6 Air Fryer Recipes for Beginners

Air fryers have become a very popular kitchen tool for making a meal healthier for people who love fried foods, just not the extra fat that comes with traditional frying. For those of us just starting out with this new appliance, one of the biggest hurdles we encounter is what to cook in it. Here are 6 air fryer recipes for beginners.

Air Fryer Baked Potatoes

A baked potato can be a perfect meal that is crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. By using an air fryer, you are guaranteed to get the desired result every time. The following recipe is for 4 servings.

Ingredients:

• 4 medium Russet potato (scrubbed, clean, and dried)
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

Instructions

1. Prick each of the potatoes with a fork or sharp knife. Rub the potatoes with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Then, arrange the potatoes in the air fryer basket, making sure to leave ample room around the potatoes for the air to circulate as the potatoes cook.
2. Set the heat to 390^o F and the timer for 30 minutes. At 30 minutes, pull open the air fryer and gently press on the sides of the potato. If it easily yields, the potato is done. If not, return it to the basket and set the timer for up to 10 more minutes. 
3. Split open the baked potatoes with a knife and add your preferred toppings.

Thank you to Add a Pinch for this recipe.

Air Fryer Meatloaf

Meatloaf is one of those scrumptious dishes that can be categorized as comfort foods. Although it is quite easy to bake a meatloaf in an oven, nothing could beat the convenience of an air fryer. In addition to that, air fryer also increases the time-efficiency of the baking process. The following recipe is for 8 servings.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup fresh soft bread crumbs
• ¼ cup beef broth
• ½ cup chopped mushrooms
• 2 cloves garlic
• ½ cup shredded carrots
• 2 eggs lightly beaten
• ½ cup chopped onions
• 3 Tbsp ketchup
• 1 Tbsp Dijon-style mustard
• 1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• ½ tsp kosher salt
• 2 lbs. ground beef

For glaze

• ½ cup ketchup
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• 2 tsp Dijon mustard

Instructions

1. Add breadcrumbs and beef broth to a small bowl and stir until breadcrumbs are coated. Set aside.
2. Add mushrooms, carrots, onions, and garlic and process until finely chopped. Place in a large bowl.
3. Add ground beef, eggs, soaked breadcrumbs, ketchup, Dijon-style mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and salt to a large bowl. Mix with hands until incorporated. Form into a loaf.
4. Preheat Air Fryer to 390 degrees.
5. Place Meatloaf in Air Fryer and cook for 40-45 minutes.
6. While meatloaf is cooking, prepare the glaze by combining ketchup, brown sugar, and Dijon mustard. When there are about 5 minutes left on your timer, spread glaze over meatloaf in Air Fryer.
7. Remove and allow the meatloaf to rest for 10 minutes before slicing.

Thank you to My Forking Life for this recipe.

Air Fryer Chicken Breast and Potatoes

Are you looking for a balanced dinner that is easy to cook? The following combination of chicken breasts, baby potatoes, and fresh broccoli is just the thing you need. The given recipe is for 6 servings.

Ingredients:

• 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 1 pound baby potatoes
• 1/2 teaspoon herbes de Provence
• broccoli florets
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon dried minced onion
• olive oil spray
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Instructions

1. Mix the salt, garlic powder, herbes de Provence, onions, and pepper together in a small bowl.
2. Place the chicken and potatoes on air fryer cooking trays, and spritz potatoes with olive oil.
3. Season the chicken and potatoes with spice mixture, and spritz chicken with olive oil.
4. Preheat air fryer to 390 degrees.
5. Add chicken and potatoes to air fryer and cook for 20 to 25 minutes, rotating trays halfway through the cooking cycle.
6. Add broccoli during the last 5 to 6 minutes of cook time.
7. Chicken should be at least 165 degrees internally, according to a meat thermometer. If you need to add time, remove potatoes and broccoli to finish cooking the chicken.

Thank you to Meatloaf and Melodrama for this recipe.

Air Fried Breaded Asparagus

There is nothing better than those healthy snacks that are easy to make. The air-fried breaded asparagus fulfills all these requirements perfectly. These tasty fries get ready in less than 10 minutes and have literally NO oil in them. The following recipe is for 2 servings.

Ingredients:

• 16-20 spears asparagus
• 1 medium egg
• 1 tsp water
• 1/3 cup regular breadcrumbs
• 1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
• 1 TBS everything but the bagel seasoning (or garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper, poppy seeds- 1/8 tsp each)
• oil spray

Instructions

1. Prepare the asparagus by cutting or snapping off the hard ends; about 1 inch up the stem and discard those pieces. Wash and dry the asparagus.
2. In a shallow dish, add an egg and a bit of water, then whisk and beat until a little frothy. Add the asparagus and toss around to coat.
3. In a separate shallow dish or bowl, add panko breadcrumbs, regular breadcrumbs, and spices.
4. Add the asparagus spears a few at a time, and toss around until coated. Place them into the air fryer tray. Repeat until all asparagus are coated. 
5. Add fries to the air fryer basket, do not place them too close together. Lightly spray the tops with oil, and close.
6. Set air fryer for 400 degrees and 8 minutes. After 5 minutes, open and carefully flip fries over, then close and cook for the remaining 3 minutes. 
7. Serve with your favorite dipping sauce!

Thank you to Domestic Superhero for this recipe.

Air Fryer Broccoli and Cheese

Do you want to enjoy your roasted salmon or grilled chicken with some crunchy broccoli? You can prepare this delicious side very easily. Simply, bake the broccoli in an air fryer and add a creamy cheese sauce to enhance its flavor. The given recipe is for 4 servings.

Ingredients:

• 6 cups broccoli florets (about 12 oz.)
• Cooking spray
• 10 tablespoons low-fat evaporated milk
• 1 ½ ounces queso fresco (fresh Mexican cheese), crumbled
• 4 teaspoons aj Amarillo paste
• 6 lower-sodium saltine crackers

Instructions

1. Coat broccoli florets well with cooking spray.
2. Place half of the broccoli in the air fryer basket, and cook at 375°F until tender-crisp, 6 to 8 minutes. Repeat with remaining broccoli.
3. Meanwhile, place evaporated milk, queso fresco, aj Amarillo paste, and saltines in a blender. Process until smooth, about 45 seconds.
4. Pour sauce into a microwaveable bowl. Microwave on HIGH until warm, about 30 seconds. Serve cheese sauce with broccoli.

Thank you to Cooking Light for this recipe.

Air Fryer Apple Chips

Homemade apple chips are easily the healthiest chip snack you can ever eat. You can purchase ready-made apple chips from grocery stores but they carry unhealthy ingredients, like extra sugar, oil, and preservatives. A healthy alternative is to bake some apple chips (at home) with an air fryer.

Ingredients:

• 3 large, sweet, crisp apples
• ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• A pinch of salt

Instructions

1. Thoroughly wash the apples in warm water or apple cider vinegar.
2. You can either core the apples or if you are like me just leave the seeds in there.
3. Preheat the air fryer at 390 degrees F.
4. Using a mandolin or sharp knife, cut the apple sideways into 1/8th inch rounds.
5. Mix cinnamon and salt in a bowl.
6. Arrange apples in a single layer and sprinkle or rub some cinnamon and salt mixture.
7. Arrange a single layer of the above apple slices in the air fryer.
8. Cook for 8 minutes at 390 degrees F, flipping sides halfway through. The first batch is ready in 8 minutes. Repeat the above step for other batches.
9. Once you are happy with the crispiness, cool the chips on a cooling rack.
10. Enjoy them as it is or store them into an airtight container.

Thank you to Belly Rules the Mind for this recipe.