Do you need help with how to operate your new electric air fryer? I’ll go over all you need to know in this beginner’s tutorial to help you use this versatile kitchen tool. The best electric air fryer recipes for beginners, how to use an air fryer, what you can cook in an electric air fryer, safety considerations, how to warm an electric air fryer, how to reheat food in the electric air fryer, how to clean your electric air fryer.

What can be prepared using an air fryer?

In an air fryer, practically anything can be cooked. Proteins like chicken, fish, or pig; wholesome vegetable sides; starters like chicken wings or zucchini fries; and even sweets and baked goods. Check out the collection of my favorite air fryer recipes for some culinary ideas.

French fries, fried chicken, and baked potatoes with crispy skins are just a few examples of dishes that work particularly well in the air fryer when you want them to be very crispy or crunchy.

Utilizing an air fryer

Refrain from stuffing the basket too full. Food should never be piled or layered in the air fryer basket to achieve equal frying and crispiness. As necessary, you can cook in batches.

Removing the basket to check on the status of your meal as it cooks is acceptable.

Pick the appropriate temperature. As a general rule of thumb, reduce the temperature in your air fryer by 25 degrees from the temperature you would use if baking something in an oven. The recommended temperatures for various items are listed in your air fryer instructions, or you can use recipes from reliable sources. Many of my favorite tried-and-true tested air fryer recipes are linked here.

Cooking evenly requires shaking or flipping halfway through. Give the basket a thorough shake approximately halfway through the cooking period when cooking food in small bits, like Brussels sprouts or French fries, to encourage equal cooking and browning. Turn the pieces of meat, such as chicken or pork chops, over halfway through cooking.

To make food crispy, thoroughly dry it. Crispiness’s adversary is moisture. Use a clean kitchen towel or paper towels to pat the food dry before adding oil and seasonings or putting it in the air fryer basket.

Setting for air frying. Most air fryers feature several pre-programmed settings with cook times and temperatures for popular dishes. So instead of presets, I typically use the manual air fry mode to control the cook time and temperature.