10 easy game-day appetizers you can make in an air fryer

For any game-day gathering, the air fryer is the real MVP.

With football season underway, it’s time to build a roster of easy air-fryer recipes to help feed your guests in time for kickoff. 

Air fryers have become a popular kitchen gadget and are found in around two-thirds of US homes, market research firm Circana reported.

Business Insider spoke to cookbook authors Todd Porter and Diane Cu-Porter, the writers behind Air Fryer World, about their go-to game-day appetizers to make in an air fryer, and also did some digging on popular recipes that can be made in the appliance.

Here are 10 easy game-day foods you can make in an air fryer.

Chicken wings are easy to make in an air fryer before tossing with your favorite sauce.

“You can definitely use the air fryer if you like crispy foods, appetizers, and chicken wings,” said Todd Porter and Diane Cu-Porter, the bloggers behind Air Fryer World.

One suggestion they had for air-fried game-day foods is air-fried chicken wings.

“Wings are awesome in the air fryer! The hot circulating air makes them naturally crispy, but for extra crunch use cornstarch for an awesome crust,” they said.

To follow Air Fryer World’s recipe for ultra-crispy wings, toss your slightly dried chicken wings with your desired spices and olive oil. Make sure your air fryer is pre-heated to 400 degrees Fahrenheit before adding them. When they’re done, usually in under 10 minutes, toss your wings in your favorite sauce and put them on the table, ready to eat.

Bacon-wrapped jalapeño poppers are another crowd-pleaser on game days.

Another recommendation for an easy, game-day appetizer is Air Fryer World’s recipe for jalapeño poppers with bacon. To make them, start by stuffing hollowed-out jalapeño peppers with cream cheese and cheddar, wrap them in bacon, and cook for 10 to 12 minutes at 380 degrees Fahrenheit until the bacon is crispy.

You can also buy premade frozen poppers and use the air fryer to crisp them up, by following this recipe.

You can make pigs in a blanket using crescent dough and cocktail-size hot dogs.

To make them, roll mini sausages or hot dogs in some crescent dough and set your air fryer to 325 degrees Fahrenheit, according to this Pillsbury recipe. For an even cook, you want to ensure the pigs in a blanket aren’t overcrowded, so you might want to make them in rounds if you’re making a lot.

However, they should only take a few minutes to get nice and crispy, so they’ll still be on the table by kickoff.

Making loaded tater tots is another easy way to utilize your air fryer on game day.

Frozen tater tots can easily be made in the air fryer by spraying an even layer with a little cooking spray and tossing them halfway through the cooking cycle.

Then, get to work choosing your toppings. You can create a loaded tater-tot bar, with additions like sour cream, chopped green onion, shredded cheese, queso, store-bought salsa, or guacamole. 

If you want to go the extra mile, sauté some bacon or chorizo in a saucepan and top your loaded tots to your heart’s content.

Zucchini fries are a fan-favorite side you can make in an air fryer.

These “fries,” which The Recipe Critic calls “a low-carb, keto-friendly snack,” pair well with the dipping sauce of your choice, be it ketchup, ranch, or even a spicy mayo. For a little added flavor, mix garlic powder or cayenne into your breading before tossing it with olive oil-topped zucchini slices.

You can also dig into some air-fried potato skins while watching the game.

To make, pre-cook your hollowed-out potato skins and place them inside the air fryer, skin-side down, according to one recipe by Air Fryer Eats.

When they’re almost crispy, fill them with your choice of cheese and stick them back in the air fryer for a few minutes. Then, top with bacon, green onion, or sour cream.

Frozen meatballs are a quick appetizer you can make in an air fryer.

Whether you choose to go classic Italian with your flavors or dip your cooked meatballs in barbecue sauce, making meatballs in an air fryer is much faster than a typical oven and will be just as delicious.

Air Fryer World recommends placing an even layer of meatballs into the air dryer and baking them at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for between seven and 12 minutes until they’re golden brown. 

Air-fried coconut shrimp is also great for game day.

You can either bread your own shrimp, like this recipe from All Recipes, or follow the instructions on the back of most frozen coconut-shrimp packages for cooking them in the air fryer.

Serve with a tartar sauce or spicy mayo.

Frozen potstickers or dumplings are also easy to make in an air fryer.

Air Fryer World says that for perfectly crispy dumplings, you’ll want to spray them with a little cooking spray before frying them. To get both sides evenly cooked, flip them over at the eight-minute mark and continue cooking for a few more minutes until they’re done.

Serve with a little soy sauce and green onion.

You can also make stuffed mushrooms in an air fryer.

You can make your favorite stuffed mushroom recipe as normal before air-frying them, or go with Air Fryer World’s recipe for cheesy stuffed mushrooms. Either way, moisten your air fryer basket or foil with cooking spray or olive oil and arrange your stuffed mushrooms evenly in the air fryer.

Pork sausage also works well as a filling, but you can also use spinach and cream cheese for a vegetarian twist.

Cook them at 360 degrees Fahrenheit for between six and eight minutes, before adding the cheese and cooking for another two minutes.

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