[2016] The Complete Air Fryer Cookbook: Amazingly Easy Recipes to Fry, Bake, Grill, and Roast With Your Air Fryer
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3. Put about 1½ teaspoons of the filling on each strip at the base. Fold the bottom right-hand tip of phyllo over the filling to meet the other side in a triangle, then continue folding in a triangle. Brush each triangle with butter to seal the edges. Repeat with remaining phyllo dough and filling.
4. Bake, 6 at a time, for about 3 to 4 minutes or until the phyllo is golden brown and crisp.
Substitution tip: You can use anything in this filling in place of the artichoke hearts. Try spinach, chopped cooked shrimp, cooked sausage, or keep it vegetarian and use all grated cheese.
Per serving (3 triangles): Calories: 271; Total Fat: 17g; Saturated Fat: 7g; Cholesterol: 19mg; Sodium: 232mg; Carbohydrates: 23g; Fiber: 5g; Protein: 9g
Spinach Dip with Bread Knots
PREP TIME: 12 MINUTES / COOK TIME: 16 TO 21 MINUTES / SERVES 6
320°F BAKE
VEGETARIAN
This wonderful appetizer features a creamy hot spinach dip topped with knots made out of breadstick dough. To serve, put the pan out on a trivet so your guests can pull off the bread knots and sop up the dip!
Nonstick cooking spray
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, cut into cubes
¼ cup sour cream
½ cup frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
½ cup grated Swiss cheese
2 green onions, chopped
½ (11-ounce) can refrigerated breadstick dough
2 tablespoons melted butter
3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1. Spray a 6-by-6-by-2-inch pan with nonstick cooking spray.
2. In a medium bowl, combine the cream cheese, sour cream, spinach, Swiss cheese, and green onions, and mix well. Spread into the prepared pan and bake for 8 minutes or until hot.
3. While the dip is baking, unroll six of the breadsticks and cut them in half crosswise to make 12 pieces.
4. Gently stretch each piece of dough and tie into a loose knot; tuck in the ends.
5. When the dip is hot, remove from the air fryer and carefully place each bread knot on top of the dip, covering the surface of the dip. Brush each knot with melted butter and sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top.
6. Bake for 8 to 13 minutes or until the bread knots are golden brown and cooked through.
Ingredient tip: After the dip is done and eaten, you can coat the remaining breadstick dough pieces in butter and cheese and bake in the air fryer at 300°F for about half the time recommended on the package. Serve with soup or freeze them to enjoy later.
Per serving: Calories: 264; Total Fat: 23g; Saturated Fat: 14g; Cholesterol: 68mg; Sodium: 270mg; Carbohydrates: 7g; Fiber: 0g; Protein: 8g
Arancini
PREP TIME: 15 MINUTES / COOK TIME: 16 TO 22 MINUTES / MAKES 16 ARANCINI
400°F FRY
FAMILY FAVORITE, VEGETARIAN
Popular in Italy, arancini are little balls of rice that are sometimes stuffed with cheese or another savory filling and deep fried. You can use leftover risotto to make this recipe, or use leftover rice from your local Chinese restaurant.
2 cups cooked and cooled rice or leftover risotto
2 eggs, beaten
1½ cups panko bread crumbs, divided
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons minced fresh basil
16 ¾-inch cubes mozzarella cheese
2 tablespoons olive oil
1. In a medium bowl, combine the rice, eggs, ½ cup of the bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, and basil. Form this mixture into 16 1½-inch balls.
2. Poke a hole in each of the balls with your finger and insert a mozzarella cube. Form the rice mixture firmly around the cheese.
3. On a shallow plate, combine the remaining 1 cup bread crumbs with the olive oil and mix well. Roll the rice balls in the bread crumbs to coat.
4. Cook the arancini in batches for 8 to 11 minutes or until golden brown.
Did You Know? In Italy, arancini, also called supplì or rice frittata, are sold on the street as a snack food. They are made much bigger in that country, about the size of an orange, and are often formed into a cone shape.
Per serving (2 arancini): Calories: 378; Total Fat: 11g; Saturated Fat: 4g; Cholesterol: 57mg; Sodium: 361mg; Carbohydrates: 53g; Fiber: 2g; Protein: 16g
Pesto Bruschetta
PREP TIME: 10 MINUTES / COOK TIME: 4 TO 8 MINUTES / SERVES 4
350°F BAKE
FAST, VEGETARIAN
A classic Italian sauce, pesto is made with fresh basil, olive oil, garlic, and Parmesan cheese. Here, the bright and assertive sauce is mixed with fresh tomatoes and slathered onto warm, crisp cheese bread.
8 slices French bread, ½ inch thick
2 tablespoons softened butter
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
½ cup basil pesto
1 cup chopped grape tomatoes
2 green onions, thinly sliced
1. Spread the bread with the butter and place butter-side up in the air fryer basket. Bake for 3 to 5 minutes or until the bread is light golden brown.
2. Remove the bread from the basket and top each piece with some of the cheese. Return to the basket in batches and bake until the cheese melts, about 1 to 3 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, combine the pesto, tomatoes, and green onions in a small bowl.
4. When the cheese has melted, remove the bread from the air fryer and place on a serving plate. Top each slice with some of the pesto mixture and serve.
Ingredient tip: You can find basil pesto and other types of pesto, including a sauce made from sun-dried tomatoes, in the refrigerated section or the pasta aisle of any supermarket.
Per serving: Calories: 462; Total Fat: 25g; Saturated Fat: 10g; Cholesterol: 38mg; Sodium: 822mg; Carbohydrates: 41g; Fiber: 3g; Protein: 19g
Fried Tortellini with Spicy Dipping Sauce
PREP TIME: 8 MINUTES / COOK TIME: 20 MINUTES / SERVES 4
380°F FRY
FAMILY FAVORITE, VEGETARIAN
Did you know that you can fry tortellini to produce a fancy appetizer? Frozen tortellini can be found in most supermarkets in the freezer section. Serve with a spicy tomato sauce for dipping.
¾ cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons mustard
1 egg
½ cup flour
½ teaspoon dried oregano
1½ cups bread crumbs
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups frozen cheese tortellini
1. In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise and mustard and mix well. Set aside.
2. In a shallow bowl, beat the egg. In a separate bowl, combine the flour and oregano. In another bowl, combine the bread crumbs and olive oil, and mix well.
3. Drop the tortellini, a few at a time, into the egg, then into the flour, then into the egg again, and then into the bread crumbs to coat. Put into the air fryer basket, cooking in batches.
4. Air-fry for about 10 minutes, shaking halfway through the cooking time, or until the tortellini are crisp and golden brown on the outside. Serve with the mayonnaise.
Substitution tip: You can also cook ravioli or even pierogies, which are large Eastern European dumplings, this way. The ravioli will take about 15 minutes to cook, and the pierogies about 20 minutes, until hot.
Per serving: Calories: 698; Total Fat: 31g; Saturated Fat: 4g; Cholesterol: 66mg; Sodium: 832mg; Carbohydrates: 88g; Fiber: 3g; Protein: 18g
Shrimp Toast
PREP TIME: 15 MINUTES / COOK TIME: 6 TO 12 MINUTES / MAKES 12 TOASTS
350°F FRY
FAMILY FAVORITE
Shrimp toast is a classic appetizer popular in Chinese restaurants. In the traditional preparation, chopped shrimp is mixed with egg whites and seasonings and spread on toast, then deep-fried until crisp. The air fryer makes this recipe a breeze because you don’t have to mess with hot oil and turning the little toasts as they cook.
3 slices firm white bread
⅔ cup finely chopped peeled and deveined raw shrimp
1 egg white
2 cloves
garlic, minced
2 tablespoons cornstarch
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
Pinch salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
1. Cut the crusts from the bread using a sharp knife; crumble the crusts to make bread crumbs. Set aside.
2. In a small bowl, combine the shrimp, egg white, garlic, cornstarch, ginger, salt, and pepper, and mix well.
3. Spread the shrimp mixture evenly on the bread to the edges. With a sharp knife, cut each slice into 4 strips.
4. Mix the bread crumbs with the olive oil and pat onto the shrimp mixture. Place the shrimp toasts in the air fryer basket in a single layer; you may need to cook in batches.
5. Air-fry for 3 to 6 minutes, until crisp and golden brown.
Substitution tip: Substitute finely minced cooked crabmeat for the shrimp in this recipe, or use ground chicken or ground turkey instead.
Per serving (2 toasts): Calories: 121; Total Fat: 6g; Saturated Fat: 1g; Cholesterol: 72mg; Sodium: 158mg; Carbohydrates: 7g; Fiber: 0g; Protein: 9g
Bacon Tater Tots
PREP TIME: 5 MINUTES / COOK TIME: 17 MINUTES / SERVES 4
400°F FRY
FAMILY FAVORITE, GLUTEN-FREE
This recipe is a perfect snack for tailgating before the big game! The combination of potatoes and bacon with cheese is the ultimate comfort food.
24 frozen tater tots
6 slices precooked bacon
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1. Put the tater tots in the air fryer basket. Air-fry for 10 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through the cooking time.
2. Meanwhile, cut the bacon into 1-inch pieces and shred the cheese.
3. Remove the tater tots from the air fryer basket and put into a 6-by-6-by-2-inch pan. Top with the bacon and drizzle with the maple syrup. Air-fry for 5 minutes or until the tots and bacon are crisp.
4. Top with the cheese and air-fry for 2 minutes or until the cheese is melted.
Ingredient tip: Only use the precooked bacon that doesn’t need refrigeration for this recipe. If you use regular bacon, it will give off too much fat and the tater tots will end up soggy, not crisp.
Per serving: Calories: 374; Total Fat: 22g; Saturated Fat: 9g; Cholesterol: 40mg; Sodium: 857mg; Carbohydrates: 34g; Fiber: 2g; Protein: 13g
Hash Brown Bruschetta
PREP TIME: 7 MINUTES / COOK TIME: 6 TO 8 MINUTES / SERVES 4
400°F FRY
FAST, FAMILY FAVORITE, VEGETARIAN, GLUTEN-FREE
Bruschetta, of Italian origin, is made of crisp toast piled with ingredients such as chopped tomatoes and herbs. In this recipe, crisp hash brown patties stand in for the toast. Frozen hash brown patties cook perfectly in the air fryer, with very little fat!
4 frozen hash brown patties
1 tablespoon olive oil
⅓ cup chopped cherry tomatoes
3 tablespoons diced fresh mozzarella
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon minced fresh basil
1. Place the hash brown patties in the air fryer in a single layer. Air-fry for 6 to 8 minutes or until the potatoes are crisp, hot, and golden brown.
2. Meanwhile, combine the olive oil, tomatoes, mozzarella, Parmesan, vinegar, and basil in a small bowl.
3. When the potatoes are done, carefully remove from the basket and arrange on a serving plate. Top with the tomato mixture and serve.
Did You Know? Bruschetta comes from the word that means “to roast over coals,” and refers to the toasted bread. It has many incarnations, including a recipe made by simply rubbing the warm little toasts with a cut clove of fresh garlic.
Per serving: Calories: 123; Total Fat: 6g; Saturated Fat: 2g; Cholesterol: 6mg; Sodium: 81mg; Carbohydrates: 14g; Fiber: 2g; Protein: 5g
Waffle Fry Poutine
PREP TIME: 10 MINUTES / COOK TIME: 15 TO 17 MINUTES / SERVES 4
380°F FRY
FAMILY FAVORITE
Poutine is a traditional French Canadian recipe of fries topped with cheese curds and beef gravy. Of course, cooking it in the air fryer helps cut the calories. Other healthy upgrades include using grated cheese, chicken gravy, and incorporating veggies!
2 cups frozen waffle cut fries
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 red bell pepper, chopped
2 green onions, sliced
1 cup shredded Swiss cheese
½ cup bottled chicken gravy
1. Toss the waffle fries with olive oil and place in the air fryer basket. Air-fry for 10 to 12 minutes or until the fries are crisp and light golden brown, shaking the basket halfway through the cooking time.
2. Transfer the fries to a 6-by-6-by-2-inch pan and top with the pepper, green onions, and cheese. Air-fry for 3 minutes until the vegetables are crisp and tender.
3. Remove the pan from the air fryer and drizzle the gravy over the fries. Air-fry for 2 minutes or until the gravy is hot. Serve immediately.
Substitution tip: You can make this recipe with regular frozen French fries as well, but those may take a few minutes longer to cook. Use your favorite cheese in this hearty recipe.
Per serving: Calories: 347; Total Fat: 19g; Saturated Fat: 7g; Cholesterol: 26mg; Sodium: 435mg; Carbohydrates: 33g; Fiber: 4g; Protein: 12g
Crispy Beef Cubes
PREP TIME: 10 MINUTES / COOK TIME: 12 TO 16 MINUTES / SERVES 4
360°F BAKE
FAMILY FAVORITE
Beef cooks beautifully in the air fryer. This unusual method of dipping the beef in a cheese sauce and rolling it in bread crumbs makes a crisp little mouthful with tender and juicy insides.
1 pound sirloin tip, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 cup cheese pasta sauce (from a 16-ounce jar)
1½ cups soft bread crumbs
2 tablespoons olive oil
½ teaspoon dried marjoram
1. In a medium bowl, toss the beef with the pasta sauce to coat.
2. In a shallow bowl, combine the bread crumbs, oil, and marjoram, and mix well. Drop the beef cubes, one at a time, into the bread crumb mixture to coat thoroughly.
3. Cook the beef in two batches for 6 to 8 minutes, shaking the basket once during cooking time, until the beef is at least 145°F and the outside is crisp and brown. Serve with toothpicks or little forks.
Cooking tip: You can use the remaining pasta sauce to make a quick lunch. Just cook a cup or two of pasta while you heat the sauce in a saucepan. Combine and enjoy.
Per serving: Calories: 554; Total Fat: 22g; Saturated Fat: 8g; Cholesterol: 112mg; Sodium: 1,832mg; Carbohydrates: 43g; Fiber: 2g; Protein: 44g
Buffalo Chicken Bites
PREP TIME: 10 MINUTES / COOK TIME: 14 TO 18 MINUTES / SERVES 4
350°F FRY
FAMILY FAVORITE
These little bites are packed full of flavor. The tender chicken is enveloped in a spicy sauce, then coated with crisp bread crumbs. A cool dipping sauce provides the perfect accompaniment.
⅔ cup sour cream
¼ cup creamy blue cheese salad dressing
¼ cup crumbled blue cheese
1 celery stalk, finely chopped
1 pound chicken tenders, cut into thirds crosswise
3 tablespoons Buffalo chicken wing sauce
1 cup panko bread crumbs
2 tablespoons olive oil
1. In a small bowl, combine the sour cream, salad dressing, blue cheese, and celery, and set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, combine the chicken pieces and Buffalo wing sauce and stir to coat. Let sit while you get the bread crumbs ready.
3. Combine the bread crumbs and olive oil on a plate and mix.
4. Coat the chicken pieces in the bread crumb mixture, patting each piece so the crumbs adhere.
5. Air-fry in batches for 7 to 9 minutes, shaking the basket once, until the chicken is cooked to 165°F and is golden brown. Serve with the blue chee
se sauce on the side.
Did You Know? Buffalo chicken wings were first invented in the Anchor Bar in Buffalo, New York, when the owner needed to serve a lot of appetizers in a hurry. They became an immediate hit and the flavor—a combination of a spicy hot sauce with cool blue cheese—is now a classic.
Per serving: Calories: 467; Total Fat: 23g; Saturated Fat: 8g; Cholesterol: 119mg; Sodium: 821mg; Carbohydrates: 22g; Fiber: 1g; Protein: 43g
Sweet and Hot Chicken Wings
PREP TIME: 5 MINUTES / COOK TIME: 25 MINUTES / MAKES 16 WINGS
390°F BAKE
FAMILY FAVORITE
Chicken wings make a great appetizer during a big game or when you’re grilling outside. The air fryer makes the wings crispy and tender, and the sweet and hot sauce provides the perfect finishing touch.
8 chicken wings
1 tablespoon olive oil
⅓ cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons honey
⅓ cup apple cider vinegar
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
¼ teaspoon salt
1. Cut each chicken wing into three pieces. You’ll have one large piece, one medium piece, and one small end. Discard the small end or save it for stock.
2. In a medium bowl, toss the wings with the oil. Transfer to the air fryer basket and cook for 20 minutes, shaking the basket twice while cooking.
3. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the sugar, honey, vinegar, red pepper flakes, and salt, and whisk until combined.
4. Remove the wings from the air fryer basket and put into a 6-by-6-by-2-inch pan. Pour the sauce over the wings and toss.
5. Return to the air fryer and cook for 5 minutes or until the wings are glazed.