STORY BY SANDRA S. SORIA ✷ RECIPES BY OLIVIA ROSZKOWSKI ✷ PHOTOGRAPHS BY RIKKI SNYDER✷ FOOD STYLING BY LESLIE ORLANDINI
Move over Instant Pot, the air fryer has most definitely arrived. Though introduced to the American market a mere decade ago, the countertop appliance has been a sizzling success. Sales of air fryers have quadrupled since 2015, and the cooker now has been welcomed into about 40 percent of U.S. kitchens. Its popularity is fueled by an American public well-informed about the health issues associated with our favorite fried foods and boosted by enthusiastic social media influencers (including the queen of influencers, Oprah herself, who has put it on her Favorite Things list for five years running). And really, what’s not to like about a machine that cranks out crispy French fries and creamy mozzarella sticks using a fraction of the oil?
The appliance works like a convection oven—you place food inside and super-heated air rushes around to cook it. The rapid circulation, along with the addition of less than two tablespoons of oil in some cases, makes food items as crisp as if you had dropped them into a vat of oil. But the air fryer, come to find out, can do much more than lend a crunchy exterior to our favorite snacks. You can roast veggies and bake cookies—and prepare the inventive, delicious recipes on these pages. Though most air fryers on the market accommodate up to five servings of food, they’re getting bigger, better, and now are even built right into some souped-up new ranges.
Our Culinary Editor, Olivia Roszkowski, created these recipes specifically for an air fryer. Her experiments not only led to these delectable dishes, but to some insights on using the cooker as well.
Harvest Spicy Chipotle Corn ‘Ribs’
Yields 8 ribs; 1/3 cup almond ‘cheese’ crumbles
Gather
2 ears of corn
2 tablespoons avocado oil
½ teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon coconut sugar
2 teaspoons chipotle powder, more for garnish
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 lime
To Make
Preheat air fryer to 350ºF for 5 minutes.
Shuck corn and snap in half. Stand each half on a cutting board and use a sharp knife to carefully cut in half, lengthwise.
Stir together avocado oil, sea salt, coconut sugar, chipotle powder, and garlic powder in a small bowl.
Brush spice mixture over kernel side of corn ‘ribs.’
Arrange corn ‘ribs’ sideways in a single layer in air fryer, working in batches if necessary.
Cook for 5 minutes. Flip corn ‘ribs,’ increase temperature to 400ºF and cook for an additional 5 minutes.
Cut lime into wedges.
Serve corn ‘ribs’ warm, garnished with Almond ‘Cheese’ Crumbles, chipotle powder, and lime wedges.
FOR ALMOND ‘CHEESE’ CRUMBLES
Gather
1/3 cup blanched almond flour
1 teaspoon avocado oil
¼ teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon garlic powder
To Make
Add almond flour, avocado oil, sea salt, and garlic powder to a small bowl. Toss until combined
Good to Know
A small amount of sweetener such as coconut sugar balances out the bitterness of chili-based seasonings such as chipotle powder.
Cut corn into thirds instead of halves if you want the pieces to curl into a shape similar to real ribs.
Cooking at two temperatures ensures that the corn is cooked through but then is allowed to crisp at a higher temperature. (Adjusting temperatures is much faster with an air fryer.)
Chef Olivia’s Hot Tips
How do you feel about this hot new countertop appliance?
Prior to the story, I didn’t really use one on a regular basis. Now it’s a staple in my kitchen—I even leave it out on my counter. It’s great for use in a small kitchen or when cooking single or smaller portions because you don’t have to heat up the stove. And if exhaust is an issue, know that the air fryer doesn’t produce as much smoke.
Molten Squash ‘Cheese’ Bowl with Autumnal Crudité
Yields 2 cups ‘cheese’; 6 cups vegetables
FOR MOLTEN SQUASH ‘CHEESE’ BOWL
Gather
1 medium butternut squash (approximately 2 pounds)
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons sea salt
1 cup plain yogurt (or vegan yogurt)
½ cup salsa
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
1 garlic clove
To Make
Preheat air fryer to 370ºF for 5 minutes.
Cut squash in half crosswise where the neck meets the bulb, or ‘bowl.’ Remove seeds and stem. Peel long neck and cut into a dice (approximately 3 cups).
Toss and brush squash pieces and inside of the ‘bowl’ with olive oil. Season with 1 teaspoon sea salt.
Add squash ‘bowl’ into air fryer. Surround with squash pieces. Cook for 15 minutes. Toss and return to air fryer, this time turning squash ‘bowl’ upside down. Cook for additional 15 minutes.
Blend diced squash with yogurt, salsa, nutritional yeast, garlic clove, and remaining teaspoon of salt, until smooth.
Pour into squash bowl and serve with Autumnal Crudité.
FOR AUTUMNAL CRUDITÉ
Gather
1 bunch small rainbow carrots
1 fennel head
1 radicchio head
2 tablespoons olive oil
½ teaspoon sea salt
To Make
Preheat air fryer to 350ºF for 5 minutes.
Peel carrots and cut in half crosswise on a bias.
Cut fennel and radicchio into wedges, keeping a piece of the core intact with each piece. Use a peeler to remove any outer oxidized pieces of the fennel bulb.
Place vegetables in a bowl and gently toss with olive oil and sea salt.
Place in air fryer and cook for 5 minutes.
Cool and serve with Molten Squash ‘Cheese’ Bowl.
Good to Know
Feel free to use any additional vegetables you have in the fridge.
Salsa is a great way to add flavor and moisture to a plant-based ‘cheese’ sauce.
Air frying the crudité vegetables for a few minutes brings out their flavors while still allowing them to retain enough firmness for dipping.
Marshmallow Stuffed Hasselback Yams
Yields 3 sweet potatoes; ½ cup candied seeds
FOR HASSELBACK YAMS
Gather
3 sweet potatoes
3 tablespoons refined coconut oil
½ teaspoon sea salt
To Make
Preheat air fryer to 400º F for 5 minutes.
Peel sweet potatoes.
Place sweet potato on cutting board with a chopstick positioned under it on each end to prevent cutting the potato all the way through with each slice.
Use a sharp knife to make thin slices on each potato crosswise, leaving the potato intact on the bottom.
Brush coconut oil into crevices of each potato.
Place potatoes in air fryer in a single layer: cook for 7 minutes, flip, cook for 8 minutes, or until cooked through.
FOR CANDIED SEED & MARSHMALLOW TOPPING
Gather
1 tablespoon maple syrup
½ teaspoon pumpkin spice
½ cup pumpkin seeds
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
Pinch sea salt
9 large marshmallows
To Make
Preheat air fryer to 350ºF for 5 minutes.
Add maple syrup, pumpkin spice, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, and sea salt to a bowl and toss until combined.
Line air fryer basket with parchment paper.
Arrange cooked sweet potatoes in air fryer so they are touching.
Sprinkle potatoes with half of seed mixture. Top with marshmallows and remaining seed mixture.
Cook for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the marshmallows are toasted.
Good to Know
Peel the sweet potatoes as the air fryer can toughen and dry out the skins.
When topping with marshmallows, it’s best to line the air fryer with parchment paper or foil to avoid a sticky mess.
Maple syrup will get crunchy when coated on an item like seeds and baked long enough, making for a ‘candied’ effect.
Chef Olivia’s Hot Tips
Beyond cutting way back on the oil, what other advantages does this appliance have?
It offers speed and crispiness when cooking a variety of foods. Because of the force of the convection fans, it keeps the interior of an item moist and does not dry it out. I’m thinking of things such as fried rice cakes and avocado fries.
Cauliflower Gyro Flatbread with Mint Tzatziki
Yields 6 4-inch flatbreads; 3 cups cauliflower mixture; 1 cup tzatziki
FOR THE CAULIFLOWER FILLING
Gather
1 cauliflower
1 cup purple pearl onions
2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons garlic powder
3 tablespoons olive oil
1½ teaspoons sea salt
To Make
Preheat air fryer to 400ºF for 5 minutes.
Cut cauliflower into small florets (approximately 4 cups).
Peel purple pearl onions and cut in half lengthwise.
Toss cut vegetables, oregano, cumin, garlic powder, olive oil, and sea salt into a bowl.
Place mixture in air fryer and cook for 10 minutes. Toss, then cook for an additional 10 minutes.
FOR THE MINT TZATZIKI
Gather
¼ cup mint leaves, more for garnish
1 garlic clove
1 English cucumber
1 cup plain yogurt (or vegan yogurt)
½ teaspoon sea salt
To Make
Thinly slice mint leaves and place in medium bowl.
Mince garlic (or pass through a garlic press), then add to the same bowl.
Peel, deseed, and grate cucumber, squeezing out excess liquid.
Stir in grated cucumber (about 2/3 cup), yogurt, and sea salt.
FOR THE PUMPKIN FLATBREAD
Gather
½ cup pumpkin puree
1 tablespoon lemon oil, more to brush (substitute olive oil)
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
¼ teaspoon sea salt
1¼ cups 00 flour (substitute unbleached all-purpose flour)
To Make
Preheat air fryer to 400ºF for approximately 5 minutes.
Add pumpkin puree, lemon oil, thyme, and sea salt to a medium bowl.
Incorporate flour until a soft dough forms. Divide dough into six and roll each into a thin 4-inch flatbread. Keep dough covered with a damp towel while not using.
Brush dough with lemon oil. Place in air fryer.
Cook for 5 minutes, repeating process with remaining dough.
To Serve
Spread layer of tzatziki on each flatbread.
Top with cauliflower mixture and additional mint sprigs.
Good to Know
Add vegetable purees such as squash or potato to flatbread dough instead of water. The result is also a lot more tender, because the gluten does not get over-developed.
Make sure to toss the vegetable mixture halfway through cooking for even results, adjusting the cooking time to achieve the desired level of crispness and browning.
For a softer flatbread, reduce cooking time to 2 to 3 minutes.
Vegetable Fried Rice Cakes with Apricot Ginger Sauce
Yields 1 dozen cakes (3 cups batter); 1 cup sauce
FOR VEGETABLE FRIED RICE CAKES
Gather
1 cup jasmine rice
1/3 cup frozen peas
4 scallions, more for garnish
3 garlic cloves
1 organic egg
2 tablespoons sesame seeds, more for garnish
1 tablespoon sambal, or to taste
1 teaspoon sea salt
2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil, more for brushing
1/3 cup organic cornstarch
To Make
Bring 1½ cups water to a boil in a small pot. Add rice.
Cover, bring to a simmer, and cook for 15 minutes.
Toss in frozen peas.
Spread rice mixture out onto a tray and cool completely (or place in freezer for 10 minutes).
Slice scallions (approximately ½ cup) and mince garlic (or pass through a garlic press).
Preheat air fryer to 400ºF for 5 minutes.
Whisk egg and fold into rice mixture, along with scallions, garlic, sesame seeds, sambal, sea salt, and toasted sesame oil. Fold in cornstarch.
Scoop ¼ cup of mixture and press into a cake. Repeat with remaining mixture. Sprinkle and press with additional sesame seeds.
Place cakes in air fryer in a single layer, working in batches if necessary.
Cook for 5 minutes. Brush with additional sesame oil and cook for additional 5 minutes, or until golden and crispy.
Garnish fried rice cakes with scallions and serve with Apricot Ginger Sauce.
FOR APRICOT GINGER SAUCE
Gather
1-inch piece ginger
¼ cup apricot jam
3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
pinch sea salt
To Make
Peel and roughly chop ginger (approximately 2 tablespoons).
Add chopped ginger, apricot jam, apple cider vinegar, and sea salt to a blender along with ¼ cup water.
Blend until smooth.
Serve with vegetable fried rice cakes.
Good to Know
Adding frozen peas to just-cooked hot rice will defrost the peas and cool the rice.
Fruit jams or preserves can be a great alternative for making quick and savory dipping sauces, especially when seasoned with vinegar, garlic or ginger.
Try different rice cake varieties by including add-ins like edamame or pineapple, or simply add spice for an extra kick.
Jasmine rice is a great choice because it cooks quickly and retains a lot of moisture to bind the cakes.
Chef Olivia’s Hot Tips
Was it easy to learn to make and experiment with recipes in this relatively new mode of cooking?
Yes, it’s very user-friendly. One thing I learned is it’s a good idea to open the fryer halfway through the cook time to gauge doneness or to flip the food. Also, in general I found that for a quick crisp or broiled effect, choose 400ºF for 5 to 10 minutes, for a slow-bake effect choose 350ºF for 10 to 20 minutes.
What is the most surprising thing you learned about it?
Its broiling or browning effect is as good as an oven or any other piece of equipment. The vigorous air flow delivers a great amount of heat onto the surface of the item at high temperatures.
Anything else surprise you?
Enamel cookware works beautifully when used with this method because it absorbs heat so well. Something like a lasagna would be awesome, and ready in probably a third of the time. Also, I learned how important it is to preheat the appliance for a few minutes for more even cooking. Finally, I discovered that it’s great for reheating food in a matter of a few minutes without burning it or drying it out.
Cinnamon Squash Miniature Brownie Cake
Yields 3 miniature cakes; 3 cups batter
Gather
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 cup oat flour
pinch sea salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ cup cocoa powder
½ cup pumpkin puree
½ cup maple syrup, more for garnish
1 (13.5 oz) coconut milk can
Add-Ins
½ cup candied ginger pieces, chopped
½ cup semisweet chocolate chips
Make It
Preheat air fryer to 350ºF for 5 minutes.
Lightly grease inside of three 3-inch, oven-safe ramekins with oil of choice.
Sift ground cinnamon, oat flour, sea salt, baking powder, and cocoa powder into a medium bowl.
To the flour mixture, fold in pumpkin puree, maple syrup, and coconut milk. Stir ¼ cup chopped ginger into cake, along with ¼ cup chocolate chips.
Transfer one cup batter into each ramekin. Arrange filled ramekins in air fryer (working in batches if necessary).
Cook for 10 minutes. Reduce temperature to 320ºF and cook for an additional 15 minutes, or until cooked through.
Using a dish towel, carefully remove cakes. Invert onto a plate or cooling rack.
Top warm cakes with a thin layer of chocolate chips. Use a spoon to spread around the chocolate to help it melt.
Drizzle with maple syrup. Garnish with remaining candied ginger.
Good to Know
It’s okay to leave the cake a little molten in the center since the base is edible, even in its raw form.
The taste becomes most like a baked cake if it is allowed to cool in the fridge, preferably overnight.
Coconut milk is a great substitute for both milk and butter when trying to make a plant-based recipe. Adding candied ginger is a great way to add a lot of flavor and spice to a cake.
Sesame Crusted Avocado Fries with Wasabi ‘Mayo’
Yields 16 pieces; ½ cup ‘mayo’
FOR THE AVOCADO FRIES
Gather
2 avocados (ripe, but firm)
2 tablespoons organic corn starch
1 organic egg
¼ cup black sesame seeds
½ cup white sesame seeds
2 teaspoons flaky sea salt
To Make
Slice avocados into quarters, lengthwise. Peel and remove pits.
Cut avocado slices in half lengthwise, for 16 slices total.
Place slices in a single layer on a plate. Freeze for 20 minutes.
Preheat air fryer to 350º F for 5 minutes.
Coat frozen avocado slices with corn starch, shaking off any excess.
Beat egg in small bowl and mix sesame seeds on a plate.
Dip each avocado slice in egg mixture and press into sesame seeds to coat.
Place coated avocado slices in a single layer in air fryer, working in batches if necessary. Return any extra pieces to freezer until ready to place into air fryer.
Cook for 5 minutes and sprinkle with flaky salt.
Serve with Wasabi ‘Mayo.’
FOR THE WASABI ‘MAYO’
Gather
1 garlic clove
1 lemon
2 teaspoons honey
1 tablespoon avocado oil
½ teaspoon wasabi paste
½ teaspoon sea salt
¼ cup tahini
To Make
Mince garlic clove (or pass through a garlic press) and place in medium bowl.
Zest lemon (approximately 1/2 teaspoon), avoiding white pith. Juice lemon (approximately 2 tablespoons) into same bowl.
Stir in honey, avocado oil, wasabi paste, and sea salt until thoroughly combined.
Fold in tahini along with 2 tablespoons water until mixture is smooth.
Note: Tahini consistency can vary and might require a touch more or less water to resemble mayonnaise consistency.
Good to Know
For the best results, freeze the avocado slices so that the actual avocado does not fully cook in the air fryer but becomes slightly creamy.
Choose wasabi paste over wasabi powder for a less bitter, more authentic taste. The powder is usually made of horseradish powder and not wasabi root.
When tahini is mixed with an acid such as lemon, it lightens in color and will produce a more characteristic white-looking ‘mayo.’
Chef Olivia’s Hot Tips
Are there any tradeoffs in cooking with an air fryer?
Big-batch cooking and overcrowding aren’t as effective, so in this case I would rather spread items out on a baking tray and place them in a standard oven. For large items, too, I would probably stick to an oven. The exterior could brown too fast in an air fryer, leaving the interior undercooked. And for sensitive items like meringues or cake, one would have to adjust times and temperatures meticulously to get an excellent result.
Spinach Lasagna Stuffed Mushrooms
Yields 4 mushrooms; 4 cups filling; ½ cup oil
FOR THE PARSLEY GARLIC OIL
Gather
1 bunch parsley
4 garlic cloves
1/3 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon sea salt
To Make
Destem parsley and finely chop leaves (approximately ½ cup).
Mince garlic or pass cloves through a garlic press.
Add olive oil to a small bowl. Mix in chopped parsley, minced garlic, and sea salt.
FOR THE STUFFED MUSHROOMS
Gather
1 cup sun-dried tomatoes
1 bag frozen spinach (approximately 1 pound), defrosted
1 block firm tofu
½ cup plain yogurt (or vegan yogurt)
4 large portobello mushrooms (or 6 medium-sized pieces)
To Make
Preheat air fryer to 400ºF for 5 minutes.
Add sun-dried tomatoes to a medium bowl. Boil 2 cups water and pour over tomatoes. Allow tomatoes to hydrate for 10 minutes then drain. Cut into quarters and place back into bowl.
Squeeze out all excess moisture from defrosted spinach; add to bowl.
Crumble tofu. Squeeze out as much moisture as possible and add to same bowl.
Stir in yogurt and ¼ cup of Parsley Garlic Oil into bowl.
Destem portobellos and brush with parsley garlic oil.
Air-fry portobellos for 5 minutes.
Fill each portobello with 1 cup filling, pressing mixture firmly into each cap.
Air-fry for additional 5 minutes and drizzle with any remaining parsley garlic oil.
Good to Know
An easy way to defrost spinach is to place it frozen in a strainer and run cold water over it.
An easy way to press tofu when you’re planning to crumble it is to place it in your hand and squeeze out all the liquid, just as you would a sponge.
Cooking the mushrooms for a few minutes before you fill them ensures more flavor, a better texture, and a less watery composition.
Chef Olivia’s Hot Tips
So, can we give up the frying pan and deep fryer for good?
It can do a lot of things—more than I thought—but it can’t do everything. Wet batters will do better in a deep fryer or pan; they need the addition of the oil to cook properly. And air fryers generally go up to 400ºF, so anything you want to make at a higher temp, like bread or pizza ,might fare better in an oven. Plus frying pans, especially something like cast iron, are still nice if you want a sear.
