38 Healthy Air-Fryer Recipes You Need to Try

Air-Fryer Garlic-Rosemary Brussels Sprouts

If you wrote off Brussels sprouts in elementary school, it’s time to give them another try. With only a few tablespoons of oil and some spices, the air fryer transforms them into pure magic.

For more interesting diabetic food options, check out these crisp-up air-fryer recipes for people with diabetes.

Air-Fryer Carrots

Thanks to a bag of store-bought baby carrots, this recipe requires no peeling or scrubbing. Just toss the ingredients into a bowl, place the carrots in the air-fryer basket and cook for about 20 minutes. Add fresh thyme to bring the dish together.

Air-Fryer Zucchini

This five-ingredient air-fryer zucchini recipe makes seasoned zucchini bites that are tender on the inside and crisp on the outside. They’re a fantastic side dish for meaty mains and taste incredible in salads or grain bowls.

Air-Fryer Chicken Cutlet

While it’s best on the day it’s made, this six-ingredient recipe can be cooked in advance, then enjoyed for lunch or dinner later in the week. Store the cutlets in an airtight container for three to four days, or freeze the cooked chicken in freezer bags for up to four months.

Air-Fryer Salmon

Anywhere you cook it, salmon makes a healthy main course. The air fryer keeps the outside super crispy, though, without drying out the inside. We love this method for quick weeknight meals.

Air-Fryer Tofu Steaks

If the word “tofu” conjures up memories of a soggy, white brick, it’s time to find out what your air fryer can really do. After marinating the tofu, cook it in the air fryer for just eight minutes to transform the bean curd’s flavor and texture.

Air-Fryer Broccoli

This recipe also works with frozen broccoli! Cook the frozen broccoli for half the time before tossing it in the oil mixture. Then, add extra time as needed. Up your game with more of our favorite air-fryer cooking tips.

Air-Fryer Cod

Flaky, flavorful cod is just 30 minutes away with this easy recipe that’s pretty much foolproof. Serve with cucumber salad and colorful couscous.

Zucchini Fries

It doesn’t get much healthier than this crispy, satisfying side. With 91 calories and 4 grams of fat per cup, these fries are practically a salad. Serve them with homemade ketchup if you want to be extra fancy.

Air-Fryer Pork Tenderloin

This protein-loaded main dish goes from fridge to table in about half an hour. Cooking times may vary depending on the brand of air fryer, so check the temperature of the meat after 18 minutes and add more time only if necessary.

Air-Fryer Chicken Fajitas

This recipe makes eight servings. If you have leftovers, you can easily reheat them in the air fryer. Reheat at 350°F for three to four minutes, until the meat reaches an internal temperature of 165°.

Air-Fryer Avocado Fries

They’re creamy, they’re flavorful and they’re packed with heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids. If you aren’t a spicy food fan, go easy on the ground chipotle pepper.

Air-Fryer Herb and Lemon Cauliflower

This restaurant-quality side dish uses fresh herbs, lemon juice and zest to make the cauliflower shine. Even the veggie skeptics in your family will devour it.

Air-Fryer Black Bean Veggie Burgers

With 13 grams of protein and 323 calories per assembled burger, this nutritious veggie burger is a healthy choice for lunch or dinner. Make homemade guacamole and quick pickles to have on hand for toppings.

Air-Fryer Sweet Potato Fries

Sure, you could grab a bag of frozen sweet potato fries at the store. But when they’re ready and on the table in 20 minutes, why not make them from scratch?

Roasted Butternut Squash Tacos

Spicy butternut squash makes such a great base for these vegetarian tacos. I’m always looking for quick and nutritious weeknight dinners for my family. These fit the bill and are so delicious! —Elisabeth Larsen, Pleasant Grove, Utah

Air-Fryer Chicken Wings

This recipe works best with fresh chicken wings. If you bought them frozen, don’t worry, you can cook them from frozen in the air fryer too.

Chili-Lime Air-Fried Chickpeas

See ya, chips and pretzels. Our new favorite snack is air-fried chickpeas, which are packed with fiber and healthy fats. Add them to salads for added crunch.

Air-Fryer Kale Chips

Unlike potato chips, kale chips only require a small spritz of cooking spray on the bottom grate. If your kale chips are sticking to the fryer, try reapplying the cooking spray in between batches.

Air-Fryer Chickpea Fritters with Sweet-Spicy Sauce

These Pakistani-inspired fritters are just as delicious served over rice as they are on a salad. While it’s more fusion than traditional, it might become a new classic dish in your home.

Air-Fryer Red Potatoes

If you’re using dried rosemary, crush it with a mortar and pestle or a spice grinder before adding it to the recipe. This will release the flavor of the herbs, making the potatoes more flavorful. Find more tips on how to use spices.

Air-Fryer Latkes

Here’s a time-saving tip: Even though the recipe calls for peeled potatoes, it’s fine to keep the peels on when you grate them. While the skin might change the color of the latkes slightly, it won’t impact the taste of the potato pancakes.

Air-Fryer Coconut-Crusted Turkey Fingers

If your kids love chicken fingers, chances are high that they’ll love these sweet, savory and crunchy turkey fingers even more. While you could dip them in ketchup, the homemade plum sauce really elevates the dish.

Air-Fryer Breaded Pork Chops

With only 15 minutes of prep time and five minutes of cook time per batch, you can make this last-minute recipe during your busiest days. To seal in moisture, coat both sides of the meat with an oil mister or cooking spray before cooking.

Air-Fryer Plantains

Move over, potato chips. This air-fryer snack is just as satisfying—with a fraction of the calories and fat. Serve them alongside spicy beans and rice or a Cuban roast pork sandwich.

Air-Fryer Lemon Feta Chicken

You have to try this Greek-inspired dish that’s big on flavor but low in calories and fat. At 142 calories and 4 grams of fat per serving, this is a wonderfully light dish that will fill you up without stuffing you.

Air-Fryer Hash Browns

These hash browns should be light and crispy. If they’re turning out mushy or soggy, try layering them thinner in the air fryer to make sure they’re browning and crisping up properly.

Air-Fryer Hard-Boiled Eggs

Once the eggs cook, remove them safely using silicone-coated tongs with a long handle. Otherwise, you risk burning your hands or dropping a hot egg. Store these in the fridge for a bit of protein you can eat all week in salads or with toast.

Air-Fryer Beets with Orange Gremolata and Goat Cheese

Usually, beets are an all-afternoon affair, between the boiling, peeling and scrubbing beet juice off of every surface in your kitchen. While you’ll still have to do the peeling and scrubbing part, the cooking is made much easier if you wrap them in tin foil and pop them in the air fryer.

Popcorn Shrimp Tacos with Cabbage Slaw

When you think of 30-minute meals, homemade popcorn shrimp tacos probably don’t come to mind. But thanks to the air fryer, this lightened-up take truly can be made on a busy weeknight. Try southwest fish tacos for another quick taco night idea.

Air-Fryer Potato Chips

You’re only four ingredients away from homemade potato chips. If you like your chips extra crispy, check them frequently and continue to cook until they’re the texture you like.

Air-Fried Radishes

This unassuming side dish is about to become a new family favorite. Radishes are tossed with olive oil and spices, then cooked in the air fryer for 12 to 15 minutes. It doesn’t get much easier than that!

Garlic-Herb Fried Patty Pan Squash

Patty pan squash is a small summer squash with scalloped edges. Here, it’s halved, dressed with olive oil, garlic and spices, then cooked in the air fryer for about 10 minutes. Learn how to cook more squash recipes if you can’t get enough of this one.

Air-Fryer Turkey Croquettes

Transform your Thanksgiving leftovers into a new dish worth celebrating. These turkey croquettes feature mashed potatoes, turkey and fresh spices you probably already have on hand during Thanksgiving, like sage and rosemary.

Air-Fryer Steak Fajitas

Use whole-grain tortillas to make this recipe extra nutritious. Or if you’re going low-carb, you could omit the tortillas altogether and use lettuce wraps instead.

Air-Fryer Breakfast Cookies

Weekday breakfasts should be quick, easy and nutritious. Keep these tasty and filling breakfast cookies in the freezer, then reheat in the air fryer at 300° until warm.

Air-Fryer Almond Chicken

Trade in plain roasted chicken for this crunchy, protein-packed main dish. While the dish is high in fat, that’s just because almonds are packed with heart-healthy unsaturated fats.

Air-Fryer Roasted Green Beans

Green beans, mushrooms and onions join forces for a winning side dish that goes from fridge to table in just 35 minutes. Try it, then find more of our favorite air-fryer vegetable recipes.

Healthy Air-Fryer FAQ

What are the healthiest things to make in an air fryer?

You can make everything from lean meat to fish and vegetables in the air fryer. Some of our favorite nutrient-dense recipes in this list include: salmon, green beans, carrots and almond chicken.

What oil should I use when air-frying?

Some foods may benefit from a light coating of oil to keep them from sticking to the air-fryer basket and promote a nice and crispy finish. Avocado and olive oils are high in monounsaturated fatty acids, which can support satiety, improve insulin resistance and support fat loss when used to replace saturated fats. Using these oils as a spray is ideal for the air fryer as you’ll use less oil to cover more food.

Can air-frying be unhealthy?

Just because something is air-fried doesn’t make it healthy. Air frying reduces the amount of oil you need for cooking, reducing fat and calories in the cooking process, but air-frying foods that are already less healthy won’t add nutritional value to them.