These easy family favourites are super speedy to cook in your air fryer and packed with delicious flavours – plus it helps that they’re easy on the purse strings too
It's the kitchen gadget that most families can't live without these days – the humble air fryer.
The appliance's popularity is still on the rise too with UK searches online this month spiking at 880k so it's little wonder more and more of us are seeking out the ultimate delicious recipes to wow our guests, save time and pack in the goodness.
On Tiktok, #airfryer has a whopping 9.2 billion views, with #airfryerhacks standing at a whopping 424.2 million views, according to Raffolux, and the airfryer army are just getting started with more ideas, tips and tricks to try released everyday.
Versatile, quick and easy, fans love air fryer foods for the healthy meals that can be created without compromising on taste and texture. Goodbye oily, greasy stodge and hello fresh, crisp and nutrient-dense grub.
Also, the money and time-saving involved is undeniable, with energy costs far lower than using your conventional oven, and food cooked in a fraction of the time.
Try these gorgeous air fryer ideas this weekend for fast food without the guilt…
Serves 4
Ingredients
Method
1. Make a marinade by whisking together your soy sauce, honey, sesame oil, garlic, ginger and chilli flakes. Pour the marinade over the salmon and set aside in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
2. Heat the air fryer to 180°C/350°F.
3. Lift the salmon fillets out of the marinade (reserve the marinade in the bowl), place them in the air-fryer basket and cook for 7–9 minutes, until cooked and flaky.
4. Meanwhile, tip the reserved marinade into a small saucepan over a medium heat, add ½ cup of water and reduce until glossy. Taste to check the seasoning – you might need to add a splash of rice wine vinegar and honey to balance the flavours. Blitz until smooth if you like.
5. Serve the salmon with the sauce drizzled over.
Tip: Serve with steamed rice, grilled spring onions or broccoli, crispy shallots (the ones from the supermarket) some pickled veg, or with soba noodles and longstem broccoli/broccolini.
You could cook yours in this Ninja Air Fryer AF100UK from Ninja Kitchen UK available for £149.99 here.
Makes 4
Ingredients
Method
1. Heat the air fryer to 130C/270F.
2. Put the 4 whole eggs in the air-fryer basket and cook them for 9 minutes, which will be just enough to soft-boil them. Meanwhile, prepare a bowl of ice-cold water.
3. Once the time is up, transfer the eggs to the icy water and leave to cool (about 5 minutes). Once cool, peel them and set aside.
4. In a bowl, mix the sausagemeat, dried herbs and garlic powder with your hands until it forms a paste-like consistency. Season with salt and pepper.
5. Using kitchen paper, dry the peeled eggs.
6. Gather three bowls. Season the flour and tip it into one bowl. Add the beaten eggs to the second, and the breadcrumbs to the third.
7. Using one quarter of the sausagemeat mixture, mould the meat around one of the boiled eggs as evenly as possible, aiming for the same thickness all the way around. Repeat so that all the eggs are covered in sausagemeat.
8. Increase the air fryer to 180°C/350°F and one by one, dip the wrapped eggs first in flour (dusting off any excess), then in the beaten egg and finally in the breadcrumbs to coat fully.
9. Put the eggs into the air-fryer basket and cook for 12 minutes, until the sausage is cooked through and the coating is golden.
Tip: Serve hot and straight out of the air fryer with some piccalilli and a bag of crisps – just like being at a gastro pub!
Try this Ambiano Compact 3.5 Litre Air Fryer from Aldi, £29.99 here to cook yours.
Makes 12
Ingredients
Method
1. Line a baking tray with greaseproof paper. Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or a hand whisk, combine the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy with no crunchy bits left.
2. Whisk in the egg, then sift in the flour, bicarbonate of soda and cornflour, to form a dough. Break off pieces of dough, each about 3 tablespoons, and roll them into little balls.
3. Roll the balls in the chopped chocolate and place them on the lined baking tray. Transfer to the fridge and chill the cookies for at least 10 minutes to firm up.
4. Heat the air fryer to 160C/325 F/ Gas 3 and line the air-fryer basket with greaseproof paper.
5. Gently flatten the balls slightly and place them in the air fryer to cook for 12 minutes, making sure they’re spaced well apart.
6. Once they are cooked, remove from the air fryer and leave to cool for 1 minute before digging in.
Tip: Why not add a dollop of chocolate hazelnut spread in the centre of your dough before sealing shut to create a melt-in-the-middle cookie?
Bake your cookies in the Dunelm 4L Manual Air Fryer, £30 here.
Credit: Extract taken from Poppy Cooks: The Actually Delicious Air Fryer Cookbook by Poppy O’Toole (Bloomsbury, £20 Hardback) is out now.
Photography © Haarala Hamilton