From the Thermomix to the Pie Maker Australians really love their appliances. There’s another kitchen tool we’re in love with that makes eating healthy so much easier. Air fryer recipes let you make fried foods with less oil and it can be used for so much more. Below you’ll find some of the most incredible things you can make in one, from mains to sides to desserts and snacks.
An air fryer is a kitchen appliance that cooks by circulating hot air around the food using the convection mechanism. The air fryer is extremely easy to use, and requires little to no maintenance.
Air fryers are renowned for replicating the crisp texture of deep-frying with a fraction of the oil. This amped-up benchtop convection oven works by pushing hot air around food. The rapid circulation of air is what helps to make food crisp, but with much less oil. For example, air-fried hot chips provide 4–6g fat compared to 17g for the deep-fried equivalent.
There are many sizes of air fryers; however, in our Air Fryer Cookbook we’ve used a popular well-priced and mid-sized 5.3-litre model. If you have a larger appliance, you will be able to cook larger amounts of food, while for a smaller one, you will need to decrease the quantities accordingly. Dual drawer air fryers are becoming popular, giving you the flexibility to cook two different foods with different cooking temperatures and times, at the same time. Read our review of the Ninja Dual Zone Air Fryer.
You’ll need one of these…
How to safely use an air fryer
Before starting any recipe, read the manufacturer’s instructions for your appliance first. The machine can get hot, so allow sufficient space on the benchtop around it. Once the basket is pulled out of the appliance, treat it like opening an oven door – it will be hot! Take care when adding and removing items from the air-fryer basket.
How to reheat food in the air fryer
Use the air fryer to return pizza, crumbed items and pastry to their former crisp glory. Five minutes at 180°C is all that’s needed to reheat a slice of pizza!
The best hacks and tips for cooking with an air fryer
Avoid baking paper as a cover for food as it will catch fire. Instead, use aluminium foil, which may need to be weighed down with metal spoons. Seeds and loose seasonings should also be avoided, as these will fly around the appliance and burn. To assist with cleaning, line under the basket with baking paper or foil to catch any oil drippings. Ensure even browning by turning food halfway through cooking time. To prevent overbrowning, ensure there is sufficient distance between the top of the food and the element, or cover the food with foil.
Do you use oil in airfryer recipes?
Use oil sparingly in the air fryer or it will burn. Aim for 1-2 tablespoons (olive or canola oil). No additional oil is required for naturally fattier foods like sausages or meatballs. For battered, floured and crumbed recipes, spray the basket and the food lightly with oil. Some oil is required to assist with browning.
How to convert oven time to air fryer
To convert a deep-fried, baking or roasting recipe for the air fryer, reduce the cooking temperature by 20°C.
64 air fryer recipes to try
Air fryer miso salmon
Air fryer potato wedges
Air fryer pumpkin with sage & fetta
Air fryer chicken skewers with roast vegetables
Air fryer sausage rolls
Air fryer zucchini balls with lemon yoghurt
Air fryer broccolini with mushrooms
Air fryer cob loaf
Air fryer banana bread
Air fryer banana muffins
Air fryer broccoli gratin
Air fryer muesli bars
Air fryer whole snapper
Air fryer chocolate cannoli
Air fryer prawns with green chilli sauce
Air fryer pork with apricot, fetta & pistachio stuffing
Air fryer potatoes with salt & vinegar
Air fryer chicken drumsticks
Air fryer carrots
Air fryer ratatouille
Air fryer pizza bread
Air fryer pork belly salad with ginger & soy dressing
Air fryer puff pastry twists with spinach & fetta
Air fryer polenta chips
Air fryer arancini
Air fryer pigs in blankets
Air fryer lamb cutlets with carrot salad
Air fryer hoisin pork steaks
Air fryer lamb kofta with green tahini
Steph de Sousa’s air fryer Mexican-style corn ribs
Air fryer baked potatoes
Air fryer chicken parmigiana
Steph de Sousa’s air fryer pork belly bites
Crackling good air fryer pork belly with Chinese five spice
Air fryer sausage & vegie bake
Air fryer sausages with sweet potato hash browns
Soy and sriracha air fryer chicken thighs
Air fryer popcorn-coated chicken with honey BBQ sauce
Air fryer fish ‘n’ chips
Air fryer spiced prawn po’boys
Air fryer frittata carbonara
Air fryer avocado fries with lime dipping sauce
Air fryer chicken nuggets
Crispy tofu with palm sugar dressing in the air fryer
Air-fryer pickle chips with ranch dipping sauce
Air fryer salt & pepper squid
Pick-a-flavour pizza night: Air fryer pizza supreme
Air fryer Sriracha vegetable tempura
Air fryer mozzarella mushroom burgers
Best-ever air fryer roast chicken
Air fryer roast chicken with secret herbs and spices
Air fryer cheeseburgers
Air fryer potato gratin
Air fryer pork schnitzels
Air fryer salmon with salsa verde
Air fryer roast pork belly
How to make lentil-stuffed eggplant in your air fryer
Air fryer herb crusted roast beef
Air fryer lemon curd and raspberry bread and butter pudding
Air fryer French toast crumpets with raspberry cream cheese
Air fryer muesli slice
Air fryer lemon tart
Air fryer basic vanilla butter cookies
Air fryer berry frangipane galette
Air fryer mug cake
Air fryer apple crumble with strawberries
Air fryer lemon cheesecake
Air fryer lemon curd scones
Air fryer orange & passionfruit delicious
