What Can You Cook In An Air Fryer? | Beyond French Fries

Most people buy an air fryer hoping for crispier frozen french fries and chicken wings. That works beautifully, but it barely scratches the surface of what the machine can handle.

The truth is an air fryer is essentially a small convection oven. It circulates hot air rapidly, using up to 80% less oil than traditional deep frying. Once you understand the basic settings, you can cook everything from weeknight dinners to weekend treats — meats, vegetables, baked goods, and more.

What Makes An Air Fryer So Versatile

Unlike deep fryers that submerge food in oil, air fryers rely on super-heated air moving at high speed. This creates a crispy outer layer while keeping the inside tender. The result is similar to frying but with much less fat.

The compact size also means preheating takes just two to three minutes — much faster than a full-sized oven. Foods that need intense heat and quick cooking, like chicken tenders or salmon fillets, turn out especially well.

You can also use the air fryer for reheating leftovers. Pizza slices, fried chicken, and roasted vegetables regain their original crispness rather than turning soggy in a microwave.

Why Home Cooks Keep Expanding What They Try

The initial appeal is convenience — set a timer, shake the basket once, done. But the reason people keep using air fryers is the range of results they can achieve without heating up a full oven or dealing with messy oil. Foods that normally require several pans or hours of roasting can come together in 15 to 20 minutes.

• Chicken wings: Turn out crispy on the outside and juicy inside with almost no oil, in about 20 minutes.
• Salmon: Cooks evenly with a crisp skin in under 10 minutes, making it a quick weeknight staple.
• Brussels sprouts: Get caramelized edges and tender centers faster than in an oven, with just a light spray of oil.
• Frozen appetizers: Spring rolls, mozzarella sticks, and onion rings come out much crispier than in a regular oven.
• Baked goods: Cookies, donuts, and even small cakes bake up with a golden crust in a fraction of usual time.

Once you realize the air fryer handles both savory and sweet dishes equally well, the question shifts from “what can you cook” to “what can’t you try next.”

Best Foods For Beginners And Regular Use

If you’re new to air frying, starting with familiar foods builds confidence. Chicken breasts and thighs cook evenly with a simple seasoning. Tofu becomes crispy on the outside and chewy inside without requiring pressing or much oil. Even hard-boiled eggs can be “cooked” in the air fryer — just place them in the basket at 270°F for 15 minutes, then transfer to an ice bath.

Vegetables like cauliflower gnocchi and zucchini noodles (zoodles) also work well, thanks to the rapid air circulation that prevents sogginess. A guide from Cooksmarts walks through the best air fryer foods for new cooks, covering proteins, veggies, and meal prep ideas.

For sweet tooth moments, air fryers can handle donuts (from canned biscuit dough), cookies (drop spoonfuls of dough into the basket), and even cinnamon-sugar churros. Desserts often take just 8 to 12 minutes.

These times vary based on size and thickness, but the pattern is consistent: air fryers cook most things significantly faster than a conventional oven, with less energy and cleanup.

How To Get The Best Results Every Time

Success in an air fryer comes down to three habits: don’t overcrowd the basket, shake or flip halfway through, and use a light coating of oil (a spray works best). Crowding blocks airflow and leads to uneven cooking. Shaking ensures every surface gets the hot air circulation. Oil helps browning and crispiness, but you only need a teaspoon or two for most recipes.

1. Preheat the air fryer for 2–3 minutes. This gives an immediate blast of hot air that helps create a crispy crust.
2. Pat proteins dry with paper towels before seasoning. Less surface moisture means better browning, especially for chicken skin or fish.
3. Check food a few minutes before the suggested time. Air fryers run hot, and cooking times are guidelines — rely on visual cues like golden-brown color.
4. Use a meat thermometer for thick cuts. Chicken breasts, pork chops, and steaks are easy to under- or overcook without one.

Following these few steps turns the air fryer from a single-function appliance into a tool you reach for daily, for breakfast through dessert.

Creative Recipes Worth Trying

Beyond the standard options, air fryers open up some creative possibilities. Cajun fried corn on the cob, butternut squash cubes, gnocchi tossed in pesto, and fried deviled eggs are all doable. The rapid air circulation caramelizes sugars in vegetables and creates a crunchy exterior on starches in ways that an oven can’t match without extra oil or longer time.

You can also use the air fryer to make snacks like crispy chickpeas, kale chips, and seasoned nuts. These come together in 10 to 15 minutes with minimal oil and beat store-bought versions on freshness and salt control. A collection of air fryer recipes favorites from The Kitchn lists dozens of meal ideas, from breakfast frittatas to dessert empanadas.

Leftovers get a second life too: refrigerated pizza reheats with a crisp crust and bubbly cheese in just 4 minutes, and leftover french fries become crunchy again instead of limp.

The Bottom Line

An air fryer handles a surprising breadth of cooking tasks — from breakfast eggs to late-night cookies. It excels at crisping foods quickly with less oil and less cleanup than traditional methods. Proteins, vegetables, frozen items, and baked goods all adapt well, making the appliance a genuine multi-tasker rather than a single-trick gadget.

If you’re still unsure what to try next, pick one ingredient you already cook regularly — whether that’s chicken thighs or broccoli — and give it a cycle in the basket. The settings are forgiving, and you’ll quickly see how much faster and crispier the results can be compared to your usual method.