What Can You Cook in an Air Fryer?

Meat, poultry and seafood

This is where air fryers shine because skin and surfaces crisp while the inside stays juicy:

Cooking times are short: chicken wings take about 25 to 30 minutes at 400°F, burgers 8 to 10 minutes at 375°F, salmon 8 to 10 minutes at 400°F and shrimp just 5 to 6 minutes. Try our cooking times chart for more. Marinated meat should be patted dry first so it browns.

• Chicken wings, drumsticks, thighs and breasts
• Burgers, meatballs and steak
• Pork chops, tenderloin and bacon
• Salmon, shrimp, cod and fish sticks
• Sausages and hot dogs

Vegetables and sides

Roasted vegetables caramelize in minutes without heating the oven:

Toss vegetables with a little oil and salt, cut them into similar sizes and cook at 375°F to 400°F, shaking halfway. Broccoli and asparagus take about 8 to 12 minutes, Brussels sprouts 12 to 15, and potatoes 20 to 30. Many vegetables that taste dull when steamed become sweet and crisp when air fried.

• Broccoli, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts
• Potatoes, sweet potatoes, wedges and baked potatoes
• Asparagus, green beans, zucchini and carrots
• Corn on the cob, mushrooms and peppers
• Kale chips and roasted chickpeas

Frozen foods

Frozen food is arguably the best use. Fries, tater tots, nuggets, mozzarella sticks, egg rolls, pizza rolls, fish sticks and dumplings come out crispier than in the oven or microwave, and usually in under 15 minutes.

Follow the package directions, but lower the temperature by about 25°F and reduce the time by a few minutes, then check. Don't thaw first and shake the basket halfway to keep pieces from sticking. For convenience, keep a bag of fries, nuggets or vegetables in the freezer for quick dinners.

Breakfast

Air fryers handle breakfast well: bacon, sausage links, hash browns, French toast sticks, egg cups, hard-boiled eggs and breakfast sandwiches all cook quickly with easy cleanup.

Cook bacon at 375°F for 8 to 10 minutes, hash browns at 400°F for 12 to 15 minutes and French toast sticks at 375°F for about 8 minutes. Egg cups in silicone molds make fast, portable breakfasts. Check out our recipe collections for breakfast ideas.

Baking and desserts

With a small pan or silicone molds, you can bake muffins, cupcakes, brownies, cookies, lava cakes, small cheesecakes, cinnamon rolls and even bread. Lower the temperature slightly and cover the top with foil if it browns too fast.

Small-batch desserts are a perfect match: they bake in 10 to 25 minutes and don't heat your whole kitchen. Use a pan that leaves space around the edges so air can circulate, line it with parchment, and check early since air fryers brown quickly. Remember that wet batters belong in a pan, not directly on the basket.

What not to cook in an air fryer

A few foods don't work well:

When in doubt, ask: does it need to be submerged in liquid, or is it very large or very light? If so, use another appliance. If the answer is no, there's a good chance it will work in the air fryer. Experimenting with small portions is the best way to learn what your model can do.

• Wet batters like tempura or pancake batter, which drip through
• Loose leafy greens or light foods that blow around
• Large roasts or whole turkeys that won't fit
• Soups, stews and anything with a lot of liquid
• Cheese on its own without a pan, which melts through the basket