How to use an AirFryer and a few recipe ideas

Are you looking into buying an AirFryer? You're probably wondering if they are easy to use, how to use an air fryer and what you can cook in it... apart from chips. In this post I even give you recipe ideas.

The most important thing when using an air fryer is to NOT think of it as a fryer but instead... Think of it as a mini oven instead.

This was like a revelation for me and I think I have Tracy J to thank for that.

It was that revelation that prompted me to finally buy an Air Fryer after years of consideration.

It was also what helped the Air Fryer earn its permanent spot on the kitchen counter.

Space is at a premium, one-dish wonders live elsewhere, definitely not on the kitchen counter but... a kitchen gadget that can cook a ton of different things, that on stays on the worktop.

Use it as a mini oven for pretty much everything that will fit in it!

And this part will depend on what size air fryer you have.

Read product information, reviews and look out for photos to work the size that's right for you and your household or ask for opinions in my Kitchen Gadgetry with Feisty Tapas Facebook group.

This is my airfryer, the Philips 9220. At one point I thought it may have been discontinued but it seems to still be available:

I now have the Instant Vortex, which I really like

And at the time of updating this post (November 2021), I also have the Cosori with Wifi on loan and I'm loving it!! The app reminds you when your food is ready but also that you need to shake it. Great if you get easily distracted by other things, like life.

Not sure which one to get? Ask in my Kitchen Gadgetry group for opinions.

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases, you don’t pay a penny extra though.

THE BIGGEST ADVANTAGE OF AN AIR FRYER

No need to preheat

This one is a biggy. You do not have to preheat your airfryer.

My airfryer consists of the housing where the mechanics of it all is housed, a drawer and a basket that inserts inside that drawer.

The drawer slots straight into the housing and you're off.

You can see how it works in this video, that's the airfryer I have.

You place your ingredients in the basket and start from cold.

This, of course, means that if you have an electricity-guzzling oven like I do, an air fryer will help massively with energy consumption and, with energy prices going up, your air fryer will soon start earning its keep as it provides energy savings.

So, how do you use your air fryer as an oven? 

It's extremely easy:

Place your ingredients in the basket.

Set the temperature (mine is permanently set in between 180ºC and 200ºC).

Set the time.

You're off.

If you're cooking something for which you have times and temperature: set the temperature and programme the time but bear in mind it might actually cook faster than you think.

Often it's worth turning the temperature down a bit and reducing the time or setting an early alarm to go check.

With a lot of things you might have to take the drawer out half way through cooking and turn the ingredients, toss them or shake the basket a bit.

I find silicone tongs handy for this (that's my affiliate link by the way, so if you buy after clicking on it I may get a few pennies without it costing you a penny extra).

The drawer is easy to pull out, as easy as a drawer basically.

No major science there.

I have a Philips Air Fryer 9220, the basket and the drawer both go in the dishwasher so super easy to keep clean.

It's easy for things to get stuck to the mesh bottom of the basket so sometimes I just put foil underneath if I am cooking something like sausages, which are likely to stick.

With foil, just make sure that you don't cover the whole of the basket, leave some of the mesh on show for the heat to get through.

I actually don't use foil as much anymore as I find the dishwasher does a good job of getting rid of stuck-on bits.

Want to see my airfryer at work? Watch the video below. In it I also cook roasted peppers and sausages. Then red below for more recipe ideas.

Some examples of things I tend to use my air fryer for:

Airfryer Sausages

Included in the video above.

Airfryer Roasted Peppers

Included in the video above, make sure you watch it.

15 minutes at 180ºC for medium peppers and 20 minutes for larger ones.

Airfryer Garlic Bread

Following the instructions on the pack, reducing the temperature a little bit and making sure you reduce the time a bit or set an early alarm as it can cook quite fast.

Don't forget, no need to preheat so the bread goes in from cold.

Airfryer Roasted Mediterranean Vegetables with Halloumi Cheese

Air Fryer Roasted Vegetables with Leftover Chicken

Airfryer Giant Mushroom stuffed with Ragu Bolognese and Topped with Low Carb Cheese sauce

That Low Carb Cheese Sauce is amazing!! I improvised it in the Thermomix and I can't wait to make it again.

5 minutes at 180ºC.

Airfryer Giant / Portabella Mushroom stuffed with ingredients of your choice

Just the giant mushroom on its own while you cook scrambled eggs on the hob and then serve the mushroom filled with the scrambled eggs (5 minutes at 180ºC).

You could even turn it into a low carb "pizza"... fill the mushroom with a bit of tomato sauce, cheese and your favourite ingredients and you're off.

Airfryer Chicken Legs 

Chicken legs smothered in your favourite sauce or marinade (in this photo I had used red Thai paste in one and smoked paprika and olive oil in the other).

Or plain just with salt and pepper of course.

15 minutes each side at 180ºC, you could probably get away with less time.

I hope that helps give you a bit of an insight into how to use an airfryer. Super easy as you can see.

Do I ever cook chips in it? Nope.

How do YOU use your air fryer?