Revealed: The 7 foods you never knew you could cook in an air fryer – from hard ‘boiled’ eggs to steak

Airfryers are without a doubt the must-have kitchen gadgets of the moment, with celebrities like Sir Mo Farah to Drew Barrymore professing their love for them.

The device uses hot air instead of hot oil to cook food and offers a quick and healthy alternative to deep fryers.

While many of us use our appliances to prepare frozen treats like French fries or chicken nuggets, there are a range of surprising foods that are an absolute treat in the air fryer.

“Airfryers can be useful for quickly cooking and crisping up frozen foods,” Which? said, but added that the device “allows you to cook just about anything.”

From hard-boiled eggs to steak, here are seven foods you probably didn’t know you could cook in an air fryer.

Hard boiled eggs

In conversation with MailOnline, liana green, a blogger who has written countless air fryer manualsexplained how to make the perfect hard boiled eggs in the airfryer.

“Frying boiled eggs may sound counterintuitive, but the airfryer provides a constant temperature, making it easier to cook perfectly cooked eggs every time,” she said.

“Plus, you eliminate the need for boiling water.”

Ms. Green recommends air-frying at 150°C for eight minutes for a runny yolk, or twelve minutes for a harder core.

However, she added, “You may need to experiment a bit with your air fryer.”

Donuts

A food blogger has revealed how to make donuts in an air fryer with just two ingredients.

Emma, ​​from London, known as The Suga Fix on social media, posted a recipe on Instagram on how to make the delicious looking sweet treats.

To make the simple recipe you will need 200g of self-raising flour and 250ml of Greek yoghurt – plus butter and granulated sugar for the finishing touch, and Lotus speculoos spread if you want a dip.

Emma said, ‘Mix the yogurt and flour until you get a rough dough. Knead on the counter for 3 minutes, add flour if sticky. Use a spoon to cut small pieces of dough and roll into balls.

She added: “Spray your airfryer basket with vegetable oil and put 12 balls in it. Bake at 200 degrees for 12-15 minutes (if the inside is doughy, they aren’t done yet).

“Brush the dough holes with melted butter, roll in sugar and enjoy!”

Ravioli

Unsurprisingly, you can’t use an air fryer to cook dried pasta because you have to put it in boiling water.

However, fresh ravioli crisps up beautifully in the appliance and can serve as a quick and easy starter for your next dinner party, or simply as a delicious snack.

Simply dip the ravioli in the beaten egg and breadcrumbs and then place them in the airfryer at 175°C for 10 minutes, turning them halfway through.

Your ravioli should be crispy on the outside and soft and gooey on the inside!

Halloumi

Although frozen cheese products such as breaded cheese snacks or mozzarella sticks can be perfectly prepared in the airfryer, it is best not to use fresh cheese.

Most fresh cheese has a low melting temperature, which means it can burn quickly.

The only exception to this rule is halloumi, which can be safely prepared in the airfryer thanks to its higher melting point.

“The high heat of the airfryer makes the outside of the halloumi perfectly crispy, while the inside remains wonderfully soft,” said Ms Green.

Drizzle with a little honey to get that great Mediterranean taste. I fry at 200°C for 8 to 10 minutes.’

Steak

Many food puritans will recoil in horror at the thought of cooking steak in the air fryer.

And while Ms. Green agrees the appliance probably won’t replace your grill or pan, she says it “cooks steak admirably.”

“The circulating hot air locks in the juices and flavors, giving you a steak that’s both tender and full of flavor,” she told MailOnline.

‘Make sure you preheat the airfryer and don’t overfill it, for the best result.’

How long you air fry your steak depends on the cut of meat and how cooked you like it.

For a sirloin steak, Mrs. Green recommends preheating your airfryer to 200°C.

Three to four minutes on each side is perfect if you like medium-rare, while she recommends four to five minutes on each side if you prefer medium.

And if the idea of ​​pink meat already makes you hungry, a well-done steak can be achieved with five to six minutes of cooking on each side.

Garlic

Whether it’s a pasta dish or a vegetable side, if you’re following a recipe that calls for roasted garlic, forget about using the oven.

Roasting garlic in the airfryer takes half the time and requires virtually no preparation.

Simply cut the bottom of the garlic bulb and place it on a piece of aluminum foil.

Drizzle with olive oil before closing the foil and placing in your airfryer at 200°C.

Check your garlic after 20 minutes; it should turn golden brown when it’s done!

Baked rice

Cooking rice from scratch requires water, so the airfryer isn’t suitable for that.

“An airfryer is not a standard cooking and steaming appliance – you’re better off sticking with a slow cooker or a pan on the stovetop,” Which? said.

However, if you have leftover cooked rice, you can make delicious nasi with the device.

For best results, mix your leftover rice with cooked scrambled eggs, frozen vegetables, soy sauce and oil before cooking it in your airfryer at 175°C for 10 to 15 minutes.