Sure, the original idea of the air fryer was to make traditionally deep-fried foods taste amazing using little to no oil. But it didn’t take long for people to realize that there is way more to air frying than French fries and onion rings. The same air fryer cooking technology that gives foods their crispy-crunchy air-fried texture benefits almost everything it touches, from breakfast to dessert and everything in between. To prove it, we’ve rounded up 7 recipes that show there are practically no limits when it comes to cooking with air. 

1. “Hard-boiled” Eggs 

No need to wait for a pot of water to boil in this super simple, hands-off method. To make hard-cooked or “hard-boiled” eggs in an air fryer, just place them in the basket and cook on 300°F for 17-19 minutes, then immediately cool in ice water. Once you’ve got a batch ready to go, try out our recipe for making pimento cheese deviled eggs or avocado deviled eggs.

2. Burgers and Sliders

Burgers come out extra juicy with this no-fuss method. These mini BBQ sliders are a perfect finger food for game day parties. Or, pack a couple Greek turkey burgers for the week when you’re doing Sunday night meal prep. 

3. A Whole Chicken

4. Steak

Not everyone’s a natural grill master, and that’s okay. If you want a juicy steak, but you don’t want to put any effort into making it, throw it in the air fryer. We like this air fryer rib-eye steak method because the steak retains all its natural juices during the cooking process.

5. Cinnamon Rolls

Who would think of making cinnamon rolls in an air fryer. Well our test kitchen did. These cinnamon buns turn out light, fluffy and delicious. Follow these simple directions.

6. Roasted Vegetables

Air fryers are great for cooking foods like veggies. Since you’re using less oil to cook them than traditional roasting methods, you’ve earned the right to throw a little bacon in your Brussels sprouts—we’re not judging. Alternative idea: Skip the line at the food truck and make buttery corn-on-the-cob. In the air fryer, you’re guaranteed to get a nice, crispy char every time.

7. Tandoori Chicken

Traditionally, enjoying this flavorful dish has been reserved for date night at your favorite Indian restaurant, since its iconic flavor is made possible in part by the clay oven, or tandoori, it’s typically prepared in. With an air fryer, you can have it any night of the week. These chicken thighs get a quick dip in a marinade of yogurt, ginger, garlic, vinegar, cumin, chili, turmeric and salt before getting baked in the air fryer. Get the full air fryer tandoori chicken recipe.