6 Surprising Things to Make in Your Air Fryer

How did we ever live without air fryers? You can barely set foot on TikTok without seeing the latest viral air fryer sensation (twisted bacon, anyone?). Air fryers are no internet fad, though. They are speedy, convenient, fun to use – and let us enjoy healthier versions of our favourite ‘guilt foods’ with less oil (and no grotty pans to scrub afterwards!). To inspire you to have even more fun with this star small kitchen appliance, we list six surprising air fryer cooking ideas, plus a delicious recipe for you to try – along with all the best air fryer options for your household.

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"Air fryers are no internet fad. They are speedy, convenient, fun to use – and let us enjoy healthier versions of our favourite ‘guilt foods’."

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Choose The Perfect Air Fryer For You

First things first, you’ll need to join the air fryer club. Here are 5 top buys to suit every household:

• Got a vegetarian in the tribe? With two separate cooking drawers, the Ninja Dual Zone Air Fryer lets you divide and conquer evening meals, whip up a speedy fish & chips supper – or get a head start on that dinner party prep. 

• Ideal for apartment dwellers, the compact Tefal Easy Fry Classic Air Fryer has a 4L capacity, and can fry, roast, grill or bake everything from crispy chicken drumsticks to seriously good choc chip muffins.

• A lifeline for busy households, the Nutribullet XXL 7 Litre Digital Air Fryer can crisp up 1kg of fries in 15 minutes and roast a 2kg chicken in nearly half the time of a regular oven.

• The clever Westinghouse 60cm Pyrolytic Steam Oven has it all: special functions for steam cooking and superior baking – along with AirFry mode, so you can enjoy all those irresistible fried flavours with less oil, too.

• Optimise your benchtop operations! Combine a standard oven and air fryer into one magic appliance with the Breville The Smart Oven Air Fryer. Spy on dinner through the glass door, while the Element IQ System creates the best cooking environment for it.

Air Fryer Taste Sensations

You probably already know that air fryers are famous for incredible fries and crispy, golden fried chicken. But more home chefs are also turning to them as their go-to cooking appliance for just about everything from delicious vegie dishes and baked brownies, to succulent roasts – even hearty soups. Here are six great ideas to shake up your air fryer repertoire!

#1 ‘Hard-boiled’ eggs

Love your boiled eggs? You’ll adore them even more when there’s no more waiting around for water to boil! Just pop them into the air fryer basket and set the timer for your perfect doneness. Once cooked, place them in cold water and peel with ease. Enjoy on their own, added to kids’ lunch boxes, mashed up on buttery toast, or sliced to embellish your potato salad.

#2 Lemon drizzle cake

Do you have a trusted family recipe for lemon drizzle cake? An air fryer cuts down on baking time and will keep this classic sweet treat wonderfully moist. Just measure inside your air fryer basket and use a cake pan smaller than that (some models even come with their own cake pans).

#3 Cheeseburgers

Juicy, diner-worthy cheeseburgers without the faff of a greasy grill to clean? Yes, please! Just place your patties in the air fryer basket, making sure to leave about an inch between them. When they’re almost done, top them with cheese for a mouth-watering melt. Forgot to defrost your patties? Just add a minute or two more onto the clock. 

#4 French toast

With an air fryer, this brunch staple comes out evenly cooked and deliciously fluffy every time. The best part? No need for one of you to hover over the stove while everyone else tucks in. And if you’ve got insatiable teens, you can keep reloading your air fryer, without having to scour a frypan between rounds.     

#5 Bananas with cinnamon

This healthy family dessert option – a cheat’s version of the Spanish maduros – has become an internet favourite. And it couldn’t be simpler in an air fryer! Simply slice up three ripe bananas, spray them with cooking oil, sprinkle with cinnamon and air fry for about five to six minutes. Then flip them over and repeat. Crispy and caramelised on the outside, wonderfully gooey on the inside, it’s a great way to get kids to eat more fruit.

#6 Soup

Most people don’t think of liquids when they think of air fryers. But why dirty an oven tray the next time you’re roasting a batch of vegetables to blend into your favourite winter soup, when you can get those same amazing roast flavours from an air fryer? Don’t believe us? Try out our terrifically tasty pumpkin soup recipe below.

Honey-Roasted Pumpkin Soup In Your Air Fryer

This nourishing pumpkin soup recipe will be ready to enjoy in about half an hour, thanks to the Philips Air Fryer XXL 5000 Series. For a richer, more complex flavour, roast the pumpkin and onion pieces in honey and nutmeg until caramelised.

Preparation time: 10 minsCooking time: 22 minsServes 4

Ingredients

1kg Kent or butternut pumpkin, peeled, seeded, roughly chopped into 3cm cubes2 brown onions, peeled and quartered2 cloves garlic, unpeeled1½ tablespoons extra virgin olive oil1 tablespoon honey¼ teaspoon ground nutmegSea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper, to season500ml chicken stock, warmed

Method

1. Put pumpkin, onion and garlic in a large bowl. Drizzle oil and honey over the top, sprinkle with nutmeg and season. Toss to coat.

2. Transfer into the air fryer basket, placing the onion under the pumpkin as much as possible. Set temperature to 200°C and time to 20 minutes, cooking until tender and lightly caramelised.

3. Allow vegetables to cool for 5 minutes. Peel the skins off the garlic.

4. Using a jug blender or stick blender, blend vegetables and stock together until smooth. Season.

5. Divide soup into serving bowls, then serve.

Serving suggestion: swirl sour cream on top of soup and scatter with chives. Accompany with toasted sourdough slices.

Cooking tip:

For a soup with a thinner consistency, simply add extra stock or water in step 3 until desired consistency.

*Recipe by Elle Vernon for Philips 

Can’t wait to get cooking? Visit us in store or online to explore our huge range of air fryers and small kitchen appliances.