You Just Got an Air Fryer—Make These 16 Recipes!

If you're new to cooking with an air fryer, here are some recipes to help you get comfortable with your new gadget.

By
Devan Grimsrud
Devan Grimsrud
Devan Grimsrud

Devan Grimsrud is a Berlin-based writer, editor, and recipe developer originally from Minneapolis, Minnesota. After working in television production with James Beard Award-winning chef Andrew Zimmern, she relocated to Berlin and became the managing editor at Kitchen Stories, an international digital cooking platform with millions of active users. 

Learn about Simply Recipes' Editorial Process
Published January 29, 2026
Devan Grimsrud
Air Fryer Baked Potatoes Topped with Sour Cream

Simply Recipes / Alison Bickel

If you were gifted an air fryer this year, welcome to the unofficial air fryer owners' club! Before you dive right in, it's important to know the basics of your new kitchen tool, and this first-timer's guide will give you all the info you need. There's also a helpful list of 10 foods you should never put in your air fryer, which is most definitely worth a browse if you're already thinking about experimenting.

Once you're ready to get cooking, let one of these 16 recipes lead the way! Think of them as the best hits of your air fryer—recipes that leverage the cooking mechanism to its fullest to make "healthier" takes on fried foods, quicker cooking classics, and (the best part) less mess. Don't forget to browse the helpful tips and tricks from our editors, contributors, and readers as you search the list for your inaugural air fryer recipe.

  • Homemade Egg Rolls

    Egg rolls piled in a square white dish next to a dish of dark brown sauce.
    Nick Evans

    "To make sure the wrapper seals well, I recommend dipping your fingers in water and brushing the outer edges of the wrapper before rolling." —Nick Evans, Simply Recipes Contributor

  • Crispy Bacon

    Air Fryer Bacon on Plate and in Air Fryer

    Simply Recipes / Nick Evans

    "Add 1 cup of water to the bottom of your air fryer basket before you cook the bacon. This will prevent the rendered bacon fat from creating smoke." —Nick Evans, Recipe Developer

  • Fluffy Baked Potatoes

    Air Fryer Baked Potatoes Topped with Sour Cream

    Simply Recipes / Alison Bickel

    "Russet potatoes are the best option for air frying, just as they are for baking. Their high starch and low moisture content make them ideal for dry heat cooking methods and contribute to their light and fluffy interior texture." —Kayla Hoang, Simply Recipes Contributor

  • Perfect Fried Chicken

    Air Fryer Fried Chicken on a platter

    "Great recipe and comes out looking, smelling and tasting delicious! I've always used cinnamon when making fried chicken, which I learned from my mother, who learned from her mother." —Kristy, Simply Recipes Reader

    Continue to 5 of 16 below

  • Crispy French Fries

    Air Fried French Fries Recipe serve the fries
    Alison Conklin

    "If you want to soak these in the morning and air fry them for dinner, you can refrigerate the potatoes in the interim once they’ve been soaked in cold water. Or soak them in the fridge all day in cold water." —Carrie Havranek, Simply Recipes Contributor

  • 8-Minute Salmon

    Salmon with Lemon Slices in Air Fryer

    Simply Recipes / Nick Evans

    "To keep the skin on your salmon but prevent sticking, tuck lemon slices under the salmon in the air fryer basket. The lemon will act as a barrier so that the salmon skin doesn’t get stuck. This tip goes for any fish, but it works particularly well with salmon." —Nick Evans, Recipe Developer

  • Chicken Wings

    Crispy Air Fryer Chicken Wings with Gochujang Sauce on rectangle board sprinkled with sesame seeds with radishes and peas nearby.
    Alison Bickle

    "For this recipe to be worth it, you can’t crowd the air fryer drawer. Cram in too many wings and they steam. They’ll still be edible, but one bite and you’ll learn why steamed wings are not a thing." —Sara Bir, Simply Recipes Senior Editor

  • Crab Rangoon

    Six wontons on a white background, next to a dipping sauce in a light green bowl.
    Nick Evans

    "Don't overfill them: At an absolute max, do one tablespoon of filling per wonton. I tend to do a scant tablespoon, which is probably closer to two teaspoons. If you overfill them, the wontons will explode while frying." —Nick

    Continue to 9 of 16 below

  • Crispy Hash Browns

    Air Fryer Hash Browns on a Plate with a Sunny Side Egg and in an Air Fryer Basin

    Simply Recipes / Nick Evans

    "Yukon potatoes yield the best results for these air fryer hash browns. They are a bit smaller than russets and have a waxy skin instead of hard brown skin. The key element of Yukon potatoes is that they have slightly less starch in them than the russet potato, so the strands stay separated more and they get really crispy." —Nick Evans, Recipe Developer

  • Chicken Tenders

    Air Fryer Chicken Tenders on a plate with ranch dip in a cup

    Simply Recipes / Sara Haas

    "Save money by buying chicken breasts and slicing them into tender-size pieces." —Sara Haas, Simply Recipes Contributor

  • Buffalo Cauliflower

    Air Fryer Cauliflower with Buffalo Sauce on a platter with dip and vegetable sticks.
    Nick Evans

    "I love these. They have become a great staple in my college diet as they're cheap to make too!" —WuShock, Simply Recipes Reader

  • Homemade Tostones

    Air Fryer Tostones on parchment paper with a bowl of salt nearby.
    Marta Rivera

    "The plantains used for tostones should be a verdant green in color and must be very firm. Avoid plantains with a lot of yellow in the peel, as they have already started to ripen and will taste sweeter." —Marta Rivera, Recipe Developer

    Continue to 13 of 16 below

  • Mozzarella Sticks

    Frozen mozzarella sticks in air fryer
    Alison Conklin

    "This recipe is a bit finicky: You need to dip the mozzarella stick in the lightly beaten egg and then the breadcrumbs, freeze it for a short period of time, and then repeat the process again to add a second coating before you air fry. These steps are crucial. If you don't follow them, the coating slides right off the cheese stick once you pop it in the fryer." —Carrie Havranek, Recipe Developer

  • Crispy Tofu

    Crispy Air Fryer Tofu in Air Fryer Basin

    Simply Recipes / Alison Bickel

    "The best tofu for this recipe is extra-firm block tofu. It’s the easiest to work with (thanks to its lower moisture content), holds up well when pressed, and yields the best texture." —Kayla Hoang, Recipe Developer

  • Onion Rings

    Crispy Air Fryer Onion Rings stacked on a plate with a dipping sauce.
    Nick Evans

    "I prefer Vidalia or yellow onions when making onion rings. They have a naturally sweet flavor that everyone resonates with when biting into an onion ring. In a pinch, you can use plain white onions, although they won’t have that sweetness to them." —Nick Evans, Recipe Developer

  • Juicy Hamburgers

    Air Fryer Burger on a Plate with Onion Rings

    Simply Recipes / Nick Evans

    "Once the burgers are cooked, you can add some cheese and fry them for another 1-2 minutes until it's perfectly melted." —Nick Evans, Recipe Developer

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