An air fryer is a great modern appliance that can shave lots of time off of a proper cook. But sometimes, the best air fryers can outperform even the best ovens, at least for certain dishes.
Heat in such a compact space can make for some great texture, whether you’re looking to crisp up a tortilla or caramelize the edges of your favorite vegetable. And it takes little more than throwing the ingredients in the machine and letting it do its thing.
Strangely enough, the air fryer has been around since 2005. Yet, it seems like the appliance has only been around a handful of years, given the surge in popularity especially during and after the pandemic. In many ways, the little oven that could has replaced the microwave, a king of reheating things but also cooking them from the get-go. The impetus was all about texture and that’s still were the air fryer does to well, creating that fried sensation with very little in the way of oil.
Read on for the simple cooking tips related to air frying basic dishes and ingredients.
Quesadilla
If you like a quesadilla with crispy edges that function like chips, the air fryer is the way to go. You can get the same results with some careful baking and broiling work in the oven or with a good griddle, but not without spending more time and energy. Run some trial and error if you like to pack your quesadillas with more than just cheese, like carne asada.
Salmon
The air fryer can be superior here with a flash bake of sorts. If you run a high temperature, you’ll end up with wonderfully crispy edges and meat that often peels right off the skin. Just be sure to line your air fryer tray, as those fishy elements tend to hang around (tin foil works just fine). Frankly, grilling salmon is the best route, or doing it on a cedar plank over open flames, but now that we’re in the offseason, this is much easier and doesn’t involve braving the elements. The same applies to steelhead, which is in season in certain places at the moment.
Cauliflower
While a pan on the stove might be the very best way to do cauliflower, an air fryer produces great results too. That’s especially the case if you like browned edges and soft stems. This kind of cooking really seems to concentrate flavors and you don’t need much else besides some good olive oil, salt, and pepper (and maybe a squeeze of lemon). If you’re short on time, cut the vegetable into smaller pieces and go with a higher heat setting.
Beets and roasted carrots
Wrapping beets in foil and baking them is not the only way. Try chopping them up into spears or even smaller pieces if you love those caramelized edges. Carrots will feature that candy-like skin with a soft center, a flavor that’s so much better—and different—than in the raw.
Wings
Again, going the way of the air fryer is perhaps not the top way with wings, but the level of quality you get compared to how much effort you put in is impressive. Sure, cast iron is a fine way to dial in that skin texture, but an air fryer can do a lot of the heavy lifting for you, minus a big mess. Wings are a great example of how an air fryer seems to do really well with moisture and proteins, especially in bite-sized portions that you can fit in the appliance with ease.
Scotch egg
For a quicker Scotch egg with superior texture, go with an air fryer. The breaded exterior crisps up nicely and the egg consistency is great too (especially if you boil the egg prior, as you should).
Want a few other pro tips? Treat your leftovers to the air fryers as opposed to the microwave, it’s almost always a better route. And throw a slice of bread in the drip pan to soak up excess grease and liquid. You can even roast coffee beans in a good air fryer or make great roasted garlic. Even canned fruit can be baked for a healthy dessert or warm addition to your morning oatmeal.
Jury’s still out on what the best thing ever is to put in your air fryer. But fear not, Reddit is all over the topic. Perhaps the forum will give you some inspiration for your own apron-clad experimenting at home. We can speak from experience that reheated pizza is certainly a deserving candidate (and the so-called one-pot breakfast has us eager to get back to our appliances to fool around more).
Still hungry? Check out The Manual’s features on clever cooking hacks as well as a fish cleaning guide, if that’s your thing. We’ve also got content on the best holiday cocktails, just in time for the festive season.
