There are obvious answers if you’re wondering what to cook in an air fryer. Foods like chicken nuggets, onion rings, and french fries immediately come to mind. There are, however, less expected air fryer foods I think you should be making.
I know the word “fry” is in the name, but you don’t have to just cook frozen or leftover fried foods in your air fryer. An air fryer can add great texture to almost anything! I’ve rounded up my five favorite air fryer foods that you probably aren’t cooking in your air fryer. Get ready for a warm and crispy treat. (And if you’re looking for a recommendation for the best air fryer to use, I can help you there, too.)
Tofu
You don’t need to do anything with tofu to get it nice and crispy in the air fryer. I know some people press it and marinate it and bread it or give it a coating of corn starch. After cooking all day at work, I am not in the mood to cook when I get home. I take my tofu, dump out the water, cube it up, toss it into the air fryer, give it a spritz of olive oil spray, and then hit start. It takes almost no time to achieve lightly crisped tofu. I will top salads with it or add it to stir fry dishes. It makes such an easy and delicious dinner.
Frozen Burritos
Microwaving frozen burritos is out and air frying frozen burritos is in. This is one of the best foods to cook in an air fryer because it gives the tortilla a nice little crunch. It feels like a knock-off, healthier version of a chimichanga (aka a fried burrito).
Frozen Dumplings
Always burning the bottoms of your dumplings or ripping them off because they’re stuck to the pan? Get a crispy potsticker by using your air fryer. I know you might not think of dumplings when you think of air fryer foods, but they’re great in there.
Snack Cakes
I know you’re probably like, “Jordan! Snack cakes don’t need to be cooked!” I know. Just because something doesn’t need to be cooked doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be cooked in an air fryer. Pop your favorite snack cake into the air fryer for just a couple of minutes to get a warm sweet treat. They are, surprisingly, one of the best foods to cook in an air fryer.
Frozen Pizza
In the summer, it is simply too hot to turn on my oven. I refuse to let that stop me from eating frozen pizza, though! I take a frozen pizza and break it into quarters using the edge of my counter. Make sure it’s still wrapped in the plastic or your toppings will go everywhere. Then, I’ll add a quarter or two to my air fryer. (Take it out of the plastic for that part.) You get a perfectly crisp crust and melty cheese.
Thoughts? Questions? Complete disagreement? Leave a comment!