20 tried and tested air fryer recipes including sweet treats, crunchy snacks and unforgettable meals
Air fryers are amazing devices. Almost anything can be cooked in them - from sweet treats like apple and cinnamon fritters to perfectly crunchy and salty pork crackling. Here’s 20 tried and tested top-rated air fry recipes.
They’re the dishes our foodies developed using their trusty air fryers… and now Aussies are loving them as much as we do.
Taste members never lie – so why not try their favourite recipes yourself?
1: Air fryer Sizzler-style cheese toast
Remember Sizzler cheese bread? This copycat version is cooked in the air fryer so it’s super crispy but tastes just like the original.
2: Crispy air fryer chow mein with Mongolian chicken
Chinese ‘takeout’ you can make at home in less time than it would take to be delivered? Count us in! My ‘treating myself’ meal is always a delicious asian noodle dish - I just can’t get enough of it! So when I found a way to make an even tastier version using on hand ingredients in my trusty air fryer, I was immediately hooked. Chow mein is a crowd favourite: those crispy noodles topped with marinated meat that just falls apart in your mouth… who wouldn’t be obsessed with it? But, believe it or not, the asian-inspired flavours aren’t the only amazing thing about this dish. The simplicity of it is achieved with the help of the airfryer, so your stove top won’t be overcrowded!
The scotch egg is a traditional British recipe often enjoyed at picnics, pubs, parties or as a snack. They feature a hard-boiled egg, wrapped in mince meat (we used pork sausages in our recipe) and a coating of breadcrumbs. While the traditional recipes sees them deep-fried, we’ve used the ever-popular air fryer to give them a modern update - and make them slightly better for you.
4: Air fryer Caramilk bomboloni
These mini doughnuts, filled with Caramilk custard make the perfect indulgent treat.
Rissoles are one of our favourite family-friendly dinners, and they’re even better when they’re cooked in our favourite appliance, the air fryer. This canned salmon version is made with leftover mashed potato (or you can buy tubs from the supermarket) and are ready in just under an hour. They’re crispy on the outside (thanks to the air fryer) and are warm and moreish on the inside. Expect the family to request this dinner weekly.
6: Air fryer croissants Lorraine
Quiche Lorraine meets mini croissants meets air fryer in this hacky recipe made from only a handful of ingredients. Cooking them in the air fryer means they ooze cheese from the centre while the croissants are crispy and golden on the outside.
7: Air fryer BBQ Shapes potato salad
Here’s what you get when you take everyone’s favourite potato salad and combine it with undoubtedly the nation’s most popular Arnott’s Shapes flavour: barbecue. Add in crispy bacon and a creamy dressing, and, to top it off, cook it in the hottest appliance of the century, the air fryer. It’s almost too iconic to eat…but we will!
Meltingly tender and crispy all at the same time - that’s the brilliance of pork belly. The trick to super crispy pork crackling is placing the pork belly in the fridge overnight to help to dry out the skin and maximise the crackle. Plus, cooking it in the air fryer allows the skin to dry out even further while keeping the meat underneath incredibly moist. This is a great way to enjoy pork belly in minutes of cooking rather than hours in the oven.
9: Air fryer crackling chips (with bacon salt)
Goodbye potato chips and hello pork crackling chips. Cooked in our favourite appliance, the air fryer, and served with apple sauce, these crispy morsels are salty, bacon-y and totally addictive (don’t say we didn’t warn you). This recipe does require overnight refrigeration so make sure you start it the day before serving.
10: Air fryer garlic bread croissant roll-ups
We will never stop finding new ways to reinvent garlic bread and here’s our latest version. Using just three ingredients easily found at Coles, we’ve created our crispiest and the most moreish garlic bread roll-ups yet. Simply flatten slightly defrosted croissants, top with garlic butter and cheese, roll up and pop in an air fryer for 10 minutes. That stringy cheese and the hit of garlic make this an irresistible starter or snack.
11: Air fryer salmon fish cakes
You won’t need to go near the stove to make these little salmon patties because we cook the potatoes in the microwave and the cakes in the air fryer. They turn out perfectly crunchy and make for an easy lunch or snack. Serve them with salad or pop onto a bun and make a tasty burger. Too easy.
12: Air fryer tuna mornay parcels
Creamy tuna mornay, cheese and peas make a tasty filling for these easy and affordable little pastry pies. Serve them for dinner with a salad or reheat for lunch the next day. You could make the filling a day ahead and fill and cook them just before serving.
13: Air fryer Rocklea Road Danish
We took a whole block of Darrell Lea Rocklea Road, hid it inside latticed puff pastry and air fried it until golden on the outside and gooey on the inside. Australia, meet your favourite hacky dessert... and don’t forget the chocolate sauce.
Coated in a crispy polenta crumb, this recipe shows that okra is a lot more versatile than you think. Chopped in bite-sized pieces, these air fryer morsels are perfect for dipping into ranch dressing, white barbecue sauce or warmed napolitana sauce. TIP: You can replace polenta with cornflake crumbs.
Cooked in an air fryer, this super easy recipe uses chicken thigh fillets and a creamy peanut sauce. It’s sure to be a weeknight dinner staple.
16: Air fryer nacho sweet potatoes
A quick and filling dinner or snack that you can feel good about eating. Swap the cheese and sour cream out for plant-based cheese and yoghurt to make this vegan.
17: Air fryer chicken cordon bleu
Whip up this French bistro classic in a matter of minutes with the help of your air fryer, chicken breasts and crispy panko breadcrumbs. It’s a simple but impressive dinner for two that’s actually really easy perfect.
The air fryer is your secret weapon for easy, delicious beef Wellington. Wrapped in prosciutto and crispy puff pastry, this simple dinner is set to impress.
19: Crispy air fryer potato salad
Did you know that you can make crispy potato salad by simply using the air fryer? Finished with a tangy sour cream and chive and mayonnaise dressing, this dish is set to be the best side at your next summer barbecue feast.
20: Air fryer apple and cinnamon fritters
The air fryer takes all the work out of making fresh fritters at home. Warm and toasty, they’re perfect dipped in custard for afternoon tea.
For more recipe ideas, go to taste.com.au or check out the Taste Test Kitchen now.
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