Thanks to air fryers, preparing crispy, easy-to-snack-on appetizers is simpler than ever.
Although the appliance is a staple for most home cooks, it’s also beloved by many professional chefs.
To help narrow down the best appetizers to make in an air fryer, Business Insider asked three chefs for their favorites. Here’s what they said.
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.
Air-fried stuffed mushrooms have a distinct flavor.
When it comes to appetizers, mushrooms are often skipped over because they can lose water and become too soggy.
However, both Christopher Lindsay — a chef-instructor at the University of Nevada — and Roszkowski love making stuffed mushrooms in the air fryer.
“Stuffed mushrooms are delicious when made in the air fryer because the mushrooms themselves do not lose too much volume, which often happens in a conventional or convection oven,” Roszkowski told BI.
Lindsay recommends thoroughly cleaning and drying the mushrooms and lightly spraying the bottom of the air-fryer basket to prevent sticking.
Then, the chef places the stuffed mushrooms inside, being careful to avoid overcrowding, and cooks the dish at 390 to 400 degrees Fahrenheit until the cheesy stuffing is golden and bubbly.
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.
Spinach-artichoke dip comes together quickly in the air fryer.
Roszkowski told BI it’s a good idea to make a dish like spinach-artichoke dip in the air fryer. She said this method takes about one-third of the time it would in the oven and still turns out golden and gooey.
To make the dip, Roszkowski suggests prepping it in an oven-safe ceramic dish. Then, cook the dip in the air fryer until golden and bubbling, and pair it with warm bread, pita chips, or sliced veggies.
Bacon-wrapped dates are perfect for elegant dinner parties.
Bacon-wrapped dates, a popular go-to appetizer for dinner parties and potlucks, are another great option for the air fryer. The appliance quickly crisps up the bacon while letting the cheese filling (if used) soften without burning.
“I’ve been perfecting bacon-wrapped dates stuffed with gorgonzola and a smoked almond in my convection oven for years, typically baking them for 25 to 30 minutes,” Lindsay said.
However, if you want to make the appetizer in a slightly shorter timeframe, the chef recommends preheating the air fryer for five minutes and baking the dates for 15 to 20 minutes.
Nachos taste amazing when air fried.
Roszkowski is all for going big on game day with freshly made nachos served with guacamole, salsa, and sour cream on the side.
“The tortilla chips don’t get soggy because of the hot, dry circulating air and the quicker cooking time,” Roszkowski said. “This allows you to be generous with your toppings.”
The chef also recommends lining the air fryer tray with parchment paper for easy cleanup.
Puff pastry could really wow guests.
Store-bought puff pastry is arguably one of the most popular appetizer ingredients, especially for wrapped or rolled air-fryer dishes.
Lindsay likes to stuff puff pastry with chorizo, corn, red bell peppers, jalapeños, cotija cheese, and seasonings. Then, he folds the pastry and air-fries the dish until golden.
He serves the appetizer with fresh guacamole and salsa for a crowd-pleasing dish.
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.
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