The 20 Best and Easy Air Fryer Recipes

Updated on January 26th, 2026

With more and more people looking for ways to save money on their bills, an air fryer is a great way to have delicious food without using the oven. Air fryers are a cost-effective alternative to ovens because they use less energy and take about 20% less time to cook a meal. In this post, I will share the 20 best breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, and side recipes you can make in the air fryer, including recipes from fellow bloggers.

Air Fryer Breakfast Recipes

Crispy Bacon

Bacon is usually made in a pan or in the oven, but did you know that you can make bacon in the air fryer? No oil is needed for these perfectly crispy bacon slices.

Ingredients

• A pack of bacon

Directions

1. Place the bacon in a single layer in the air fryer basket
2. Cook at 390°F / 200°C for 8 minutes
3. You can eat the bacon with eggs and toast for a hardy breakfast, add it to a breakfast sandwich or BLT, use it in a wrap, or as a salad topping

Croissants

When you are busy in the morning, you may not always have the time to sit down and eat breakfast, but with this recipe, you can pop frozen croissants in the air fryer and take them with you on the go.

Ingredients

• 3-6 frozen croissants
  • Note: You can also use other frozen buns and pastries

Directions

1. Place the croissants in the air fryer basket
2. Cook at 330°F / 165°C for 7 minutes
3. Flip the croissants over and cook for another 3-5 minutes
4. Let cool for at least a minute before eating

Hard Boiled Eggs

Technically, these are not boiled eggs, but you can cook eggs in the air fryer, which will be just like if you boiled them in a pot of water.

Ingredients

• 4-6 eggs

Directions

1. Place the eggs in the air fryer basket
2. Cook at 275°F / 135°C for 13 minutes
3. Place the eggs in a bowl with ice water for at least 5 minutes before peeling
4. You can eat the eggs as is or with salt and pepper, make pumpkin deviled eggs, add them to a salad, make an egg salad sandwich, or even a potato salad side dish

French Toast

French toast is a breakfast classic, and with this recipe, you can have French toast in no time.

Ingredients

• 4 slices of bread
• 2 eggs
• 2 tablespoons of milk
• 2 tablespoons of sugar
• 1 teaspoon of cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla

Directions

1. Whisk together the eggs, milk, sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla in a shallow bowl
2. Dip one side of the bread into the egg mixture, then flip the bread over and dip the other side of the bread into the bowl
3. Place the bread slices in the air fryer basket in a single layer
4. Cook at 375°F / 190°C for 5 minutes
5. Flip the bread over and cook for another 5 minutes
6. You can serve French toast with syrup, powdered sugar, fruit, peanut butter, Nutella, or other toppings you would like

Blueberry Lemon Muffins

For those who like something sweet in the morning, these blueberry lemon muffins are for you. Also, did you know that silicone baking cups are safe to use in the air fryer?

Ingredients

• 2 cups of all-purpose flour
• 1 1/4 cups of granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt
• 1/4 cup of butter
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup of milk
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla
• 1 lemon
• 6-8 ounces of fresh or frozen blueberries

Directions

1. Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a bowl
2. Melt the butter and add it to the bowl
3. Add the eggs, followed by the milk and vanilla, to the bowl and mix well
4. Add the juice of the lemon to the bowl and mix together
5. Fold in the blueberries
6. Divide the batter into silicone baking cups and place the baking cups in the air fryer basket
7. Cook at 350°F / 175°C for 10-15 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the muffins

Toast

Toast is a versatile breakfast to have in the morning, and for those who do not have a toaster or are looking to get rid of their toaster, you will be glad to know that you can make toast in the air fryer.

Ingredients

• 2-4 slices of bread

Directions

1. Place the bread in the air fryer basket
2. Cook at 400°F / 200°C for 3 minutes
3. Flip the toast
4. Cook for another 2 minutes
5. You can eat the toast with butter, jam, peanut butter, Nutella, avocado, cream cheese, eggs, ham, or bacon

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Air Fryer Lunch and Dinner Recipes

Rosemary Chicken Breast by Katykicker

Chicken is a must-try in the air fryer, and Katy has a delicious recipe for chicken with rosemary.

Air Fried Lamb Rack by siennylovesdrawing

You can also make lamb racks in the air fryer, and Sienny has a wonderful recipe for lamb racks with sesame oil, honey, and oyster sauce.

Pizza Buns by A Little Cup of Us

Soffy’s pizza buns are quick and easy to make in the air fryer, and they make a great lunch or snack. Her daughter, as well as my daughter, loves them too!

Ingredients

• 1-2 burger buns
• A spoonful of tomato puree
• Shredded cheese
• Toppings of your choice (pepperoni, ham, chicken, beef, olives, tomatoes, peppers, red onions, mushrooms, etc.)

Directions

1. Slice the burger bun in half
2. Spread the tomato puree on the burger bun halves
3. Top with cheese and any other toppings
4. Place the burger buns in the air fryer basket
5. Cook at 340°F / 170°C for 6 minutes

Quesadillas

Tex-Mex is one of my favorite types of cuisine, and quesadillas make a wonderful lunch or dinner. You can use pretty much any meat or filling you would like to make a tasty treat.

Ingredients

• 2 tortillas
• Shredded cheese
• Filling of your choice (shredded chicken, grass fed ground beef, pulled pork, black beans, corn, tomatoes, red onions, bell peppers, jalapenos, spinach, etc.)

Directions

1. Lay one tortilla in the air fryer basket
2. Add the cheese and filling on top of the tortilla
3. Place the second tortilla on top of the filling and press down
4. Cook at 350°F / 175°C for 5-8 minutes
5. You can cut the quesadilla into fourths and serve it with guacamole, salsa, or creme fraiche

Garlic Lemon Salmon by Olivia Lucie Blake

Salmon is another popular air fryer recipe, and Olivia shared her garlic lemon salmon recipe here.

Ingredients

• Salmon filet
• Himalayan salt
• Lemon
• Garlic seasoning

Directions

1. Add the salt, juice from the lemon, and garlic seasoning to the salmon
2. Place the salmon in the air fryer basket
3. Cook the salmon at 390°F / 200°C for 20 minutes

Sweet Furikake Salmon by Lynn Mumbing Mejia

If you are looking for another salmon recipe, Lynn has you covered! In her recipe, she used furikake to make sweet and savory salmon filets.

Ingredients

• 4 salmon filets
• 1/2 cup of mayo
• 1 tablespoon of sugar
• Furikake
• Salt

Directions

1. Salt the salmon filets
2. Mix together the mayo and sugar
3. Spread the mayo sugar mixture on top of the salmon filets
4. Sprinkle the salmon with furikake
5. Place the salmon in the air fryer basket
6. Cook the salmon at 400°F / 200°C for 10-15 minutes
7. You can serve the salmon with rice, vegetables, or salad

Tofu

As a vegetarian, tofu is one of my go-to meat substitutes, and in this recipe, I made tofu as a butter chicken substitute, and it was delicious.

Ingredients

• 1 block of tofu
• 1 tablespoon of olive oil
• Seasoning of your choice (I used salt, pepper, chili powder, and turmeric)

Directions

1. Slice the tofu into small bite-sized pieces
2. Add the olive and seasoning to the tofu
3. Place the tofu in a single layer in the air fryer basket
4. Cook the tofu at 375°F / 190°C for 15 minutes. At the halfway point (around 7-8 minutes), pause the air fryer and shake the basket before continuing for the remaining time
5. Serve the tofu with rice, in spring rolls or sushi, or on a salad

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Air Fryer Snacks and Sides Recipes

Roasted Cauliflower by Lynn Mumbing Mejia

Roasted cauliflower makes a delicious side, and Lynn shares her roasted cauliflower recipe below.

Ingredients

• 1 cauliflower head
• 3 tablespoons of olive oil
• Garlic powder
• Paprika
• Cumin
• Salt
• Pepper
  • Note: You can use other seasonings as well, and I used Frank’s RedHot Buffalo Wings Hot Sauce on half of the cauliflower, and it was delicious

Directions

1. Chop the cauliflower into bite-sized pieces
2. Combine the olive oil with the garlic powder, paprika, cumin, salt, and pepper
3. Coat the cauliflower pieces with the olive oil mixture
4. Place the cauliflower in a single layer in the air fryer basket
5. Cook at 380°F / 190°C for 8 minutes
6. Flip the cauliflower pieces and cook for an additional 8 minutes

Potato Chips by Sereneluna

Instead of buying a bag of chips, you can make chips yourself in the air fryer. Below, Hilary shares her recipe for BBQ potato chips.

Ingredients

• Potatoes
• 1 tablespoon of oil
• BBQ seasoning (you can also use a mix of paprika, brown sugar, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, chili powder, salt, and pepper)

Directions

1. Cut the potatoes into thin slices (you do not need to peel them). You can also use a spiralizer or mandoline
2. Add the oil and BBQ seasoning to the potatoes
3. Place the potato slices in a single layer in the air fryer basket
4. Cook at 350°F / 175°C for 10-15 minutes and flip the potatoes halfway during the cooking time

Chocolate Chip Cookies by Nyxie’s Nook

If you are looking for a snack that is on the sweeter side, then these cookies are for you. Nyxie shares her yummy chocolate chip cookie recipe below.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup of oats
• 1/2 banana
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 tablespoon of milk
• Cinnamon
• A handful of chocolate chips
  • Optional: you can also add 1/2 scoop of protein powder and 1 tablespoon of coconut oil

Directions

1. Mash the banana in a medium-sized bowl
2. Add the oats, followed by the baking powder, milk, and cinnamon (and optional ingredients if you are using them)
3. Mix well and add the chocolate chips
4. Roll the oatmeal chocolate chip cookies into balls and flatten them a bit
5. Place the cookies in the air fryer basket
6. Cook at 360°F /180°C for 10 minutes

French Fries by Sereneluna

Along with potato chips, you can also make French fries, and Hilary shares her recipe for fries below.

Ingredients

• Potatoes
• 1 tablespoon of oil
• Salt
• Pepper

Directions

1. Slice the potatoes thinly (you do not need to peel the potatoes)
2. Add the oil, salt, and pepper to the fries
3. Place the potato slices in a single layer in the air fryer
4. Cook at 375°F / 190°C for 20-25 minutes

Peanut Butter Cookies

If you are looking for a quick and easy cookie recipe, then these peanut butter cookies are for you. They only require 3 ingredients to make!

Ingredients

• 1 cup of peanut butter
• 1/2 cup of sugar
• 1 egg

Directions

1. Combine the peanut butter, sugar, and egg in a bowl
2. Roll the cookies into small balls
3. Flatten the cookies using a fork, going from the top to the bottom, then from side to side
4. Place the cookies in a single layer in the air fryer basket
5. Cook at 320°F / 160°C for 8 minutes

Pumpkin Spice Chickpeas by Lynn Mumbing Mejia

Pumpkin spice is a popular flavor during the fall, and with Lynn’s recipe, you can make your own tasty pumpkin spice chickpeas.

Ingredients

• 1 can of chickpeas
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla
• 2 tablespoons of sugar
• 1 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice (you can also use a mix of cinnamon, clove, allspice, ginger, and nutmeg)
• 1 teaspoon of cinnamon

Directions

1. Rinse and drain the can of chickpeas
2. Add the chickpeas to a bowl, and add the olive oil and vanilla, and mix together
3. Place the chickpeas in the air fryer basket
4. Cook at 380°F / 195°C for 25 minutes. Halfway through the cooking time, pause the air fryer and stir up the chickpeas, then resume cooking
5. While the chickpeas are cooking, add the sugar, pumpkin pie spice, and cinnamon to a bowl.
6. When the chickpeas finish cooking, coat them in the sugar mixture

Roasted Vegetables

Roasted vegetables make a hearty and delicious side, and you can easily make roasted vegetables in the air fryer. This recipe is also great because you can pretty much use any vegetables you would like.

Ingredients

• Potatoes
• Sweet potato
• Yellow pepper
• Red onion
• Tomatoes
• Oil
• Salt
• Pepper
• Garlic powder
• Basil
• Oregano
• Thyme
  • Note: you can omit any vegetable you do not like, and you can also add other vegetables you have, such as carrots, beets, zucchini (courgette), squash, eggplant (aubergine), other peppers and onions, and mushrooms. You can also use other seasonings.

Directions

1. Cut the vegetables into small bite-sized pieces and place them into a bowl
2. Add the oil and spices to the vegetables and mix together
3. Place the vegetables in a single layer in the air fryer basket
4. Cook at 375°F / 190°C for 10 minutes
5. Move the vegetables around in the basket
6. Cook for another 10 minutes

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Bonus Dog Treat Air Fryer Recipe

Tail-Wagging Peanut Butter Pumpkin Dog Treats by Britt Kascjak

Often when you think of air fryer recipes, you think of recipes that you can make for yourself, but did you know that you can also make dog treats in the air fryer? Britt shares her fabulous dog treat recipe below.

Ingredients

• 2 3/4 cups of all-purpose flour (you can use oat flour for those with allergies)
• 1 cup of canned pumpkin puree
• 1/3 cup of dog-safe peanut butter (no xylitol)
• 2 large eggs
• Sprinkle of cinnamon (optional)

Directions

1. In a mixing bowl, combine the pumpkin puree, peanut butter, eggs, and cinnamon. Mix thoroughly until you have an even consistency
2. Slowly add the flour to the mixture while stirring. This will become increasingly difficult to mix as the dough forms. When it becomes too thick for stirring, hand-knead the dough to mix the remaining flour in. The final dough should be soft and pliable, not crumbly. If it’s overly sticky, add a small amount of flour to reach the desired texture
3. Roll out the dough until it is approximately 1/4 inch thick. Cut the treats into small squares or use a cookie cutter for fun shapes
4. Cut a sheet of parchment paper to the size of your air fryer basket so that it lies flat on the bottom, and pierce a few small holes to create a liner. Place as many of the treats in the basket as you can without allowing them to touch
5. Cook at 370 degrees Fahrenheit / 185 degrees Celsius for 5 minutes, or until you notice the treats are starting to brown on the top
6. Allow the treats to cool fully before feeding them to your furry friend. Store the treats in a ziplock bag or an airtight container in a cool area

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Do you have an air fryer? What are your favorite air fryer recipes?