6 surprising foods you can cook in an air fryer

There’s no doubt air fryers have totally changed the way we cook. Not only are they faster and offer a healthier cooking alternative, but they can also pretty much cook anything from a complete roast dinner to the perfect toastie.

Even so, you might still be surprised by some of the meals you can actually make using the handy devices. Here are six unexpected foods you can cook using an air fryer.

Doughnuts

Making doughnuts at home can be a little hit-and-miss, but making them in the air fryer flips this on its head. Thanks to the speedy cooking process air fryer doughnuts always seem to come out crispy on the outside but soft and fluffy on the inside.

If you’re looking to make these at home you simply follow a regular doughnut recipe but adjust the cooking time and temperature to five to eight minutes at 180 degrees then top with icing or glaze.

Boiled rice

Ok, hear us out on this one. This somewhat controversial way of cooking rice has definitely got the internet talking. While some say it’s easy enough to use a rice cooker, others swear by the method saying air fryer rice comes out the fluffiest.

Air fryer fan and TikToker @wow_melon_ says the key is to remove the basket and cook the rice for 5 minutes first with just garlic and no water. Once that’s done, add water and cook for a further 15 minutes.

Although it’s not exactly the best use of an air fryer, it does work.

Hard-boiled eggs

If you forget you’ve got eggs boiling all too often, cooking them in the air fryer may be a better option. You can make them without water in less than 15 minutes - and according to air-fried egg fanatics, they turn out perfectly.

Simply place the eggs in the air fryer basket and cook them at 120 degrees for between eight and 15 minutes, depending on how you like your eggs. Next, just pop them straight into an ice bath for five minutes, peel and enjoy!

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Cheese Toastie

Who doesn’t love a gooey cheese toastie? Air fryer toasties have been hailed “amazing” by loads of people who love a quick and easy snack. The best part? You can add extra toppings to the top piece of bread like tomatoes, some bonus cheese or even a creamy white bechamel sauce.

Just place the sandwich into the basket and cook for 10 minutes at 190 degrees - it's that easy. If your air fryer tends to fly things around, toast the bread a little first to keep it weighed down.

Pancakes

This recipe is one for those who love breakfast foods that you simply set and forget. Simply pour pancake batter into the basket using greaseproof paper between each pancake to separate them.

Cook for five minutes at 200 degrees and then flip and cook for a further three minutes if needed. This recipe has been tried dozens of times all over TikTok and while they don’t exactly look like perfect pancakes, the general consensus is that they taste great!

Pasta

Ok, so this isn’t Nonna's traditional pasta, but you can make some pretty tasty pasta chips using ravioli in the air fryer. TikToker Lindsay O'Neal Stoltz shared how she took store-bought ravioli, dipped them in an eggwash before crumbing them and cooking at 180 degrees for 13 minutes.

The result is crispy, chewy ravioli bites.

Other air-heads have used regular pasta as a crunchy snack too. Simply par-boil your choice of shaped pasta, drain, add olive oil, Parmesan cheese, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, and salt. Then Place a single layer in the air fryer and cook for 5 minutes at 200 degrees flipping them at the three-minute mark. Pair them with a little dipping sauce and you’re done!

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