40 Cheap Air Fryer Recipes to Cut Calories Not Flavor

There's nothing more frustrating than buying a kitchen gadget, tool or appliance to find that you never use it. Thankfully, that won't be the case for your air fryer, especially once you try some of these highly rated — and creative — recipes. 

Also: We know that cleaning them can be a chore, so here's our helpful guide on how to clean your air fryer. 

Haven't joined the air fryer club yet but would like to? Check out the highly rated Cosori Air Fryer Max and the popular Ninja 9-in-1 Air Fryer and Pressure Cooker.

Related: 24 Kitchen Accessories You Didn't Know You Needed

Inexpensive pasta is the heart of this dish billed as "the Italian snack of your dreams."

Recipe: Delish

Related: Target, Walmart, Aldi: Which Cheap Pasta Sauce Is a Winner?

Fried chicken is a picnic staple, so will Un-Fried Chicken be the next big thing? If you use Trisha Yearwood's recipe, it just might be. One five-star reviewer proclaimed: "One of the best chicken recipes I have ever had."

Recipe: Food Network

Related: 20 Chef Secrets for Crisp, Juicy Fried Chicken

How can you replicate a good french fry? Well, Bob Harper shared his secret with Rachael Ray — and the simplicity will blow you away.

Recipe: Rachael Ray Show

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Not only is this a gluten-free recipe, but it also has plenty of enthusiastic tips on preparation, nutrition, and pleasing fussy kids: "I feel like we should drop everything, whip up a batch or two of these juicy burgers and tuck right in. Who's with me?" Um, we are. 

Recipe: Recipes from a Pantry

Related: 31 Wild and Wonderful Burger Toppings

This air-fried take on traditional fries makes a healthy snack. Even better, these "good-fat" nibbles can be on the table in 15 minutes.

Recipe: Delish

Food personality Paula Deen notes that, "As a Southerner, I can't help but love fried foods. Of course, I've had to cut back on them over the past few years — until now! I've got a new way to enjoy my beloved fried foods with less fat and oils: air frying." She shares favorites in her air fryer cookbook, featuring a few on her website including this one, which has our mouths watering.

Recipe: Paula Deen

Related: 20 Essential Baking Tools That Every Aspiring Pastry Chef Needs

This flavorful vegetarian dish could serve as entrée or side. Either way, no wok needed. If you're a fan of heat, you can always increase the amount of Sriracha in the sauce — or dial it back if you're looking for a milder option.

Recipe: Food Network

Related: Exotic Condiments to Add Zing to Meals

This dish features eggplant, zucchini, tomatoes, peppers, and is both nutritious and delicious. The air fryer keeps the vegetables from getting soggy without using too much oil.

Recipe: Allrecipes

Related: 30 Vegetable Recipes for People Who Hate Vegetables

Liven up your breakfast plate without a trip to the diner. This recipe spotlights sweet potatoes in a dish ideal for brunch. Switch to turkey bacon for a healthier pick if you prefer. One reviewer noted it has "great flavor from the variety of seasonings."

Recipe: Allrecipes

Related: Cheap, Easy Breakfast Ideas to Start the Day Right

Even if it's nowhere near Thanksgiving when you make this, the recipe may prove such a winner you'll be serving up the big bird more than once a year.

Recipe: Passionate Penny Pincher

Related: Clever Ways to Spice Up Thanksgiving Leftovers

Funny how plain old eggs seem special when you give them a fancy name like frittata, right? This version is filled with everyday items you probably already have in your kitchen.

Recipe: Allrecipes

This recipe makes the healthy choice with frozen salmon and reduced-sodium soy sauce. It adds up to a healthy main course at 265 calories and 240mg sodium per serving.

Recipe: Food Network 

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The kids will eat only fast-food mozzarella sticks? They'll change their tune once they taste these — and only you will be in on the healthy secret of their prep.

Recipe: Show Me The Yummy

Forget greasy chicken nuggets from the drive-through window. This recipe offers a healthy (253 calories per serving) alternative that will please the adults, too.

Recipe: Allrecipes

Vegetarians will delight in this recipe that can easily be custom-spiced to reflect a variety of cuisines, from Moroccan to Mexican, Thai to Indian. It's already connected with more than 1,000 home cooks.  

Recipe: Recipe This

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The crunch and salt factor are high in this snack packed with protein, good fats, vitamin B6, zinc, and calcium — and it takes just five ingredients and around 10-minutes to pull off.

Recipe: Gimme Delicious

While this might be the tastiest way to make bacon, the real win has nothing to do with flavor. Instead of getting grease all over the inside of your oven or splattered around your stovetop, this method is not only easy, but makes cleanup a snap. 

Recipe: A Pinch of Healthy 

Related: Mouthwatering Bacon Dishes Across America

Cooking meatloaf in an air fryer may be unexpected, but give it a try. This five star-reviewed recipe includes shredded carrots and chopped mushrooms.

Recipe: My Forking Life

Related: 20 Comfort Food Recipes That Freeze Well

Your waistline won't get into a pickle with this snack. This Test Kitchen-approved recipe is a clever at-home alternative to the popular restaurant (and state fair) splurge.

Recipe: Taste of Home

Numerous readers have shared this recipe on social media, so it must be pretty tasty. Remember, it's a dish just "cooked all at once for juicy pork chops and toasty roasted broccoli."

Recipe: That Low Carb Life

Skip that rotisserie chicken at the grocery store for a quick dinner. Making a golden-brown bird at home is surprisingly easy to do, and it needs to cook for only 30 minutes.

Recipe: PaleOMG

Related: 10 Quick Recipes to Make With Costco's $5 Rotisserie Chicken

Pump up the Mexican flavors with this spin on tofu. Cumin and chili powder give it a kick, and salsa adds even more heat.

Recipe: Healthy Slow Cooking

Wondering if an air fryer can turn out crispy fish? This recipe makes a strong case — and you can have fish with a side of green beans on the table in less than half an hour.

Recipe: Cooking Light 

Related: 45 Comfort Foods for a Cozy Fall Meal

Surprise your next gathering's guests with this fun and thrifty take on the meatball. Inexpensive ground beef's at the heart of the recipe, but it gets a jolt of flavor from a surprise ingredient – gingersnaps.

Recipe: Recipe This

Need a kid- or crowd-pleasing breakfast dish? This recipe can be made ahead and frozen for those time-crunched weekday mornings.

Recipe: Love Bakes Good Cakes

Related: Brunch Recipes for an Indulgent Feast at Home

Forget deep-frying then baking your eggplant. This air-fryer version of the restaurant favorite uses whole wheat flour and breadcrumbs for an even healthier turn.

Recipe: Watch What U Eat

Steak cubes, mushrooms, butter … what's not to love? If you cook this popular recipe, remember you have to let the steak rest a few minutes before digging in.

Recipe: Best Recipe Box

This version of the dish was inspired by a take on bang bang shrimp served at Bonefish Grill, but this keeps things lighter. The spicy chili sauce is served on the side, and the air fryer reduces oil for only 1 gram of fat per serving.

Recipe: Stay Snatched

Forget the oil leaking through the paper on the way home from the local restaurant. Here's a homemade version of the restaurant favorite has been shared by more than 18,000 Chinese food fans.

Recipe: This Old Gal

Related: 21 Takeout Meals Made Cheaper at Home

Who knew that the air fryer would work for desserts? Try the old-fashioned charm of this crowd-pleasing dish from Food Network Kitchen, with wheat germ or whole-wheat flour adding a healthy kick.

Recipe: Food Network

A lighter version of the classic churro, this treat features a cinnamon-sugar mixture that delivers the classic crunch. This recipe might take a bit of effort, but results are said to be well worth it. Dieters can skip the chocolate sauce. 

Recipe: Cooking Light

Related: The Best Fried Foods Around the World

This is a one-size-fits-all recipe for vegetables in the air fryer. It's incredibly straightforward — choose the veggie you prefer, from Brussels sprouts to carrots, cauliflower to broccoli.

Recipe: CookSmarts

This appetizer or side dish dubbed "seriously delicious" uses frozen artichoke hearts, an easy and inexpensive ingredient that is readily available and easy to find.

Recipe: Health Starts In The Kitchen

Four minutes and four ingredients, including canned Pillsbury biscuits make for an inexpensive treat. While they may not be low in sugar, they're a quick and easy dessert. (For inspiration, check out these Unique Doughnuts You Have to Try.)

Recipe: Thrifty Nifty Mommy 

Related: Expert Tips for Making Doughnuts at Home

Wait, you can make pizza in an air fryer? Yes, and the results are low in calories but still satisfying. Inexpensive ingredients and endless topping possibilities have us ready to toss out the takeout menu.

Recipe: Foodtastic Mom

Related: From Plain Cheese to Peking Duck: 25 Yummy Pizza Recipes

When even turning on the grill or boiling a big pot of water seems too daunting, turn to the air fryer to toast buns and cook the dogs — and top with condiments of your choice. This recipe is so quick to prepare, you'd spend more time waiting in the drive-thru.

Recipe: Allrecipes 

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You're never going to say you made those Cheez Doodles yourself — but you can impress the afterschool crowd or those at your next cocktail party with this easy snack recipe.

Recipe: Blue Jean Chef

This recipe is ideal for last-minute guests or the devoted snacker. It's totally customizable — and ready in less than 15 minutes.

Recipe: Simply Recipes

You don't have to be on NutriSystem to enjoy the recipes it features on The Leaf site. This easy, wholesome snack is destined to become a favorite.

Recipe: The Leaf

Related: 25 Creative Ways to Enjoy Apples This Season

Yes, this dessert contains brown sugar and butter, but its main ingredient is healthy, naturally sweet pineapple. This grill-free dish is said to be "melt-in-your-mouth delicious" by fans, and pineapple is a sweet ending to any meal.

Recipe: Two Sleevers