5 of the best air fryer hacks of 2023

Air fryers have become an indispensable kitchen gadget, with Aussies raving about how quick and easy they are to use - and simple to clean. As technology advances, so do our culinary capabilities and in 2023, we've discovered some ingenious air fryer hacks that will take your gastronomical game to the next level.

1. Dehydrate fruit and herbs

You don't need to buy a separate dehydrator for your kitchen if you have an air fryer. Many Aussies discovered this year that you can use an air fryer to make everything from sun-dried tomatoes and banana chips to dehydrated herbs and citrus for your home cocktails!

Simply slice the fruit thinly, spread it out in your air fryer and put it on for 15 minutes at 150 Celsius, occasionally turning the fruit.

For herbs, New York-based YouTube foodie Jenna Edwards took to TikTok to show how easy it is.

"Another cool function of my air fryer - dehydrating fresh herbs! They become more flavorful and I don’t waste food," she writes.

2. Fresh, warm cookies in 7 minutes

Whether you have a favourite cookie recipe or 'cheat' by picking up the pre-made cookie dough at the supermarket, you can be serving up warm cookies to that unexpected guest in a few minutes with your air fryer.

Simply roll cookie dough into small balls, flattening them slightly. Then put them in your air fryer with space between each one to spread out and cook at 160 Celcius for 7 minutes.

Don't worry if they don't look perfect when they come out, TikToker LORAfied has a great hack to make them look great with just a glass!

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3. An Italian favourite

Lasagna is a comfort food that takes time to prepare and cook so is not always a quick and easy meal. But with this hack, you can have it on the table in 30 minutes, even if it's not completely nonna approved!

Experienced chef Stephanie Joy de Sousa, who posts under StephCooksStuff on TikTok and Instagram, shared a video showing her assembling a lasagna directly into the basket of her air fryer which has been watched over three million times.

"Hey everyone, I just discovered the best way to cook lasagna - in the air fryer!" she wrote on the TikTok video introduction.

"I can't believe how amazing it turned out. It's crispy on the outside, but still deliciously soft and cheesy on the inside. Plus, it cooks in no time! No preheating, cooked in 30 minutes, cheesy and delicious. Trust me, you have to try this."

4. Cheats Doughnut holes

If you or your kids are craving a bit of doughnut magic, the air fryer can give it to you in minutes without a deep fryer.

Aussie foodie Mel, @wholesomefoodiemel, shows how easy it is to make them and all you need is a supermarket pancake mix (or your own recipe) and a cupcake silicon mould.

She cooked them for 8 minutes at 180 degrees and then tossed the cooked balls in cinnamon and sugar before drizzling them with Nutella and adding a few strawberries - Yum!

5. Crispy bacon

If you love a bit of crispy bacon with your breakfast forget the frying pan with fat spitting everywhere and use your air fryer instead.

Put a single layer of bacon in the tray and cook it for 10 minutes at 160 degrees turning once during cooking.

And another little trick is to put water at the bottom of the drawer to stop the fat from smoking, while make it easier to clean your appliance.

"When you're cooking high-fat foods like chicken wings or bacon, grease can drip down into the tray causing mess and smells," says Choice's in-house kitchen expert Fiona Mair.

What is your favourite air fryer hack?

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