So you got an air fryer for Christmas - here are 10 things you need to cook now

Thank your Santa by cooking up some tasty air fryer delights

28 Dec 2025, 15:00 · TechRadar

Features By Vic Hood published 28 December 2025

(Image credit: Getty Images, simpson33, edited by Gemini) Share Share by:

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You've got an air fryer for Christmas – welcome to the club! Now the only question is what to cook first. The possibilities are (almost) endless, but you need to get to grips with your new kitchen bestie with some easier dishes first. So, I've picked 10 things every air fryer newbie needs to try first - staples you can, and likely will, use most regularly.

There's no point in walking before you can run. Every air fryer is different, and each has its own quirks and features, but our list below is made up of things pretty much any air fryer can handle. Whether you want to feed the clan at breakfast, whip up a quick lunch, or impress your loved ones with a mouth-watering roast, this list has got you covered.

If you don't yet own an air fryer but are thinking of picking one up in the January sales, take a look at our guide to the best air fryers, which includes something for every household and every budget.

1. Bacon

Let's start with the basics, air fryer bacon is a must-try for every newbie - and it'll likely become something you do pretty regularly if you're a meat eater. Air frying bacon is quick, much less messy than oil frying, and results in crispy, delicious bacon almost every time. The best part of air frying bacon? You don't need any oil at all, the natural fat of the bacon is enough.

All you need to do is line your air fryer basket with a single layer of rashers, being sure not to overlap them as much as possible, and then use the bacon setting on your air fryer (if there is one). If there's no bacon setting, cook the bacon for five minutes at 200C/392F. If your air fryer is smaller, or you're cooking a lot of rashers, you may need to do this in batches.

(Image credit: Getty Images, Alina Vytiuk, edited by Gemini)

2. Fries

Again, we're sticking with something more simple, to get you used to cooking with your air fryer. Fries are another staple of any air fryer owner - whether frozen or fresh. Making fresh chips doesn't take much longer than their frozen counterparts - especially with an air fryer – and can even be a cheaper alternative.

I find Maris Piper potatoes are best for making fries. Wash and peel one potato per person, then cut the potatoes into 1cm (0.3in) thick fries – in my experience, the easiest way to do this is to slice the full potato into about 1cm slices, then cut these chunkier slices into 1cm wide sticks lengthways. At this point, you can submerge the uncooked fries in a bowl of water for a few minutes to remove some of the starch, then pat them dry – but this isn't a necessity and you can just give them a quick rinse and dry.

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