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Take a look at the plethora of air fryer frozen foods you can cook in our list below. We’re not just referring to deep fried frozen foods like French fries, either. We’re talking frozen vegetables, frozen meats, and all kinds of frozen appetizers.
The air fryer cooks frozen foods incredibly well. The circulating air allows the food to cook evenly and thoroughly in less time than it would in the oven, which means you can put your frozen food in the air fryer and have it done well in a fraction of the time.
An air fryer is an incredibly easy way to cook just about anything. You place the food in a fryer-style basket and hot air rapidly circulates all around the food, making the food crisp – much like deep-frying, but without the oil. You can cook anything you’d make in the oven.
I use a Ninja MaxXL air fryer (pictured left). If you don’t have an air fryer yet, check out these options to find one that fits your needs.
Air Fryer Frozen Green Beans are a great side dish that you can always have on hand in the freezer. It takes just 8 minutes to cook in the air fryer and is a very healthy side dish to pair with any meal.
Air Fryer Frozen Brussels Sprouts are a great side dish that you can always have on hand in the freezer. It takes just 10 minutes to cook in the air fryer and is a very healthy side dish to pair with any meal.
Air Fryer Frozen Broccoli is a great side dish that you can always have on hand in the freezer. It takes just 8 minutes to cook in the air fryer and is a very healthy side dish to pair with any meal.
Appetizers and Snacks
Air Fryer Samosas
Air fryer Samosas can be quickly made with frozen or homemade samosas, cooking oil spray, and an air fryer. They turn out crispy and nice, but with fewer calories than deep fried.
Air Fryer Frozen Hash Brown Patties are a popular breakfast staple that are so easy to make in the air fryer and they always come out nice and crispy with no added oil.
Air fryer mini tacos are made with frozen mini tacos and any dipping sauce you have at your disposal to form an awesome and delicious snack or quick lunch.
These Air Fryer Frozen Chicken Nuggets turn out the best of any method I've used to make chicken nuggets in the past, including the oven. They crisp up perfectly in just a few minutes.
Frozen Potstickers in the air fryer are a super easy way to make a delicious appetizer or snack. Since they're air fried and not fried on a pan, there's no mess factor.
These Air Fryer Frozen Egg Rolls get perfectly crispy on the outside and cooked on the inside, without all the extra oil they'd soak up in the deep fryer.
These Air Fryer Tater Tots are a simple way to cook one of your favorite potato snacks and get a super crispy exterior and fluffy interior – just the way tater tots are supposed to be.
You won't believe how crispy these Air Fryer Frozen Onion Rings get, without all the extra oil they'd soak up in the deep fryer. You can now make perfectly crispy onion rings in the air fryer, quickly and easily.
These tasty, bite-sized pizza rolls are a delicious party snack that can be made quickly and easily in the air fryer, producing perfectly crisp pizza rolls without having to use the oven.
Air Fryer Frozen Mozzarella Sticks are baked in the air fryer for a crunchy exterior and a gooey interior without having to cook them in the oven or the deep fryer.
Air Fryer Bagel Bites make what might be the easiest snack there is to make. It's perfect for after school snacks or whenever you just have the munchies.
Frozen Sweet Potato Fries in the Air Fryer are the easiest possible method for making great, crispy sweet potato fries, without the hassle of baking in the oven.
These Easy Air Fryer Frozen Chicken Tenders are a really fast and convenient meal idea. They turn out super crunchy, juicy and delicious in just minutes in the air fryer.
Cook Frozen Pierogies in the Air Fryer for a quick and satisfying dinner or easy appetizer. Enjoy the delicious potato-filled dumplings with their crispy exterior and comforting soft potato and cheese filling.
Air Fryer Gyoza is a fast and tasty snack that can be cooked from frozen to crispy and hot in just 8 minutes (6 if thawed). That makes it a super quick appetizer, side dish, or snack.
Air Fryer Hash Browns and a popular breakfast staple that are delicious, quick, crispy made in the air fryer. The crispy crunch make them irresistibly delicious.
Air Fryer Frozen Waffles
It's so simple to make air fryer frozen waffles that you don't even need to bother with any other way of making them. They come out perfectly crisp and fluffy inside.
If you've never made frozen burgers in the air fryer, you're missing out on the single easiest meal you can make with your favorite new kitchen appliance.
Cooking Frozen Crab Cakes in the Air Fryer is a hassle-free and quick way to prepare a crispy and satisfying dinner or appetizer—just add them to the air fryer basket and they're ready in 18 minutes.
There's no easier way to make a personal size pizza than in the air fryer. Air Fryer Frozen Pizza doesn't require the entire oven to be preheated, only takes 8-10 minutes to cook, and turns out perfectly crisp.
Air Fryer Frozen Chicken Kiev
Air Fryer Frozen Chicken Kiev is a crunchy and creamy stuffed chicken dish that you just need to remove from the box and put directly into the air fryer. It's ready in under 20 minutes.
Air Fryer Frozen French Bread Pizza
You'll be amazed by how quick and effortless it is to cook Air Fryer Frozen French Bread Pizza. The result is a wonderfully crispy, crusty, and thick pizza that turns out just right every time.
Frozen Salmon in the air fryer is just about the easiest possible way to make this healthy, Omega-3 packed fish. It's done in minutes and you'll never go back to making it any other way.
This Air Fryer Frozen Calamari recipe uses store-bought frozen calamari, cooked in the air fryer for just a few minutes and served with a creamy chipotle dipping sauce.
These crispy air fryer frozen fish fillets, cooked from store-bought breaded fish, are super easy to make in the air fryer so you save time making your meal.
The biggest issue most air fryer lovers face is finding the right oil and oil sprayer to use on food cooked in the air fryer. A fine mist of oil will help the entire piece of food crisp evenly, so it’s very important.
My personal preference is to use canola oil, extra virgin olive oil, or avocado oil. I use both a refillable spray bottle like the Evo one pictured below and non-propellant extra virgin olive oil, which has not harmful aerosols or chemicals.
Yes, the air fryer is incredible at cooking frozen foods. The circulating air allows the food to cook evenly and thoroughly in less time than it would in the oven, which means you can put your frozen food in the air fryer and have it done well in a fraction of the time.
Do I need to use oil when cooking frozen foods?
Most foods that you cook in the air fryer need a bit of spray oil to prevent any sticking. If you are cooking foods like hash brown patties you won’t need any additional oil because they are pre-cooked and have some residual oil on them.
When using spray oil in the air fryer make sure to use one without propellent that can harm the non-stick coating in your air fryer.
Do I have to preheat the air fryer?
This depends on what model of air fryer you use. The air fryer’s manual should let you know if preheating is necessary. I have three air fryers and none of them require preheating, so if in question err on the side of not preheating.
🥧 If you’re interested in more great recipes, I share all my favorite recipes over at A Food Lover’s Kitchen, and you’ll find Instant Pot recipes at A Pressure Cooker Kitchen, and cocktails and drinks at Savored Sips. Check it out today!
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Angela is a talented home cook and passionate advocate for healthy, flavorful cooking in the air fryer. She shares her favorite air fryer recipes and helpful tips for using this versatile kitchen appliance to create delicious, nutritious meals.
