You’ve got an air fryer for Christmas: welcome to the club! But what should you cook first? The possibilities are (almost) endless, but you need to get to grips with your new kitchen bestie with some easier dishes first. So, I’ve picked 10 things every air fryer newbie needs to try first – staples you can, and likely will, use most regularly.
There’s no point in walking before you can run. Every air fryer is different, and each has its own quirks and features, but our list below is made up of things pretty much any air fryer can handle. Whether you want to feed the clan at breakfast, whip up a quick lunch, or impress your loved ones with a mouth-watering roast, this list has got you covered.
If you don’t yet own an air fryer but are thinking of picking one up in the January sales, take a look at our guide to the best air fryers, which includes something for every household and every budget.
1. Bacon
Let’s start with the basics, air fryer bacon is a must-try for every newbie – and it’ll likely become something you do pretty regularly if you’re a meat eater. Air frying bacon is quick, much less messy than oil frying, and results in crispy, delicious bacon almost every time. The best part of air frying bacon? You don’t need any oil at all, the natural fat of the bacon is enough.
All you need to do is line your air fryer basket with a single layer of rashers, being sure not to overlap them as much as possible, and then use the bacon setting on your air fryer (if there is one). If there’s no bacon setting, cook the bacon for five minutes at 200C/392F. If your air fryer is smaller, or you’re cooking a lot of rashers, you may need to do this in batches.
2. Fries
Again, we’re sticking with something more simple, to get you used to cooking with your air fryer. Fries are another staple of any air fryer owner – whether frozen or fresh. Making fresh chips doesn’t take much longer than their frozen counterparts – especially with an air fryer – and can even be a cheaper alternative.
I find Maris Piper potatoes are best for making fries. Wash and peel one potato per person, then cut the potatoes into 1cm (0.3in) thick fries – in my experience, the easiest way to do this is to slice the full potato into about 1cm slices, then cut these chunkier slices into 1cm wide sticks lengthways. At this point, you can submerge the uncooked fries in a bowl of water for a few minutes to remove some of the starch, then pat them dry – but this isn’t a necessity and you can just give them a quick rinse and dry. In a clean, dry bowl, add a tablespoon of your chosen oil (I prefer olive oil) and toss the chips in them. At this point you can add some seasoning if you like, but not too much. Put your chips into the air fryer basket, ensuring it’s not too overcrowded, and set to the recommended chips program or for about 25 minutes at 200C/392F. Give them an occasional shake to make sure they’re cooking evenly.
Fries can be a bit temperamental so you may need to experiment with your air fryer to find the optimal temperature and time.
3. Grilled sandwich/toastie
Want a quick lunch? An air fryer grilled sandwich (or toastie for those of you in the UK) is just what you need. It takes just a few minutes and you can put damn near anything in a toastie – so what’s not to love? There’s not just one recipe for making a toastie in an air fryer, but I recommend Good Food’s air fryer cheese and ham toastie, which elevates a classic. If you want to use different ingredients, simply ensure you butter the outside of your bread slices and put the filling on the non-buttered sides. Then, cook your toastie for 10 minutes at 190C/374F.
4. Chicken wings
While reviewing the Cosori TurboBlaze and Cosori Dual Blaze Twinfry air fryers, I tried out Cosori’s own Louisiana dry rubbed chicken wing recipe – and it’s now my ultimate air fryer go-to. Chicken wings are delicious in an air fryer anyway, but this one is my absolute favorite as it’s easy to do and uses herbs and spices you likely already have in your cupboard if you’re a keen cook. The result is succulent wings that are crispy on the outside and packed with flavor, making them perfect for when you’re hosting or in need of a quick dinner.
5. Baked potatoes
A baked potato is an easy but delicious meal, and your air fryer is going to make it easier to cook them. Simply cover your baked potato in oil, salt, and pepper, prick the skin a few times with a fork, and put it in the air fryer basket for about 40 or 50 minutes at 200C/392F – it may take a bit longer if you want the skin super crispy. Once it’s ready, you can slice it open and add your favorite topping – maybe even some of the bacon you made.
6. Roast potatoes
Who doesn’t love a roast potato? They’re a staple of roast dinners and perfect for cooking in an air fryer. Air fryer roasties are crispy on the outside, but soft on the inside, and so easy to do it’s criminal.
My go-to air fryer roast potato recipe comes from John Kirkwood, whose handy YouTube video gives you step-by-step instructions for making tasty roasties – without having to parboil them. Depending on your air fryer size, and the number of people, you may need to do these in batches, but once they’re done you can easily can your own tasty seasoning. Rosemary and a pinch of salt is an undeniable classic, though.
7. Roast chicken
Once you’ve become more accustomed to your air fryer, making a roast chicken should be easy peasy – just make sure that the chicken you buy is the right size for your air fryer basket. There are lots of ways you can make a roast chicken in an air fryer, but I find Cook It Real Good’s recipe to be the most flavorful I’ve tried. The result is moist meat, with crispy, tasty skin. How long it will take to cook will largely depend on your air fryer model and the chicken’s size, though, so it’s worth checking if it’s at the right temperature with a meat thermometer before you serve.
8. Roast beef
We’ve mastered the chicken, now it’s time for the roast beef. Beef can be hard to get right, especially if you have picky guests who want it cooked a certain way. I find Cosori’s air fryer roast beef recipe is a hit in our house. The finished product has a more American than British feel to it. Like with the chicken, I found recipes that include a lot of dry seasoning are the best for getting a flavorful roast meat with a crispy top – but if you want something more traditional, you can try other options.
9. Veggies
With your meat mastered, you can now start working on air frying some vegetables as a side dish. If you’re lucky enough to have a big air fryer, you may even be able to do both at the same time! The cooking time of vegetables varies with an air fryer, with the likes of carrots, for example, using a different temperature than broccoli. So, I advise (from experience) not to throw all your veggies in together and hope they cook well.
I suggest the best vegetables to try first are carrots. Make sure you don’t cut them up too small or they could fall under your basket, add a tablespoon of oil to them to coat (and any seasoning you need), and then put them in the air fryer in a single layer – not overlapping – for 10 to 15 minutes at 190C/375F. Like the fries, though, they may take some trial and error to get right.
10. Steak
You might be thinking: you can’t make a steak in an air fryer. But, everyone’s favorite swearing chef, Gordon Ramsay, has proved you absolutely can – and definitely should. Ramsay’s coffee and chilli rubbed ribeye steak recipe is the ultimate test for your air fryer, but properly delicious. Combine it with your air fryer chips and veggies, and you’ve got a spectacular dinner that will blow away your loved ones – and have them buying their own air fryer.
