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    Where Is My Spoon > Air Fryer

    Published: Mar 15, 2022 by Adina · Leave a Comment

    The Best Air Fryer Recipes for Beginners

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    pinterest collage of pictures with title of air fryer beginners recipes.

    Ready to learn how to use the air fryer? Here are our best air fryer recipes for beginners, 23 fool-proof, super easy, and delicious recipes, requiring no special techniques or skills, all ready in no time.

    collage of four pictures of beginners recipes cooked in the air fryer.

    Did you just get yourself an air fryer? Great idea! It is my favorite kitchen gadget; I use it at least 3-4 times a week, something I could hardly say of any other kitchen machine I have.

    Table of contents

    • Why is an air fryer worth having?
    • Air fryer recipes for beginners
      • Frozen Foods
      • Meats
      • Vegetables
      • Potatoes

    Why is an air fryer worth having?

    • Quick: You will have dinner ready in no time, much faster than you would when using the oven or the stovetop.
    • Easy: It’s all about placing some food in the basket and pressing buttons.
    • Healthy: Cook your favorite “fried” foods in the air fryer using just one or two teaspoons of oil.
    • Delicious: The food is excellent, trust me! If you’ve never used this kitchen appliance because you were worried that the results might not be that great, they really are!
    • Cook food from frozen: This is one of the best thing, there are so many foods you can cook from frozen.

    This Air Fryer Recipes for Beginners collection is all about easy, no-fuss, few ingredients recipes. The best ones to show how to use this fantastic machine and give you enough confidence to try out new things in the future, without searching for instructions.

    Tips for using an air fryer

    Preheating:

    • Check the machine instructions to see if you need to preheat it. Most of them require preheating, but some don’t.
    • My air fryer needs to be preheated for 3 minutes before placing the food in the basket.

    Flipping:

    • Flip the food halfway through or as required. It’s unnecessary to do that in all cases, but most recipes, especially basic ones, require flipping the food.

    Internal temperature:

    • Check the temperature of the food when cooking meat, especially chicken. The best way to do it is with a meat thermometer. Always make sure that the meat is safe to eat.
    • Check all types of meat you are cooking, including sausages.

    Cooking time:

    • Keep in mind that different air fryers might be hotter than others, affecting the cooking time.
    • You will know your gadget in time, and you will adjust the cooking time accordingly.
    • In the beginning, check the food a couple of minutes before the indicated time, just to make sure that the food will not be overcooked.
    • If it is not cooked through once the cooking time is over, allow a few more minutes and check again.

    Air fryer recipes for beginners

    Frozen Foods

    1. Frozen Chicken Breast in the Air Fryer

    This is the recipe I cook the most using this kitchen appliance. Simply cooked chicken breast is so versatile and delicious. We have it as it is with baked or mashed potatoes, on top of a salad or in sandwiches. Quickly air-fried frozen chicken breasts saved dinner more than once.

    two pieces of air fryer chicken breast on a plate, one of them thickly sliced.

    Frozen Chicken Breast in the Air Fryer
    Tender frozen chicken breast in the air fryer, quick and healthy dinner for any day of the week. This is my most-cooked air fryer recipe, always delicious and so versatile. Change the seasoning according to taste.
    Check out this recipe

    2. Air Fryer Frozen Chicken Wings

    Chicken wings can be addictive and this recipe is one of our favorites. Not to mention the quickest one for making chicken wings. And how great it is that you don't even have to remember to defrost the wings on time.

    spicy and crispy chicken wings on a plate

    Air Fryer Frozen Chicken Wings
    Cooking frozen chicken wings in the fryer couldn't be easier. Crispy skin, tender meat, delicious wings on your plate in just about 30 minutes.
    Check out this recipe

    3. Air Fryer Frozen Sweet Potato Fries

    The sweet potato fries taste amazing, are crispy and delicious, barely need any seasoning, and take half the time to be ready in the fryer than it would take them to be cooked in the oven.

    frozen fries cooked in an air fryer and served with dip.

    Air Fryer Frozen Sweet Potato Fries
    Air fryer frozen sweet potato fries, crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside, an excellent side dish for just about anything or a delicious quick meal on their own.
    Check out this recipe

    Meats

    4. Air Fryer Chicken Legs

    Roasting chicken legs in the oven is easy and the results are always delicious. So why use the air-fryer? Because is fast, faster than the oven and the results are just as juicy, crispy, and delicious.

    falling off the bone chicken meat

    Air Fryer Chicken Legs
    Air fryer chicken legs – tender meat and crispy skin, flavorful and ready to be served in no time at all. Rub the legs with some spices, turn on the air fryer and 20 minutes later dinner is served.
    Check out this recipe

    5. Air Fryer Bbq Chicken

    Chicken and frozen fries are the two things that I cook the most in my machine. And these Bbq chicken thighs are a hit with my family.

    chicken glazed with barbecue sauce served with potatoes

    Air Fryer Bbq Chicken
    Delicious air fryer bbq chicken: juicy, sweet, smoky, and flavorful. Ready in less than 30 minutes, all you actually have to do is to stir the ingredients for the bbq sauce.
    Check out this recipe

    6. Air Fryer Chicken Breast (No Breading)

    A simple recipe for chicken breast with no breading for a quick dinner or for meal prep. Perfect for adding to salads, making sandwiches, enchiladas, filling tortillas, quesadillas, or whatever else you can think of.

    chicken breast without breading served with cooked leeks.

    Air Fryer Chicken Breast (No Breading)
    Juicy air fryer chicken breast with no breading, a simple, quick way to put dinner on the table. Ready in about 20 minutes.
    Check out this recipe

    7. Air Fryer Ribs

    Tender air fryer pork ribs ready in about 30 minutes. Covered in a sweet and sticky glaze and totally delicious!

    air fried pork ribs ready to be served

    Air Fryer Ribs
    Glazed air fryer ribs, sweet, sticky, and incredibly delicious. Quick and easy to make in an air fryer.
    Check out this recipe

    8. Brats in the Air Fryer

    We live in Germany, so for us, brats or bratwurst are almost a way of living. Making brats in the air fryer is probably the quickest method to have juicy, flavorful sausages anytime we want. Either cooked from fresh or from frozen, they are always delicious, and they are bound to make my family happy.

    bun with sauerkraut and brawurst and a bowl of mustard.

    Brats in the Air Fryer
    Cooking brats in the air fryer is probably the easiest, fastest method of preparing bratwurst. Either fresh or frozen, they will be ready in less than 15 minutes.
    Check out this recipe

    9. Air Fryer Pork Tenderloin

    Cooking pork tenderloin is generally an easy task, and making air fryer pork tenderloin is even easier. All you have to do is to season the meat, and air fry it for less than 20 minutes flipping once. Really! That’s it!

    white slices of air fried pork tenderloin sprinkled with parsley

    Air Fryer Pork Tenderloin
    Air fryer pork tenderloin, juicy on the inside, brown and spicy on the outside. A fuss-free recipe ready in less than 30 minutes.
    Check out this recipe

    10. Easy Air Fryer Turkey Legs

    A super simple and fast way of cooking turkey, you could even use this recipe for Thanksgiving or Christmas. All you must do is season the drumsticks and cook them for about 35 minutes.

    Easy Air Fryer Turkey Legs

    Easy Air Fryer Turkey Legs
    A delicious recipe for air fryer turkey legs, crispy on the outside, juicy, and tender on the inside. This might be the easiest Thanksgiving turkey you could possibly cook. Ready in 40 minutes.
    Check out this recipe

    11. Air Fryer Pork Roast

    Cooking a pork roast is not particularly difficult but this way of cooking it makes things even easier. Basically, all you must do is coat the meat with spices and put it in the air fryer. Flip once halfway, and that’s about it.


    Air Fryer Pork Roast
    Air fryer pork roast – a tender and juicy piece of meat, easy to make, perfect for Sunday lunch or any day of the week.
    Check out this recipe

    12. Air Fryer Meatloaf

    This is a classic meatloaf recipe made easy, comfort food at its best, something that the whole family will love, I know that mine loves it!


    Air Fryer Meatloaf
    This air fryer meatloaf recipe is probably one of the easiest ways of cooking a classic, family favorite meal. Moist, flavorful, comforting, delicious – this is how a good meatloaf recipe should be!
    Check out this recipe

    13. Quick Air Fryer Turkey Burger

    Who said that a burger can’t be even remotely healthy? These turkey burgers are quite so. Swap fattier meat for lean ground turkey and choose a better patty and you should be fine. All the trimmings are actually good for you: lettuce, tomato, onions and some mustard. 


    Quick Air Fryer Turkey Burger
    Juicy air fryer turkey burgers, a super delicious burger on the healthier side. Ready in no time at all.
    Check out this recipe

    Vegetables

    14. Air Fryer Butternut Squash (Two Ways)

    These butternut squash cubes make a great side dish for Thanksgiving or Christmas or a wonderful healthy snack. You can have them on top of salad, with chicken or meat, you can even have the sweet version with granola or muesli for breakfast.

    close up roasted squash piece on a fork

    Air Fryer Butternut Squash – Two Ways
    Air fryer butternut squash cooked in two ways: sweet with brown sugar and cinnamon or spicy with lots of spices.
    Check out this recipe

    15. Air Fryer Mushrooms

    Learn how to air fry mushrooms. It is easy, quick and the results are delicious! All you need are the mushrooms, a touch of olive oil, a few spices and lemon juice.

    close up of sliced fried mushrooms with parsley

    Air Fryer Mushrooms
    Air fryer mushrooms, so easy to make and ready in no time. Savory and juicy, the perfect side dish for almost anything you can think of.
    Check out this recipe

    16. Air Fryer Eggplants (Two Ways)

    These eggplants can become addictive… I can’t even count how many times I’ve cooked them. They are creamy soft and spicy, hearty, healthy, easy to make, and ready in no time at all.

    air fried eggplants with a sweet glaze

    Air Fryer Eggplants (Two Ways)
    Air fryer eggplants or aubergines – soft, spicy and so versatile. You can either cube or slice them, and you can have them simple or glazed.
    Check out this recipe

    17. Air Fryer Carrots (Two Ways)

    Sweet or savory carrots – I really could not say which version I like best. I make rainbow or simple roasted carrots very often, but ever since discovering this version I gave up heating up my oven just for making carrots.

    savory carrots cooked in the air fryer

    Air Fryer Carrots (Two Ways)
    Making air fryer carrots is fast, easy, and truly delicious. Make them sweet or savory and serve them with just about anything.
    Check out this recipe

    18. Air Fryer Zucchini

    These crispy air fryer zucchini will make your day! They definitely made mine. I was expecting to like them, but I didn’t expect to like them so much. So much that I cooked them again the next day to take some pictures as well. This recipe had to be shared!

    vegetable fries served with dip

    Air Fryer Zucchini
    Air fryer zucchini – incredibly crispy, light, and truly addictive. Learn how to cook them quickly in only one batch.
    Check out this recipe

    19. Air Fryer Asparagus

    Cooking crispy tender asparagus is a good choice for a busy weeknight meal. You can serve the veggies as a side dish for pretty much anything, you can cut the spears into smaller pieces and mix them with pasta, olive oil and more Parmesan or serve with risotto.


    Quick Air Fryer Asparagus
    Air fryer asparagus, crunchy, delicious, and ready in less than 10 minutes, this makes the perfect super quick side dish.
    Check out this recipe

    Potatoes

    20. Air Fryer Baked Potatoes

    I love baked potatoes, I make them very often and we have them mostly as the main dish. A knob of butter or a little sour cream is enough to make these baked potatoes really drool-worthy! 

    air fried baked potato served in a small bowl

    Air Fryer Baked Potatoes
    These air fryer baked potatoes are the fluffiest and crispiest ones you could make. Top them with butter or sour cream for a delicious, healthy meal.
    Check out this recipe

    21. Air Fryer Potato Wedges

    They are just as good as deep fried potatoes, but with way less calories. All you need is one tablespoon of olive oil for perfectly crispy and golden brown wedges.

    close up air fried potato wedges

    Air Fryer Potato Wedges
    Air fryer potato wedges, crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. A super easy-to-make side dish or light and a healthy main meal served with a dip or two.
    Check out this recipe

    22. Air Fryer Baked Sweet Potatoes

    They are supposed to be served as a main dish (usually), but they make the main meal most of the time for us. A salad or other veggies on the side are all you need. A healthy, complete, and delicious meal, with practically no work involved at all. 


    Air Fryer Baked Sweet Potato
    Air fryer baked sweet potatoes served with butter or any other topping of your choice. This is one of the easiest ways of cooking sweet potatoes.
    Check out this recipe

    23. Crispy Air Fryer Gnocchi

    Crispy on the outside and soft inside, slightly golden brown and so comforting, these fried gnocchi have become a family favorite. 


    Crispy Air Fryer Gnocchi
    Learn how to make crispy air fryer gnocchi, a delicious 2-ingredient dish ready in less than 15 minutes. Mix them with your favorite pasta sauce or pesto for a quick and comforting dinner.
    Check out this recipe

    I hope you found this collection of easy air fryer recipes for beginners helpful and that you will start using this great kitchen gadget as much as I do!

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