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26 Easy Air Fryer Recipes for Beginners (With Free Time Chart)

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These Easy Air Fryer Recipes for Beginners are a great introduction to air frying! Here's a collection of flavor-packed air fryer appetizers, side dishes, and entrees you can make to get to know your air fryer!

Whether it's crispy fries, roasted vegetables, or mini pizzas, these easy-to-make recipes will get you air frying like a pro in no time!

six pictures of air fried food titled "Easy Beginner Air Fryer Recipes. Quick & Easy Recipes Including Snacks, Side Dishes, and Main Meals"

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Has anyone else ever bought a new kitchen appliance only to let it sit in the box for months because learning how to use it feels like a big task?

If that's how you feel about your air fryer, then you've come to the right place! There are way too many absolutely delicious air fryer recipes not to utilize what has become one of the most popular kitchen appliances!

Here you'll find the answers to a lot of common questions about air fryers as well as a list of the best air fryer recipes for beginners.

So, whether you're a seasoned user or you're new to the air frying game, these easy air fryer recipes will not disappoint!

Jump to:

What is an Air Fryer?

An air fryer is essentially a very small convection oven. It's meant to mimic the texture of deep-fried food, but without all the oil! Instead, it cooks and crisps the food by circulating hot air around the food.

Air Fryer Facts: You can find a detailed guide on an Air Fryer - how it works, which one to buy, and what all you can cook in it, in this article: How Does an Air Fryer Work?

Essential Things to Know Before Using an Air Fryer

Here are a few of my key tips and tricks for air fryer cooking!

  • Use a recipe. If you're a little overwhelmed with the endless air-frying possibilities, pick your favorite food and Google an air-fryer recipe for it. Chances are, there is one!
  • Preheat the air fryer. Unless otherwise specified in a recipe, you'll want to preheat the air fryer before you add anything. This results in crispier, better-cooked food! If you don't preheat, the outside of the food may burn before the inside is fully cooked.
  • Don't stack. The key to air frying is to allow the air to circulate around the food. That means leaving space between food in the air fryer basket so it cooks all the way around, not just on the surfaces that are exposed to air.
  • Flip foods or shake the basket. Usually, about halfway through the cooking time, you'll want to either flip the food over or give the basket a gentle shake to redistribute the contents. This results in more even cooking.
  • Avoid aerosol. Cooking sprays containing aerosol can damage the air fryer basket. I recommend using non-aerosol cooking sprays!

Free Air Fryer Time Chart

Three Time charts with title "air fryer cooking time chart"

Beginner Air Fryer Recipes

The best thing about air fryers is just how many types of food you can make in them! You can cook meat, roast veggies, warm up leftovers, "fry" appetizers, you name it! You can even make some desserts in the air fryer (check out my blueberry bread pudding!)

Here are a few of my favorite easy air fryer recipes for beginners. For your convenience, I've divided them into four categories- Appetizers & Snacks, Side Dishes, Entrees, ad Desserts:

Easy Air Fryer Appetizers & Snacks

Air fried sweet potato fries on a plate with parchment paper

Sweet Potato Fries

Air Fryer Sweet Potato Fries are crispy & the healthy alternative to deep-fried! This perfect snack only takes about 15 minutes to make.
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homemade french fries on black plate with fry sauce in white bowl

Classic French Fries

This Homemade French Fries recipe creates crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, golden brown baked french fries to serve with burgers and more.
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Air fried carrot fries with sriracha mayo on stacked black plate

Healthy Carrot Fries

Enjoy crispy and sweet Carrot Fries as a healthy snack or side dish. These low-calorie, low-carb fries are made with 5 ingredents in just 22 minutes in the air fryer or oven.
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air fried zucchini fries on large platter with tartar sauce on side

Air Fryer Zucchini Fries

Enjoy tender and crisp Air Fryer Zucchini Fries as a gluten-free, low-calorie, low-carb, and keto appetizer, snack, or side dish, ready in just 20 minutes.
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A tray of tandoori chicken wings

Tandoori Chicken Wings

These tandoori chicken wings are crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, and flavored with Indian spices. Made easily in the oven or air fryer.
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Air Fryer Tofu on a black plate

Crispy Tofu

This Air Fryer Tofu is the crispiest, most flavorful tofu ever! Cooked in just a few minutes, it's perfect over rice, noodles, or on its own.
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White bowl with kale chips and dip

Guilt-Free Kale Chips

Crispy, crunchy, and super tasty, these air fryer Kale Chips are a great low-carb, low-calorie snack ready to enjoy in less than 10 minutes.
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easy pizza bread recipe with fresh vegetables on black plate with blue napkin

Bread Pizza Toast - 5 Flavors

This quick and easy Bread Pizza recipe features sliced bread and fresh pizza toppings nestled with bubbly melted cheese ready in 20 minutes.
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Easy Air Fryer Side Dishes

plate of air fried garlic cheese bread

Garlic Bread (15 minutes!)

This Air Fryer Garlic Bread is a 15-minute, 6-ingredient recipe that makes the best garlic bread! Baguette slices are slathered in a homemade garlic butter, then air fried until soft in the middle and crispy on the outside.
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a black cup full of potato wedges next to a small bowl of ketchup

Crispy Potato Wedges

These easy-to-make Air Fryer Potato Wedges are seasoned with a simple spice blend and are air-fried until fluffy in the middle and crispy on the outside.
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Cubes of roasted air fryer sweet potatoes in a bowl with lemon wedges

Roasted Sweet Potatoes

Crisp on the outside and tender within, these air fryer sweet potatoes roast perfectly in 15 minutes for a nutritious and tasty side dish or snack!
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Air Fryer Balsamic Brussel Sprouts in bowl

Balsamic Brussel Sprouts

Easy recipe for crispy and perfectly roasted Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts With Balsamic vinegar in under 30 minutes!
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roasted broccoli served with lemon slices

Roasted Broccoli

10-minute recipe for perfectly roasted Air Fryer broccoli. Enjoy this crisp, nutritious vegetable with pasta, curry, grilled meats or salads.
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roasted brussel sprouts and sweet potatoes in large serving bowl

Roasted Brussel Sprouts and Sweet Potatoes

Easy, 30-minute recipe for crisp Roasted Brussel Sprouts and Sweet Potatoes tossed with cumin, paprika, cayenne, dried cranberries, and pecans.
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Spiced roasted potatoes in a bowl garnished with cilantro

Spicy Bombay Potatoes

Coated with a potpourri of Indian spices, and cooked till they are golden crisp. They're great as appetizers, or as a sidekick to any curry or roasted entree.
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Air Fryer carrots in bowl with garnish close up shot

Air Fryer Carrots (Roasted in 15 Minutes)

These Air Fryer Carrots make a tasty low calorie, low carb side dish for any meal. Perfectly roasted carrots made easily in 15 minutes.
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plate of air fryer green beans above

Green Beans with Almonds

10-minute recipe to air fry green beans using just 5 ingredients. Enjoy this low carb, low-calorie side dish with your favorite entree.
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Roasted corn ears next to spices and chili powder and lime halves

Corn on the Cob

This Indian street-style Air Fryer Corn on the Cob, also known as Bhutta, is smoky, spicy, perfectly roasted, and ready in just 15 minutes.
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plate of air fried aloo gobi

Aloo Gobi

This Air Fryer Aloo Gobi is classic Indian dish made up cauliflower and potatoes cooked with tomato, onion, and the perfect blend of seasonings. It's vegan, gluten-free, and ready in under 30 minutes!
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Easy Air Fryer Entrees

Two grilled fish tacos topped with mango salsa

Blackened Fish Tacos in Air Fryer

Tender fish fillets seasoned with a homemade cajun spice blend, crisped to perfection in an air fryer, and served on fire-grilled corn tortillas with a zesty mango salsa!
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Pizza with tomato and basil

Flatbread Pizza

This crisp flatbread pizza is a quick and healthy meal using a handful of ingredients, made in the air fryer or oven in 20 minutes.
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air fryer chicken fajitas in large bowl

Air Fryer Chicken Fajitas

Quick and easy recipe for Air Fryer Chicken Fajitas with tender strips of seasoned chicken, onions and peppers cooked in the air fryer until crisp.
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Greek chicken recipe on gray plate with bowl of kalamata olives in the middle

Greek Chicken

Greek Chicken is a simple and quick marinated chicken recipe infused with lemon and warm spices, made easily in the oven, air fryer, or on the stove.
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two tandoori salmon steaks on gray plate with lime wedges

Tandoori Salmon

This Tandoori Salmon recipe is a quick, easy and healthy meal in which salmon fillets are rubbed with aromatic Indian spices, then cooked in an air fryer or oven.
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Easy Air Fryer Desserts

Creamy bread pudding with blueberries in a white bowl

Blueberry Bread Pudding

Cubed croissants tossed with lemony custard, blueberries and cream cheese, this decadent dessert can be easily made in an Air Fryer.
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Chocolate bread pudding in a white bowl topped with whipped cream

Chocolate Bread Pudding

This easy chocolate bread pudding is a rich, decadent treat made with buttery croissants and plenty of chocolate.
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Air Fryer Cooking FAQs

What should I make first in my air fryer?

The best way to ease yourself into air fryer cooking is to make something easy, like roasted vegetables! Any of the recipes listed above are a perfect way to get comfortable using your air fryer.

What cannot be cooked in an air fryer?

Any food with a wet batter. The air fryer mimics the texture of fried food but does not actually fry it. Wet batter will just drip through the holes in the basket and create a big mess.

What is the most popular food cooked in an air fryer?

French fries! As one of the most popular deep-fried foods, french fries are naturally an air fryer favorite. Just as crispy and delicious, but much less greasy!

Can you put frozen food in an air fryer?

Yes! You can cook frozen meat, appetizers, and even veggies in the air fryer.

Can I put aluminum foil in my air fryer?

Yes. You can put both aluminum foil and parchment paper in the air fryer. Make sure you do so after you preheat though. Otherwise, they will just get sucked into the fan.

Do you need to spray oil in the air fryer?

Usually, yes. You'll want to lightly grease the inside of the air fryer basket before you add any food so it doesn't stick.

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