Use Way Less Cooking Fat With These 22 Air Fryer Recipes

By Mary Claire Lagroue
January 15, 2020
Credit: Buckwheat Queen

Reducing your fat intake doesn't have to mean depriving yourself. These air fryer versions of our favorite fried foods use much less oil than the recipes that inspired them — without skimping on flavor.  

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Air Fryer Eggplant Parmesan

Credit: Yoly
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"These eggplant Parmesan rounds are oil free and grease free, yet they are crispy and crunchy," recipe creator Yoly says. "They are good eaten right out of the air fryer or topped with marinara sauce and mozzarella cheese."

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Air Fryer Egg Rolls

Credit: Yoly
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These Southwestern-style Air Fryer Egg Rolls boast golden-brown shells and a five-star rating even without deep-frying them. 

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Crumbed Chicken Tenderloins

Credit: Stylish03908
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"Extremely juicy and full of taste," reviewer hans217 writes. Two tablespoons of olive oil are all it takes.

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Air Fryer Potato Wedges

Credit: Soup Loving Nicole
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"These fries were delicious. They were crunchy on the outside and perfectly cooked inside," reviewer roadrunner says.

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Air Fryer Falafel

Credit: Buckwheat Queen
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These flavorful, filling garbanzo bean patties contain just one gram of fat each. 

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Air Fryer Popcorn Shrimp

Credit: Soup Loving Nicole
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Shrimp are low in fat already, which makes them an excellent source of protein if you're watching your saturated fat intake.

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Air Fryer Spicy Dill Pickle Fries

Credit: bd.weld
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"Using pickle spears is genius! I made these exactly as written and they turned out perfect. They had just the right amount of crunch and juice you expect from a fried pickle." — Soup Loving Nicole

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Air-Fried Mozzarella Sticks

Credit: Soup Loving Nicole
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No need to give up on gooey, melty mozzarella sticks when you can cook them in the air fryer. 

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Air-Fryer Tempura Veggies

Credit: Allrecipes Magazine
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You run the risk of your tempura batter sopping up too much oil if you don't deep-fry it at the right temperature. But you won't have to worry about grease overload with our oil-free Air-Fryer Tempura Veggies.

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Air Fryer Tostones

Credit: fabeverydayblog
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"I’ve eaten deep-fried tostones all my life, but I found these air fried tostones are simply delicious and easy to make. I did not have to deal with any leftover oil or grease nor with the splatter associated with deep-frying," home cook Ray says.

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Amazing Buttermilk Air Fried Chicken

Credit: thedailygourmet
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"This is the best air-fried chicken I have had so far. My boys loved it, too. I made chicken breasts instead of thighs, and they came out juicy and delicious," Tammy Bradley says. This recipe has just 13.6 grams of fat, compared to 85 grams per serving in our popular Chef John's Buttermilk Fried Chicken recipe.

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Mini Scotch Eggs in the Air Fryer

Credit: Soup Loving Nicole
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Traditional Scotch eggs are deep fried, but this recipe doesn't need oil to achieve that crispy exterior. 

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Air-Fried Onion Rings

Credit: Soup Loving Nicole
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Save about 30 grams of fat per serving (!) when you opt for these Air-Fried Onion Rings instead of deep-fried rings. 

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Air-Fried Buffalo Chicken

Credit: Buckwheat Queen
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Greek yogurt and hot sauce add tang and heat to this Air-Fried Buffalo Chicken. To keep your meal low in fat, recipe creator Nekmor recommends serving it with fat-free ranch or blue cheese dressing, plus more hot sauce for dipping.

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Lumpia in the Air Fryer

Credit: Yoly
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Lumpia (deep-fried spring rolls popular in the Philippines and Indonesia) get an air fryer makeover, but they are delicious as ever.

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Air Fryer Beignets

Credit: thedailygourmet
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Cafe Du Monde in New Orleans deep-fries its famous the beignets in vegetable oil. This lighter version of the pastry just calls for a little cooking spray and a teaspoon and a half of melted butter.

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Air Fryer Plantain Chips

Credit: Yoly
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"Green plantains in the air fryer result in potato-like crunchy, crispy chips without being full of calories and fat. These can be sweet or savory, depending on which you are craving. Use salt for savory or cinnamon-sugar for sweet chips," recipe creator Yoly says.

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Air Fryer Corn Dogs

Credit: Soup Loving Nicole
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"Air fryer corn dogs may not be as uniform as the deep-fried version but they are much better for you and fun to make," says recipe creator Soup Loving Nicole.

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Air-Fried Sweet Potato Fries

Credit: Deb C
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"Such an easy and satisfying recipe," home cook Rich Suchoski says. "Cut the sweet potato, then soak the fries in water for at least 10 minutes to make them crispier."

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Air Fryer Hush Puppies

Credit: lutzflcat
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"Forget about deep-frying, and give your hush puppies a light update using an air fryer. They're just a bit denser in texture than deep-frying, and look for a subtle hint of heat. They're the perfect sidekick to fried fish or shrimp, but they're equally good with a drizzle of honey." — lutzflcat

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Air Fryer Fish Sticks

Credit: Soup Loving Nicole
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Recipe creator Soup Loving Nicole describes these Parmesan- and panko-coated fish sticks as "perfectly crisp on the outside, tender and flaky on the inside."

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Potato Hay

Credit: Buckwheat Queen
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A spiralizer, an air fryer, and one tablespoon of canola oil turn potatoes into crispy, curly Potato Hay — with just 3.6 grams of fat per serving. 

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We're serving up and celebrating the biggest home-cooking trends from the most enthusiastic cooks we know: our community. We crunched the data from 1.2 billion annual Allrecipes.com visits and 2.5 billion annual page views. Then we dug even further, surveying Allrecipes cooks about what's in their carts and fridges, on their stovetops and tables, and on their minds. The air fryer is just one of the topics they're most curious about. See more of the "State of Home Cooking" special report.

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By Mary Claire Lagroue