10 Surprising Things Your Air Fryer Can Do 

An air fryer can do more than cook fries, chicken tenders, and frozen snacks. Depending on your model, it can crisp taco shells, make croutons, roast garlic, refresh baked goods, and cook small desserts without heating the full oven. 

Check your owner’s manual before trying a new recipe or accessory. Every air fryer is a little different, so settings, basket size, and approved bakeware can vary by model. 

Key Takeaways

• Air fryers can toast, roast, reheat, bake, and crisp small batches of food. 
• Use oven-compatible accessories only when they fit your appliance and manufacturer guidance allows them. 
• Arrange food in a single layer when practical. 
• Start with shorter cook times and check food regularly. 
• Use a food thermometer when cooking proteins. 
• Clean the basket, tray, and removable parts after cooking. 

1. Crisp Taco Shells and Tortilla Bowls

An air fryer can warm and crisp corn or flour tortillas for tacos, tostadas, or tortilla bowls. Use an accessory or heat-compatible dish only if it fits the basket and your manufacturer’s instructions allow it. 

Check tortillas often because they can crisp quickly. 

2. Make Croutons From Leftover Bread

Stale bread can become croutons for salads, soups, and grain bowls. Cut the bread into cubes, add a small amount of oil and seasoning, then cook in a single layer until crisp. 

A smaller batch can help keep pieces from crowding the basket. 

3. Roast Garlic

Whole garlic cloves or a small garlic bulb can become soft and spreadable in an air fryer. Use foil or a heat-safe dish only if it fits your air fryer and your owner’s manual says it is okay. 

Roasted garlic can be added to mashed potatoes, sauces, sandwiches, or vegetables. 

4. Refresh Day-Old Pastries

An air fryer can warm croissants, muffins, rolls, and other baked goods that have lost their just-baked texture. Use a short cook time and check often so they stay warm without drying out. 

This can be useful when you want to warm a small batch without preheating a full-size oven. 

5. Toast Nuts for Snacks or Recipes

Nuts can become a quick, protein-packed snack in the air fryer. Toast a small batch of almonds, pecans, walnuts, or other favorites to add to salads, baked goods, or trail mix. 

They can cook quickly, so use a lower setting when appropriate, shake the basket occasionally, and check often. 

6. Make Baked Apples or Fruit Crisps

Try baked apples for an easy air fryer dessert. Core an apple, fill the center with cinnamon and a small amount of brown sugar, then cook in a heat-safe dish that fits your air fryer until the apple is tender. 

You can also use your air fryer for small fruit crisps, hand pies, or cobblers. Check your owner’s manual before using any bakeware or accessories. 

7. Reheat Leftover Rice or Pasta Dishes

Turn leftover rice, pasta, or casseroles into something closer to a second-day upgrade than a microwave repeat. Put a small portion in a heat-safe dish that fits your air fryer, then heat until the top is lightly crisped and the edges begin to brown. 

This works especially well for baked pasta, fried rice, mac and cheese, and casseroles that benefit from a little texture on top 

8. Roast Chickpeas for a Crunchy Snack

Turn a can of chickpeas into a crunchy snack. Dry them well, toss them with a little oil and your favorite seasoning, then air fry them in a single layer. 

Shake the basket once or twice as they cook. Enjoy them by the handful or sprinkle them over salads, soups, and grain bowls. 

9. Warm Dips for a Small Gathering

Your air fryer can double as a mini appetizer oven when the main oven is busy. Warm a small dish of spinach dip, queso, baked cheese dip, or another party snack in a heat-safe dish that fits the basket. 

It is a simple way to get a warm dip on the table without waiting for oven space. 

10. Cook a Side Dish While the Oven Is Busy

When the oven is full and the stovetop is busy, let the air fryer handle a side dish. Roasted vegetables, garlic bread, stuffed mushrooms, and small potatoes can all cook separately while the rest of the meal comes together. 

How Can You Get Better Results From an Air Fryer?

These simple tips can make air fryer cooking easier: 

• Avoid overcrowding the basket. 
• Arrange food in a single layer when practical. 
• Shake the basket or turn food when the recipe calls for it. 
• Start with a shorter cook time, then add time if needed. 
• Use approved accessories and oven-compatible bakeware that fits the appliance. 
• Use a food thermometer when cooking proteins. 
• Let the appliance cool before cleaning. 

How Can You Clean an Air Fryer After Cooking?

Let the air fryer cool before cleaning. Remove the basket, tray, rack, or other detachable parts, then follow the manufacturer’s instructions for washing and drying them. 

Remove crumbs and food residue before putting the appliance away. 

When Can Storage Help With an Air Fryer?

An air fryer can be useful for quick meals, small-batch cooking, and unexpected kitchen tasks. When it is not part of your everyday routine, storage can help create more room on kitchen counters, in cabinets, or during a move or home project. 

Store only a clean, dry air fryer and permitted household kitchen items. A storage unit may help with: 

• Extra small kitchen appliances 
• Cookware and serving pieces 
• Seasonal entertaining supplies 
• Table linens and placemats 
• Labeled boxes during a kitchen refresh or move 

Before packing an air fryer away, remove food residue, let all parts dry fully, and follow the manufacturer’s storage instructions. Review your rental agreement and facility rules, including items that are not permitted.

For more appliance-packing guidance, read How to Store an Air Fryer and How to Store Small Kitchen Appliances.

Make Room for More Than Fries

An air fryer can handle more than frozen snacks, from roasted garlic and crisp taco shells to warm pastries and small desserts. After cooking, clean the appliance according to the manufacturer’s instructions and put it away once it has cooled and dried. 

When extra kitchen appliances, cookware, or seasonal entertaining items start taking up more room than you want to use at home, Public Storage offers month-to-month rentals and a range of storage unit sizes for permitted household belongings. 

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Frequently Asked Questions About Air Fryers

What Else Can I Make in an Air Fryer Besides Fries?

Depending on the model, you can crisp taco shells, make croutons, roast garlic, toast nuts, warm pastries, make small desserts, heat dips, and cook side dishes. 

Can I Put a Small Baking Dish in an Air Fryer? 

Use a baking dish only if it fits the appliance and your manufacturer’s instructions allow it. Oven-compatible dishes can be useful for small desserts, dips, and reheated meals. 

Can I Reheat Pastries in an Air Fryer? 

Yes. An air fryer can warm pastries, rolls, croissants, and muffins using a short cooking time. Check them often so they do not dry out. 

Can I Toast Nuts in an Air Fryer? 

Yes. Toast nuts in a small batch, shake the basket periodically, and check often because they can cook quickly. 

How Often Should I Clean My Air Fryer? 

Clean removable parts after cooking and remove crumbs or food residue as directed by the manufacturer. Let all parts dry fully before putting the air fryer away.