it would just be another kitchen gadget gathering dust, and taking up valuable space, in one of my cupboards. But the reality cannot be further from that. I happily use my air fryer most days and I love experimenting and trying out new ideas and recipes with it.
If you head over and check out some of my recipes what you will see is that although they look and sound amazing, and trust me they taste even better, they are also very simple, usually require very few ingredients, and can be made even by beginners. I love to create beautiful food, but I also love to keep it simple when deciding what to air fry.
If you try out my recipes, then be sure to tag me on Instagram on your posts: @airfryeruk
Check out the other articles in my blog including my Autumn air fryer recipes and air frying for beginners. You you can find more of my air fryer recipes in my cookbooks. Visit my Amazon shop front to order your copy.