Top 5 incontournables recipes with your air fryer

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Introduction

Do you have an air fryer and are wondering what to cook with it? Good news: it’s the perfect appliance for preparing crispy dishes, without spending hours watching a pan of oil. What’s more, it suits every craving: tasty appetisers, quick dinners, sides that please everyone… and even lighter versions of your classics.

In this article, I’m sharing must-try recipes that you can easily make with your air fryer. The idea is to give you simple basics, game-changing tips, and ideas that genuinely work day to day.

Selection criteria

• Capacity suited to your household: for 1 to 2 people, a compact size is often enough. For families, go bigger to avoid cooking in several batches.
• Power and heat-up time: good heating reduces cooking time and helps achieve a nicely golden result.
• Easy-to-clean basket: if you want to cook often, it’s worth choosing a model with a practical coating and parts that are dishwasher-safe (where possible).
• Programmes and settings: preset modes are a plus, but manual settings (temperature/time) give you more freedom.
• Even air circulation: that’s the secret to crispiness. More even cooking avoids ending up with pieces that are still soft in the middle.
• Everyday practicality: think about noise, the size on your worktop, and how easy it is to remove the basket without burning yourself.

Benefits

The air fryer is a bit like your “crispy-without-the-stress” ally. First, it uses less oil than traditional frying. Secondly, it heats up quickly, so it’s perfect when you’re hungry now (and not in an hour). And then there’s another, more subtle advantage: the smell of frying is often much more limited, which makes the kitchen more pleasant.

Finally, you can play with textures. Want nicely golden chips? Crispy nuggets? Roasted vegetables with caramelised edges? With the right temperature setting and a light seasoning, the air fryer transforms everything.

Must-try recipes with your air fryer

Here’s a selection of recipes that come up time and time again at home. I’ve included easy ideas, with simple tips to get them right first time.

1) Crispy homemade chips

Cut potatoes into batons. Rinse them briefly if you like a crispier outside, then dry them well. Add a spoonful of oil (or a spray), salt and a little paprika. Cook until golden, shaking halfway through. Bonus: serve with a lemon yoghurt sauce or homemade mayonnaise.

2) Homemade chicken nuggets

Prepare chicken pieces in “nugget” size. Dip them in beaten egg, then in breadcrumbs (optionally mixed with a little parmesan or spices). A drizzle of oil is enough. Cook until nicely golden. It’s the kind of recipe that children love… and adults too.

3) Roasted vegetables with a “caramelised” finish

Courgettes, peppers, onions, carrots in slices… anything works. Cut, season with oil, salt, pepper, and a touch of garlic or cumin. Put them in the basket without overfilling it. Shake once. The result: vegetables that are tender inside, with slightly charred edges.

4) Crispy, quick salmon

Salmon works brilliantly in an air fryer. Season with lemon, salt, pepper and a little dill. Add a thin layer of oil or a spray. Cook according to thickness: the outside should become slightly firm and the inside stay juicy. Serve with a salad or steamed potatoes.

5) Spiced prawns

Mix peeled prawns with garlic, paprika, salt and a pinch of chilli (optional). A short cook, then a final blast to colour them nicely. Add a squeeze of lemon when serving. Perfect as an appetiser or starter.

6) Parmesan-roasted cauliflower

Cut the cauliflower into florets. Season with oil, salt, pepper and a little turmeric or paprika. Add the parmesan towards the end to stop it burning. You get a “no-oven” gratin: crispy on the outside, tender in the middle.

7) Homemade falafels (or a simplified version)

You can try homemade falafels, but if you want to save time, ready-made versions are also available. The important thing: don’t overcrowd the basket and lightly drizzle with oil. Crispy result with a soft texture inside.

8) Dessert: cinnamon roasted apples

Cut apples into wedges, add cinnamon, a little sugar (or sweetener), and a tiny knob of butter (or an alternative). Cook until soft. Serve warm with yoghurt, ice cream or simply a drizzle of honey.

FAQ

Q? Do you need to add oil every time?

Not necessarily. Often, a light spray is enough to improve crispiness. For foods that are already fatty (such as some fish), you can reduce the oil. The idea is to help the surface brown, without drowning the food.

Q? Why are my foods soft instead of crispy?

The usual causes are overfilling the basket, pieces that are too thick, or insufficient cooking time. Remember to shake halfway through for better air circulation.

Q? What temperature should you generally cook at?

Many recipes sit around 180 to 200 °C. But it all depends on the food and its size. The easiest approach: start with a base, then adjust next time based on your result (more golden or more tender).

Conclusion

With an air fryer, you can really vary things up: classics like chips and nuggets, but also more “vegetable-friendly” dishes and even desserts. The secret is not to overload the basket, to stick to realistic cooking times, and to taste and adjust the seasoning.

So yes, you can cook more often, more quickly, and with less hassle. Over to you: choose a recipe, switch the machine on, and enjoy the crispiness that everyone loves.