9 Best Foods to Cook in the Air Fryer

I’ll admit it, it took me some time to heat as much as utilizing an air fryer. In the start I assumed it was  simply one other gadget that I’d purchase, use twice, after which wind up stuffing in a cupboard to take up area and accumulate mud. I’ve by no means been so glad to be fallacious. I began out with the fundamentals: wings, fries, frozen waffles and different straightforward fried meals. Over time I began branching out and attempting the whole lot from crispy grilled cheese to salmon, and now I am unable to think about life with out this useful equipment.So then, why is the air fryer a greater method to prepare dinner sure meals? Cooking instances shrink, cleanup turns into easy and I can nonetheless obtain that impossible to resist golden exterior with a satisfying crunch — the type that transforms easy meals into one thing particular.When you are balancing work life, household calls for and a endless to-do listing however refuse to compromise on good meals, air fryer recipes grow to be a complete cheat code. They’re nearly mistake-proof and meals comes out crispy and bursting with style. It’s excellent for these frantic weeknight dinners when inspiration runs dry — or for creating show-stopping seasonal dishes that appear much more labor-intensive than they are surely.Check out the 9 meals beneath that it’s essential to prepare dinner in an air fryer. And in case you’re trying to find an air fryer or to improve your current oven, we’ve a new favourite mannequin with a glass cooking chamber that is straightforward to scrub and doubles as a meals storage container. Don’t miss any of our unbiased tech content material and lab-based critiques. Add CNET as a most well-liked Google supply on Chrome.1. Hard-boiled eggs All you want is 10 minutes and an air fryer and you will by no means boil an egg once more. Pamela Vachon/CNETFrom runny yolks to jammy to hard-cooked, the air fryer can do it, and there is no ready for water to boil or forgetting to set a timer (air fryers have the timer inbuilt). There’s numerous web voodoo about dos and don’ts on the subject of boiled eggs within the air fryer, however in my expertise, you possibly can disregard most of it, and you will find yourself with fantastically cooked eggs with the right yolk consistency each time.Here’s easy methods to make “hard-boiled eggs” within the air fryer2. Salmon Just 8 minutes within the air fryer and you’ve got completely medium uncommon salmon. David Watsky/CNETBroiled salmon is an easy, wholesome weeknight dinner staple. It’s not troublesome to make within the oven however in case you’re solely cooking for one or two folks, the preheating time is a ache and you will waste numerous power for a small quantity of meals. Pan-seared salmon is great and fast however there’s nearly no method to prepare dinner salmon on the range with out creating an oily and odorous mess.  I attempted cooking roasted salmon within the air fryer and it got here out completely in about 10 minutes, together with preheating time. The closed cooking chamber captures all the grease and even hides a few of the fishy scent from taking on the area.  OK, so that you would possibly catch me throwing the occasional filet of salmon on the grill throughout hotter months however gone are the times of me wiping fish grease from the backsplash behind my kitchen range.  Here’s easy methods to make good air fryer salmon. 3. Roasted rooster Air-fryer roasted rooster is a revelation. David Watsky/CNETThis one shocked me essentially the most as a result of I make a roast rooster most Sundays and had grow to be content material with my technique of utilizing the oven. I discovered quick that the air fryer does a fair higher job as a result of it is capable of crisp the pores and skin shortly with out overcooking the meat. Air-fryer roasted rooster takes about 45 minutes — about 15% faster than the oven — and it is almost unimaginable to screw up. Here’s easy methods to make a fast roasted rooster within the air fryer. 4. Bacon cheeseburgers  You can prepare dinner a burger to good medium or medium uncommon with an air fryer. Pamela Vachon/CNETAir fryer cheeseburgers have grow to be a staple round my residence. The exception is throughout summer season when the grill is in full swing however throughout cooler months, I flip to the air fryer for this American basic. It’s cleaner than pan frying, however the burger does not prepare dinner in its personal grease, so that you get a lighter, more healthy meal (in case you’re into that form of factor). You can even add the bun and a few slices of bacon to the burger, making it a whole meal with minimal cleanup. Here’s easy methods to make a cheeseburger from prime to backside within the air fryer. 5. Chicken cutlets  Air fryers prove picture-perfect rooster cutlets. David Watsky/CNETBefore the air fryer, I used to pan-fry breaded rooster cutlets for rooster Parmesan and different recipes however the air fryer does the identical job with much less mess and produces much less oily fried rooster, too.  Watch this: Best Air Fryers: Cheap vs. Expensive
19:24 I like to recommend utilizing boneless rooster thighs, which have adequate fats content material to face up to the convection warmth with out drying out. Simply coat the rooster in a overwhelmed egg wash, adopted by breadcrumbs combined with salt, pepper, and different spices. Cook at 375°F for about 15 minutes. You can spray the cutlets flippantly with oil earlier than cooking to realize an extra-crispy crust, however it’s not essential. I’ve tried the identical technique with rooster breasts; it really works nicely, however there’s a higher danger of drying out the meat. 6. Cauliflower steak Cauliflower steak made within the air fryer has grow to be a staple facet dish in my kitchen.  David Watsky/CNETOne of my favourite issues to prepare dinner within the air fryer is cauliflower. A slab of cauliflower makes a superb, hearty facet dish or most important course in case you’re going plant-based. Simply toss a thick slice or two of cauliflower with olive oil, salt, pepper, or your most well-liked seasoning, and air fry for 10-12 minutes on excessive. The air fryer offers it a gorgeous caramelized crust and it cooks the dense veggie quick sufficient in order that the within of the cauliflower does not grow to be mushy. 7. Leftover pizza This leftover pizza obtained an entire new life due to a brief journey to the air fryer. David Watsky/CNETWhile not each sort of meals is greatest reheated within the air fryer, many are. Air fryers are the right method to revive leftover pizza, fried rooster, grilled meats and greens. A microwave heats meals erratically and tends to impart a rubbery texture. Air fryers give meals a second life through convection warmth for a crispy crust and even heating.  Here’s the greatest method to reheat each sort of leftover. 8. Hot canine You can prepare dinner a whole bundle of scorching canine in just some minutes. David Watsky/CNETIt’s laborious to screw up a scorching canine however if you need a wonderfully charred wiener in lower than 5 minutes with basically no cleanup, look to the air fryer. Air fryer scorching canine are so simple as easy, and the tremendous convection oven offers them an ideal browning in two or three minutes.  Here’s easy methods to make scorching canine within the air fryer all summer season. 9. Baked potatoes Air fryer baked potatoes have crispy pores and skin and are gentle and fluffy inside. Brian Bennett/CNETOK, so technically, this one begins out within the microwave after which will get completed within the air fryer. The microwave softens the within in lower than 8 minutes, whereas the air fryer blasts the sides and pores and skin to crispy perfection. It’s a restaurant-quality baked potato in lower than 12 minutes. Here’s easy methods to make one of the best air-fryer baked potato ever.  And in case you’re nonetheless undecided what an air fryer is and the way it works, take a look at our full information to air fryers. 9. Grilled cheese This air fryer grilled cheese is nearly as good because it appears. Pamela Vachon/CNETFor a grilled cheese, the air fryer works on each bread surfaces and the cheese abruptly, leading to a faster soften. This adheres the cheese to the bread slices collectively, making for a a lot simpler flip. (Flipping remains to be advisable however with far much less drama.) Here’s the key to good air fryer grilled cheese.