AirFryerCookbook

Cook by · Pillar

Cook the World

The best part of an air fryer is how far it travels. This is the traveler's corner of the house: dishes from real culinary traditions, told with the context they deserve — who makes them, where they come from, and what we trade when we swap a deep fryer or a charcoal grill for moving air. Credit given, corners not cut.

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East Asia Southeast Asia South Asia Middle East & North Africa West Africa Latin America Europe

Guides for this kitchen

Cooking the World in an Air Fryer: The Pantry That Does the Work →

53 recipes

Air Fryer Yam Fries (Dundun)

Sides

Air Fryer Yam Fries (Dundun)

Nigerian dundun made lighter — true puna yam cut into batons and air-fried until golden outside and fluffy inside. Not sweet potato, and that's the point.

Air Fryer Croquetas de Jamón

Appetizer

Air Fryer Croquetas de Jamón

Spain's tapas-bar treasure — creamy ham béchamel inside a golden crumb, chilled overnight and air-fried crisp. Patience required; deep fryer not.

Air Fryer Tequeños

Appetizer

Air Fryer Tequeños

Venezuela's party-defining cheese sticks — salty white cheese wrapped in a spiral of dough and air-fried until golden, crisp, and dangerously poppable.

Air Fryer Seekh Kebab

Dinner

Air Fryer Seekh Kebab

Pakistani seekh kebab — beef kneaded with green chile, ginger, and garam masala, shaped on skewers and charred in moving air. Free of all nine allergens.

Air Fryer Chin Chin

Dessert

Air Fryer Chin Chin

Nigeria's crunchy party pastry — nutmeg-scented dough cut into bites and air-fried until golden and snappy, no pot of hot oil standing between you and the tin.

Air Fryer Banh Mi Meatballs

Dinner

Air Fryer Banh Mi Meatballs

Lemongrass pork meatballs with quick-pickled carrot and daikon, sriracha mayo, and a baguette for building — the banh mi cart, dinner-table edition.

Air Fryer Chicken 65 (Gluten-Free)

Snacks

Air Fryer Chicken 65 (Gluten-Free)

Chennai's red-hot bar snack in the air fryer — yogurt-marinated chicken with curry leaves and a rice-flour crunch, fierce and gluten-free as written.

Air Fryer Maduros

Sides

Air Fryer Maduros

Cuban sweet plantains with caramelized edges and custardy centers — the beloved comida criolla side, air-fried with a fraction of the usual oil.

Air Fryer Beef Kofta

Dinner

Air Fryer Beef Kofta

Beef kofta with onion, parsley, and warm spices — no binder, no bun, and naturally free of all nine tracked allergens. Ten minutes in the basket.

Air Fryer Gyoza

Appetizer

Air Fryer Gyoza

Homemade pork-and-cabbage gyoza, crisped all over in the air fryer, with a tamari-sesame dipping sauce. The wrapping takes practice; the eating doesn't.

Air Fryer Crispy Gnocchi

Dinner

Air Fryer Crispy Gnocchi

Shelf-stable gnocchi straight into the basket — no boiling — until golden and crackly outside, chewy inside. Parmesan over the top, dinner done.

Air Fryer Cheese Arepas

Dinner

Air Fryer Cheese Arepas

Golden corn cakes with molten cheese inside — the Venezuelan and Colombian daily bread, naturally gluten-free and crisped beautifully by the air fryer.

Air Fryer Chicken Satay

Appetizer

Air Fryer Chicken Satay

Sate ayam in an air fryer — turmeric-and-tamari chicken skewers with caramelized edges and a proper peanut sauce. Gluten-free, no charcoal required.

Air Fryer Fish and Chips

Dinner

Air Fryer Fish and Chips

No vat of oil, no beer batter — a shattering panko crust and proper thick chips instead. Honest about the tradeoff, and why we cook it anyway.

Air Fryer Teriyaki Salmon (Gluten-Free)

Dinner

Air Fryer Teriyaki Salmon (Gluten-Free)

Lacquered, gingery salmon on a weeknight clock — tamari keeps the glaze gluten-free, and the fan does what a yakitori grill does with less ceremony.

Air Fryer Chicken Katsu

Dinner

Air Fryer Chicken Katsu

Golden panko chicken cutlets, Tokyo-diner style, without the pot of oil — juicy inside, shatter-crisp outside, with tonkatsu sauce for dragging.

Air Fryer Chicken Shawarma

Dinner

Air Fryer Chicken Shawarma

Spit-style spice on boneless thighs — a yogurt shawarma marinade, a ripping-hot air fryer, and crisp-edged chicken for wraps, plates, or fridge raids.

Air Fryer Korean Fried Chicken (Gluten-Free)

Dinner

Air Fryer Korean Fried Chicken (Gluten-Free)

Shatteringly crisp, gochujang-glazed wings — the Seoul street-food classic, lightened and made gluten-free with rice starch.

Air Fryer Beef Empanadas

Snacks

Air Fryer Beef Empanadas

Flaky, golden hand pies stuffed with spiced beef, olives, and egg — Argentine empanadas baked crisp in the air fryer instead of fried or oven-baked.

Air Fryer Char Siu (Chinese BBQ Pork)

Dinner

Air Fryer Char Siu (Chinese BBQ Pork)

Cantonese char siu — pork shoulder lacquered in honey, hoisin, and five-spice, then air-fried to sticky, mahogany-edged glory for a weeknight dinner.

Air Fryer Kibbeh

Appetizer

Air Fryer Kibbeh

Bulgur-and-beef torpedoes stuffed with spiced pine-nut filling, crisped in the air fryer — the Levantine party classic, lighter on the oil.

Air Fryer Masala Chickpeas (Vegan, Gluten-Free)

Snacks

Air Fryer Masala Chickpeas (Vegan, Gluten-Free)

Crunchy chickpeas tossed in warm garam masala and amchur — a whole-food, high-fiber snack rooted in Indian spice, air-fried, vegan, and gluten-free.

Air Fryer Patatas Bravas (Vegan, Gluten-Free)

Snacks

Air Fryer Patatas Bravas (Vegan, Gluten-Free)

Crisp potato cubes under a smoky-spicy brava sauce — the Spanish tapas-bar classic, made vegan and gluten-free with a fraction of the oil.

Air Fryer Plantain & Black-Eyed Pea Cakes (Akara-Inspired)

Snacks

Air Fryer Plantain & Black-Eyed Pea Cakes (Akara-Inspired)

West African black-eyed pea fritters meet sweet plantain — crisp-edged, naturally vegan, and made without a vat of oil.

Air Fryer Crispy Harissa Chickpeas

Snacks

Air Fryer Crispy Harissa Chickpeas

Shatter-crisp chickpeas tossed in North African harissa — a five-ingredient, whole-food snack that puts the store-bought bag to shame.

Air Fryer Japanese Karaage

Dinner

Air Fryer Japanese Karaage

Ginger-and-garlic-marinated Japanese fried chicken, crisped in the air fryer with potato starch — juicy, savory, and built for a weeknight dinner.

Air Fryer Chicken Taquitos (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free)

Dinner

Air Fryer Chicken Taquitos (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free)

Crisp rolled corn tortillas stuffed with seasoned shredded chicken — a Mexican antojito made gluten-free and dairy-free, weeknight-fast in the air fryer.

Air Fryer Suya Beef Skewers

Dinner

Air Fryer Suya Beef Skewers

Thin-sliced beef rubbed in yaji — Nigeria's roasted-peanut spice blend — and crisped on skewers. Smoky northern street food, no charcoal pit required.

Air Fryer Tandoori Chicken (Gluten-Free)

Dinner

Air Fryer Tandoori Chicken (Gluten-Free)

Yogurt-marinated, spice-stained tandoori chicken with char at the edges — the Punjabi clay-oven classic, gluten-free and built for a weeknight basket.

Air Fryer Elote (Mexican Street Corn)

Sides

Air Fryer Elote (Mexican Street Corn)

Charred corn on the cob slathered in lime crema, cotija, and chili — Mexico City's classic street snack, brought to a crisp in the air fryer.

Air Fryer Vietnamese Lemongrass Chicken

Dinner

Air Fryer Vietnamese Lemongrass Chicken

Lemongrass, garlic, and fish sauce caramelized onto chicken thighs — Vietnam's ga xao sa, made gluten-free and dairy-free in the air fryer.

Air Fryer Shawarma Cauliflower

Sides

Air Fryer Shawarma Cauliflower

Cauliflower florets rubbed in warm shawarma spice and roasted crisp-edged in the air fryer — all the spit-roast flavor, none of the meat at all.

Air Fryer Japanese Sweet Potato

Snacks

Air Fryer Japanese Sweet Potato

Purple-skinned Japanese sweet potatoes air-fried whole until the flesh turns dense, chestnut-sweet, and custardy — a whole-food snack with nothing added.

Air Fryer Puff Puff

Dessert

Air Fryer Puff Puff

Soft, yeasty Nigerian dough balls dusted in sugar — the beloved party and street snack, made with just a fraction of the deep-fry oil in the air fryer.

Air Fryer Arancini

Snacks

Air Fryer Arancini

Crisp-shelled Sicilian rice balls with a molten cheese center — the classic arancini, breaded and air-fried instead of deep-fried, with far less oil.

Air Fryer Paneer Tikka (Gluten-Free, Vegetarian)

Dinner

Air Fryer Paneer Tikka (Gluten-Free, Vegetarian)

Yogurt-marinated paneer and peppers with charred, smoky edges — North India's vegetarian tikka classic, gluten-free and cooked in the air fryer basket.

Air Fryer Filipino Lumpia

Appetizer

Air Fryer Filipino Lumpia

Crisp pork-and-vegetable lumpia Shanghai, rolled thin and air-fried golden — the Filipino party staple, lightened from the deep fryer for the whole table.

Air Fryer Aloo Tikki (Vegan, Gluten-Free)

Snacks

Air Fryer Aloo Tikki (Vegan, Gluten-Free)

Crisp-edged spiced potato patties — North India's beloved aloo tikki, air-fried with no deep-frying, naturally vegan, gluten-free, and built from whole foods.

Air Fryer Greek Lemon Potatoes (Vegan, Gluten-Free)

Sides

Air Fryer Greek Lemon Potatoes (Vegan, Gluten-Free)

Golden potato wedges bright with lemon, garlic, and oregano — the Greek taverna side dish, made vegan and gluten-free with a short whole-food ingredient list.

Air Fryer Halloumi Fries

Snacks

Air Fryer Halloumi Fries

Golden, squeaky halloumi cut into thick fries and crisped in the air fryer — molten inside, lacquered outside, and no deep-fry batter required.

Air Fryer Jollof-Spiced Potato Wedges

Sides

Air Fryer Jollof-Spiced Potato Wedges

Crisp potato wedges seasoned with the smoky, tomato-pepper spice profile of Nigerian jollof — a whole-food side with a West African accent.

Air Fryer Salt & Pepper Tofu

Snacks

Air Fryer Salt & Pepper Tofu

Crisp tofu tossed with toasted Sichuan-pepper salt, fried chili, and scallion — the Cantonese takeout classic, made vegan and gluten-free at home.

Air Fryer Thai Curry Sweet Potato Bites

Snacks

Air Fryer Thai Curry Sweet Potato Bites

Sweet potato cubes tossed in red curry paste and coconut, roasted crisp-edged in the air fryer — a vegan, gluten-free snack with real Thai backbone.

Air Fryer Churros

Dessert

Air Fryer Churros

Cinnamon-sugar churros with a tender, custardy inside and crisp ridged shell — the Spanish café classic, made in the air fryer with far less oil.

Air Fryer Falafel

Dinner

Air Fryer Falafel

Craggy, herb-green falafel from soaked dried chickpeas — crisp outside, fluffy within, and crisped in moving air instead of a deep vat of oil.

Air Fryer Gochujang Tofu Bites

Snacks

Air Fryer Gochujang Tofu Bites

Crisp-edged tofu cubes tossed in a sweet-hot fermented gochujang glaze — a vegan, sesame-flecked Korean snack that earns its place beside any fried thing.

Air Fryer Vegetable Samosas (Vegan)

Snacks

Air Fryer Vegetable Samosas (Vegan)

Crisp, golden vegetable samosas with a spiced potato-and-pea filling — the South Asian teatime classic, air-fried instead of deep-fried and fully vegan.

Air Fryer Chicken Schnitzel

Dinner

Air Fryer Chicken Schnitzel

Thin, golden, shatter-crisp chicken schnitzel — the Austrian classic done in moving air, dairy-free, kid-friendly, and ready for a squeeze of lemon.

Air Fryer Plantain Chips

Snacks

Air Fryer Plantain Chips

Thin, brittle plantain crisps with a fraction of the oil — the West African snack that beats any bagged version, made from one ingredient plus salt.

Air Fryer Onion Pakora (Vegan, Gluten-Free)

Snacks

Air Fryer Onion Pakora (Vegan, Gluten-Free)

Crisp, spiced onion fritters bound in chickpea flour — South Asia's monsoon-day pakora, air-fried instead of deep-fried, naturally vegan and gluten-free.

Air Fryer Tofu Satay

Dinner

Air Fryer Tofu Satay

Turmeric-marinated tofu skewers crisped in the air fryer and served with a real peanut sauce — a vegan, gluten-free take on Indonesia's sate.

Air Fryer Tostones

Snacks

Air Fryer Tostones

Twice-cooked green plantains smashed flat and crisped — the everyday Puerto Rican staple, made with barely a slick of oil in the air fryer instead.

Air Fryer Za'atar Sweet Potato Wedges

Sides

Air Fryer Za'atar Sweet Potato Wedges

Sweet potato wedges crisped in the air fryer and dusted with za'atar — caramelized edges, herby-tangy crust, one whole vegetable and a spice blend.