31 Flavorful Air-Fryer Recipes That Prove the Appliance Is Great for Every Meal (2024)

Having an air fryer means getting to enjoy more of the crispy foods we love with less guilt. Instead of deep-frying, the air fryer quickly heats to a high temperature and circulates air around foods like "fried" chicken or donuts for perfectly crispy exterior minus the oil. No more deep-fryer smell either! Of all the seemingly endless options for air-fryer recipes, these are the best of the best air-fryer recipes from our Test Kitchen. Now you can use the countertop appliance for every meal.

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Lemon Thyme Air-Fryer Rotisserie Chicken

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One bite of this whole air-fryer chicken and you'll be amazed at how much it tastes like your favorite storebought rotisserie chicken. With only a few ingredients (and zero oil), this air-fryer chicken develops a great flavor that makes a healthy low-carb dinner option.

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Air-Fried Buffalo Cauliflower

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For a healthier take on chicken wings, consider giving cauliflower the usual wing treatment. Use your air fryer to crisp cauliflower then toss in our spicy buffalo sauce. Serve these with some ranch or bleu cheese dressing for a game day snack or party appetizer.

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Air-Fryer White Pizza

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Enjoy pizza night at home with this delicious air-fryer recipe. We include an easy DIY pizza crust recipe to make in your food processor, but you could easily use purchased dough to save prep time.

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Air-Fryer Greek Turkey Burgers

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Instead of heading to the drive-thru, make this easy air-fryer recipe that includes Greek-inspired flavors such as oregano and feta for burger night. The use of lean, ground turkey is a healthier alternative to beef and this cooking method will have a lightened air-fryer dinner recipe on the table in less than 30 minutes.

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Air-Fryer Pork Chops with Brussels Sprouts

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No dry and flavorless pork chops here! In this air-fryer dinner recipe, the meat and Brussels sprouts are tossed with a maple and mustard glaze for big flavor and require only 10 minutes to cook to the perfect temperature with juicy results. You'll be making this weeknight meal on repeat.

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Spiced Cider Donuts

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Donuts are a perfect treat for breakfast, dessert, or really any time of the day. If you love donuts as much as we do, make these air-fryer donuts for an easy, healthier sweet tooth fix.

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Air-Fryer Scallops with Lemon-Herb Sauce

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If you tend to stray away from seafood, we encourage you to try scallops in the air fryer. Topped with zesty lemon and tangy capers, you'll have a fancy dinner for two on the table fast. Be sure to check for doneness of your scallops (thermometer should read 120°F) after about 6 minutes. Overdone scallops take on an unpleasant rubbery texture.

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Air-Fryer Roasted Vegetables

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Air-Fryer Chicken Katsu Sandwiches

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Katsu is a breaded-and-fried cutlet of chicken or pork served with a sweet sauce popular in Japanese cuisine. This Asian-inspired air-fryer recipe features lightly-breaded chicken that cooks in less than 10 minutes.

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Air-Fryer Jalapeño Poppers

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Instead of taking a bath in a couple inches of oil, this healthy air-fryer recipe is coated in whole wheat panko breadcrumbs and stuffed with cream cheese, cheddar, and chicken before going in the air fryer for a lightened remake. Try lining the basket with parchment paper first in case of cheese or crumb spillage.

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Crispy Tofu "Stir-Fry"

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This air-fryer tofu recipe is inspiration to incorporate more meatless recipes into your healthy meal plan. Allow the air fryer to crisp tofu and veggies at the same time for an easy meal that gives comes out with an amazing meat-like texture. Finish the dish with the sweet and spicy sauce made of soy sauce, ginger, and honey. Serve over hot brown rice for a heartier weeknight meal.

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"Fried" Chicken Thighs

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If you want an easy, delicious recipe for dinner (and who doesn't?!), try this quick air-fried chicken recipe that requires only 15 minutes of hands-on time. Hot sauce for dipping optional, but recommended.

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Lemon-Pepper Air-Fryer Shrimp and Veggies

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Air fryer shrimp recipes don't get easier than this! In just 20 minutes, you'll have a healthy, veggie-filled dinner that's drenched with citrusy seasoning. A squeeze for fresh lemon juice at the end is the perfect finish.

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Turkey Stuffed Air-Fryer Peppers

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A traditional stuffed pepper recipe can take more than an hour to prep and bake before you can eat. This easy air-fryer recipe means you get a healthy dinner prepared in 30 minutes. We used ground turkey instead of the traditional beef and combined it with a mixture of brown rice, parsley, and marinara.

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Southern Style "Fried" Catfish

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When serving picky eaters seafood, air-fryer fish recipes like this catfish dinner could be a game changer. While undeniably delicious, cooking fish by deep frying makes naturally healthy fish way less nutritious. Thanks to the air fryer, you can get the best of both worlds with a crunchy Southern-style dish complete with green beans.

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Air-Fried Mini Italian Meatloaves

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By making miniature meatloaves in the air fryer, they cook more quickly and create individually-portioned servings. This Italian take on the classic meatloaf is stuffed with tiny pearls of fresh mozzarella, which makes them pretty irresistible, if you ask us.

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Air-Fryer Jerk Pork Skewers with Black Bean Mango Salsa

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Jerk seasoning and shredded coconut form the irresistible breading for pork in this tasty air-fryer dinner recipe. A sweet, tangy mango salsa brightens every bite. Don't forget to cut the bamboo sticks to fit your air fryer basket and soak them (to prevent smoking) before assembling.

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Air-Fryer Egg Rolls

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Crunchy vegetables and pork are wrapped in the most delicious package with these healthy air-fryer egg rolls. Serve them alongside our favorite fried rice (also made healthier thanks to brown rice) or make a batch of these to keep on hand to impress your guests—they won't believe they're not takeout.

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Crispy Air-Fried Popcorn Shrimp

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Popcorn-style might be one of our favorite ways to enjoy shrimp. The spice-infused crumb coating in this easy air-fryer recipe will make you forget all about the frozen shrimp from a box.

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Mexican-Style Air Fryer Corn on the Cob

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Nothing says summer like fresh corn on the cob. In this healthy air-fryer recipe, we spread the golden kernels with lime-infused butter for Mexican-inspired flair. Serve them at your next Cinco de Mayo celebration or backyard cookout.

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Air-Fryer Breakfast Burritos

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Meet your go-to weekday breakfast. Fill a flour tortilla with scrambled eggs, cheese, and avocado slices. A quick trip to your favorite air fryer melts the cheese and heats everything through. Prep a bunch ahead of time and you'll always have a quick, healthy breakfast that's ready in minutes.

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Peach Air-Fryer Hand Pies

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Yes, you can make dessert in your air fryer, too. Pie crust cooks up golden and flaky around a warm peach filling to create a hand-held version of peach pie.

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Air-Fryer General Tso's Chicken

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A classic Chinese takeout dish, General Tso's chicken is known for its crispy chicken covered in a spicy-sweet sauce. We swapped some ingredients for healthier options like low-sodium soy sauce to help control the amount of salt that goes into this air-fryer meal idea. Sprinkle green onions and sesame seeds on top of to make it truly Instagram-ready.

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Air-Fried Flaxseed French Toast Sticks with Berries

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Treat kids (and yourself) to a flavorful breakfast made in your air fryer. These French toast sticks use whole grain bread and flaxseed to make one of our healthiest air-fryer breakfast recipes that's ready to dunk into maple syrup.

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Air-Fried Pickle Chips

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Crisp a batch of "fried" pickles in your air fryer for your next party. The briny dill pickles are coated in a buttermilk mixture (with a hint of heat from Sriracha) before getting breaded in panko. Making enough to serve six, this is one of our best air-fryer recipes for a (smaller) crowd.

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Air-Fried Calzones

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Being able to eat your pizza on the go with less mess is one reason the calzone is such a brilliant invention. This air-fryer recipe variation of our favorite stuffed pizzas includes shredded chicken and spinach. After your mozzarella goes in, crimp the dough edges tight so the toppings stay inside the calzone while it's "fried" to perfection.

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Broccoli and Cheese Air-Fryer Potatoes

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There are few foods as comforting as a hearty stuffed potato. Load your air fryer with potatoes packed with a delicious broccoli and cheese mixture for a vegetarian main course.

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Air-Fryer Shrimp "Boil"

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Skip the boiling water on the stove and whip up a Cajun feast in your air fryer. The key to making this healthy air fryer recipe is to add the ingredients at different stages. After the shrimp and veggies are air fried, drizzle them with butter, Cajun seasoning, and fresh lemon.

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Air-Fryer Mushrooms with Balsamic, Thyme, and Goat Cheese

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This is one of the best air fryer recipes for steak, chicken, and salmon. A tangy balsamic glaze brightens up tender cremini mushrooms. Top the finished dish with crumbed goat cheese and fresh thyme.

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Air-Fryer Flank Steak and Fennel

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It takes just a handful of ingredients and your air fryer to create a steakhouse-worthy dinner. A rub made with black pepper and lemon zest infuses each bite with fresh, zesty flavor. Finish the air fryer steak recipe with a sprinkle of fennel fronds and more cracked black pepper.

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Air-Fryer Mozzarella Sticks

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Gooey mozzarella sticks are the ultimate air fryer appetizer recipe. The secret to achieving the perfect cheese pull is freezing the mozzarella before breading it. We've even included a tip for prepping the sticks ahead of time so you're ready to air fry whenever you need a cheesy snack.