If you told people way back in the Roman times that you can cook with air and nothing else, you’d probably be crucified for blasphemy. Little did they know… People of today would be putting all sorts of stuff in machines that could actually do it. Lo and behold, in the era of online shopping madness, everyone started unboxing their own air fryers for a taste of less-oil cooking. Chicken wings, french fries, salmon, or bacon — you’ve probably heard or done these air fryer recipes before. Well, if you have an air fryer at home or are planning to get one, better gear up your aprons for this list. Here are 12 things you probably didn’t know you can cook with an air fryer.
Be ala Gordon Ramsey with these surprising air fryer dishes
1. S’mores
Modern technology has officially invaded the spaces of these by-the-fire bites. With your air fryer, you can enjoy a makeshift camping experience at home with your family.
Alternatively, you can also be that conyo friend at your barkada’s outing. Just imagine you and your friends sitting around a campfire in the woods, jamming to the tunes of Country Roads, Take Me Home, underneath a perfect starry night. Everybody’s holding out their stick of marshmallows. Then, you pull a portable power supply out of the blue. You unzip your bag to pull out something shiny— voila, it’s a brand-new air fryer. Sheesh!
Also read: Best Air Fryer Brands in the Philippines & Where to Buy Them
2. Grilled cheese
Cue the famous Tiktok sound, Let’s Skip To The Good Part… Yes, you can make grilled cheese in an air fryer. Be careful not to let some cheese out of the bread, though, or you’ll be in for a messy clean-up. It’s best to keep the cheese frozen first before putting it in the air fryer. While you’re at it, consider adding a sinful strip of crispy bacon for good measure. Definitely a staple air fryer recipe.
3. Corn on the cob
If you love corn as much as I do, then you’d probably enjoy air-fried corn on the cob. Spray a bit of olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and you got yourself a treat. Just make sure you add the butter after frying, or it’ll burn as you cook. You can also make Elotes, the Mexican version of corn on the cob.
4. Empanadas
Surprise! This Spanish snack that we Pinoys learned to love can also be made in an air fryer. Cook the filling (e.g. beef, pork, or chicken) on a skillet, add some pepper and onions, and then toss them into your air fryer. Craving Jamaican patties? You can use beef suet with some extra spices to achieve the piquant flavour.
5. Cinnamon rolls
For people with a sweet tooth, you can’t miss out on this Swedish morning pastry. You can either create cinnamon rolls from scratch or use a ready-made pack. Add parchment paper for an easy wash after cooking.
6. Wicked Oreos
Oh, yes. Oreos are not just for cold desserts. With an air fryer, you can experiment with making some delightful treats stuffed with Oreos. Try making one using a pancake batter for coating. Drizzle some caramelized sugar afterwards and get your family a mini children’s party every Sunday morning.
7. Fried pickles
I got caught in a pickle here… I actually don’t like these green, sour cucumbers. But yes, if you’re into it, air-fried pickles are said to be delicious. Even without deep frying them, you can still achieve a golden crisp. But hey, don’t ask me — I’m the guy who wants pickles removed from his burger.
8. Doughnuts
I love me some glazed doughnuts from Krispy Kreme, but I also have a soft spot for homemade doughnuts. Its imperfect shape has a certain charm to it. Now, even without an oven, you can make your own air fryer recipe for doughnuts at home. Grab some chocolate syrup or cocoa powder for an extra spike of sweet goodness.
Also read: Sweet Potato Recipes You Should Try During the Quarantine
9. Pizza
Air fryers don’t seem to run out of tricks, do they? If you’d like to make a pizza from scratch, these pseudo-ovens can do the job. However, this could be a daunting task as you could end up with uncooked dough. But if you get it right, you’ll be taking a bite of an evenly cooked pizza with a crispy crust baked to perfection.
10. Bread
Of course, with pizza being on the table, you can also bake bread in air fryers. It sounds a bit ridiculous to bake in something that’s supposed to fry your food, but it actually works well. Unlike traditional ovens, you won’t have to pre-heat air fryers to make bread. Additionally, you can convert your leftover pastry to garlic bread in just a few seconds of air frying. Now, all that’s left to make is a plate of pasta.
11. Pasta chips and meatballs
Surprise, surprise! Get a quick delizioso meal of pasta chips and meatballs with an air fryer. Simply cook your pasta al dente and add your preferred spices. Drop them in a pre-heated air fryer, and serve them with meatballs and a few herbs on the side — like a true MasterChef champion.
12. Boiled eggs
That’s right. This is probably the craziest thing you can do in an air fryer — boil. With no water. I’m not sure if a professional chef, a mad scientist, or some kid messing around the kitchen found out that you can actually boil an egg in an air fryer. But we better get our terms right. In air fryer recipes available online, it’s not a “boiled” egg, and it’s not “fried” either. It’s actually called “air-fried boiled egg.” Now that’s something you don’t hear every day, am I right?
Also read: 10 Budget-Friendly Appliances for ₱2k and Below!
So, to sum it all up, an appliance called an “air fryer” can also grill, roast, bake a pastry, make a pizza, and boil an egg. A well-oiled machine that doesn’t need oil. BRB, logging in to Lazada and Shopee…
Featured image credit: Ika Ramah via Canva Pro
