Top 10+ appetizers that come out perfectly in an air fryer, according to chefs
Jalapeño poppers are a game-day staple.
According to Olivia Roszkowski, chef-instructor at the Institute of Culinary Education, the air fryer is great for making jalapeño poppers.
She said the appliance allows the exterior breading or batter to stay crunchy and golden while the cheesy center becomes "molten" without getting too stringy.
Homemade spring rolls are easy to prep ahead and make when cravings strike.
Chef Maricel Gentile, owner at Maricel's Kitchen, recommends making homemade vegetable or pork spring rolls as an impressive appetizer.
She said these are easy to make and can be prepped and frozen ahead of time.
According to Gentile, the air fryer makes the spring rolls light and crispy and prevents them from getting overbaked, soggy, or greasy.
Impress guests with a Filipino dish like veggie- and shrimp-loaded ukoy.
Ukoy is a crispy, comforting, fried Filipino fritter made with unpeeled shrimp, shredded vegetables, and a simple batter of cornstarch, flour, and water.
Gentile likes to make these fritters in the air fryer to skip the time it takes to deep-fry them. The chef said this dish could also be made without shrimp for a vegetarian alternative.
Go for a sweet and savory combination of ham, Brie, and pears or apples.
If you want an elevated appetizer that requires little prep time, Lindsay recommends covering a slab of Brie with pears or Cosmic Crisp apples cut batonnet style (into straight strips) and fresh thyme.
Then, the chef rolls the ingredients into ham slices cut off the bone, places the dish seam-side down in the air fryer, and heats it up.
Consider upgrading pizza or pasta night with air fried garlic bread.
Level up game night or family dinner with hot, fresh garlic bread.
"Garlic bread is the perfect appetizer to make in an air fryer because the generous blast of hot air simultaneously toasts the bread, melts the Parmesan cheese, and cooks the garlic without getting too brown and crusty," Roszkowski said.
The chef suggests finishing the dish with a sprinkle of fresh parsley to really wow dinner guests.
This story was originally published on February 8, 2025, and most recently updated on February 4, 2026.
