Are you looking for quick and easy recipes to make and freeze for later? Do you own an air fryer and love its convenience in cooking meals? If so, you’re lucky because this article is about easy, freezer-friendly air fryer recipes.
The air fryer can do everything from breakfast to dinner, snacks to desserts. The best part is that these meals can be easily prepped and stored in the freezer for the busiest days. All you need to do is pop them in the air fryer when ready to eat.
In this article, I’ll share some of my favorite easy, freezer-friendly air fryer recipes to save you time and energy in the kitchen. Whether you’re a busy parent, a college student, or just someone who loves meal prepping, these recipes will become a go-to for easy and delicious meals.
How Long Will The Freezer Meals Last?
Freezer meals offer a great way to streamline meal prepping and cooking for busy households. Unfortunately, knowing how long these meals will last in the freezer is hard.
On average, most freezer meals can last anywhere from 3-6 months, although some soups may even last longer.
It is important to store these meals properly if you want them to remain safe and fresh as they sit in the freezer. Freezer-safe storage bags or containers should be used, and food should never be stored loosely in the freezer.
A helpful chart of foods and their corresponding freezing times can also be found online. Remembering these tips and storing all those delicious frozen dinners ensure your family has easy access to nutritious, convenient meals for months.
Here are 10 Easy Freezer-Friendly Air Fryer Recipes
1. Air Fryer Chicken Strips
Preparing chicken strips in the air fryer is a quick and easy way to make a delicious freezer-friendly meal. Season your chicken strips with your favorite spices, wrap them up in foil or parchment paper, and store them in the freezer for up to three months.
When you’re ready to cook, place the frozen chicken strips into the air fryer and cook until crispy. Serve with your favorite dipping sauces for a delicious, kid-friendly meal.
2. Air Fryer Veggie Fritters
Veggie fritters are a great way to use up all those extra veggies in the fridge and turn them into an easy and delicious freezer-friendly meal. Simply mix grated vegetables like carrots, zucchini, and sweet potatoes with a few eggs and spices, form into patties, and freeze.
When ready to cook, place the frozen veggie fritters into the air fryer and cook until golden brown. Serve with your favorite dipping sauces for a healthy meal that the whole family will love.
3. Air Fryer Roast Potatoes
Air fryer roast potatoes are a delicious, freezer-friendly side dish with any meal. Mix potatoes into cubes, season with your favorite herbs and spices, and freeze.
When you’re ready to cook, place the frozen potatoes into the air fryer and cook until golden brown and crispy. Serve with your favorite sauces for a tasty side dish everyone will love.
4. Air Fryer Onion Rings
Onion rings are a classic favorite for all ages, and making them in the air fryer is easy and convenient. Simply slice some onions into rings, season as desired, and freeze.
When you’re ready to cook, place the frozen onion rings into the air fryer and cook until golden brown and crispy. Serve with your favorite dipping sauces for a delicious, kid-friendly snack.
5. Air Fryer French Toast Sticks
Everyone loves French toast sticks, and making them in the air fryer is an easy way to make a freezer-friendly breakfast. Cut some bread into slices or strips, dip in egg and spices, freeze, and cook in the air fryer until golden brown and crispy.
Serve with your favorite syrup or jam for a delicious breakfast that the whole family will love.
6. Air Fryer Fish Sticks
Fish sticks are a great way to get kids to eat fish, and making them in the air fryer is an easy way to make a freezer-friendly meal. Simply season some fish fillets with your favorite spices, wrap them in foil or parchment paper, and freeze.
When you’re ready to cook, place the frozen fish sticks into the air fryer and cook until golden brown and crispy. Serve with your favorite dipping sauces for a tasty meal everyone will enjoy.
7. Air Fryer Falafel
Falafel is a delicious Middle Eastern dish easily made in the air fryer. Mix together chickpeas, herbs, and spices, form patties, and freeze.
When ready to cook, place the frozen falafel into the air fryer and cook until golden brown. Serve with your favorite dipping sauces for a delicious meal everyone will love.
8. Air Fryer Cheese Nuggets
Cheese nuggets are a great way to get kids to eat their veggies, and they are easy to make in the air fryer. Simply mix together grated vegetables with cheese, form into nuggets, and freeze.
When you’re ready to cook, place the frozen cheese nuggets into the air fryer and cook until golden brown. Serve with your favorite dipping sauce for a delicious snack that everyone will enjoy.
9. Air Fryer Buffalo Cauliflower
Spicy Buffalo cauliflower is a delicious and healthy alternative to chicken wings, and making it in the air fryer is easy and convenient. Simply mix together some diced cauliflower with your favorite hot sauce, wrap in foil or parchment paper, and freeze.
When you’re ready to cook, place the frozen cauliflower into the air fryer and cook until golden brown and crispy. Serve with your favorite dipping sauce for a tasty snack everyone will love.
10. Air Fryer Buffalo Chicken
Buffalo chicken is a classic favorite, and making it in the air fryer is an easy way to turn it into a freezer-friendly meal. Simply mix together diced chicken with your favorite hot sauce, wrap in foil or parchment paper, and freeze.
When you’re ready to cook, place the frozen chicken into the air fryer and cook until golden brown and crispy. Serve with your favorite dipping sauce for a delicious meal everyone will love.
How to Make Freezen Foods?
Making ahead freezer meals can be a great way to save time and still have something delicious to eat, as making them is relatively simple and can be tailored to whatever meals you desire.
First, start by either doubling a meal you’re already cooking or specifically set about making several recipes strictly for the freezer.
This can include breakfast and dinner items such as soups, stews, chilis, burritos, individual pizzas, and even baked goods.
Once ready to go into the freezer, you’ll want to store them in airtight containers or baggies so they don’t dry out. Ziploc Freezer Safe Storage bags are excellent for this purpose – fill it up and lay it flat in the freezer to take up less space.
Doing this ensures that it will remain fresh when you’re ready to cook the meal for slow cooker recipes or other meals which require baking pre-cooked ingredients, such as lasagna or casseroles; assembly before freezing is key.
What Setting Should My Air Fryer Be For Frozen Food?
A good rule of thumb is always setting the air fryer to the “air fryer” or “air crisp” option. This offers optimal results for getting that perfect crunchy exterior with a tender inside.
It ensures the food cooks evenly and gets nice and crisp outside without burning it. Depending on the type of frozen food, you will also want to adjust the temperature and cooking time accordingly for your food to cook thoroughly but not burn or dry out.
It may be tempting to use pre-set functions on some models since they offer different settings for different types of cuisine, but I recommend using a manual setting instead.
This way, you can control how quickly it cooks and ensure that all parts of the item get cooked evenly; pre-set functions may not consider whether your frozen item is extra thick or thin, so cook times are just estimates.
With manual settings, you can guarantee that your food is cooked just right and comes out golden brown with a delightful crunch every time.
Frequently Asked Questions [FAQs]
1. What Kind Of Foods Can I Make In An Air Fryer?
An air fryer is a versatile cooking appliance that can prepare various dishes. Popular options include French fries, chicken wings, vegetables, and desserts. Air-fried food has a crispy texture on the outside and stays moist on the inside.
2. Are Air Fryers Freezers-Friendly?
Yes, air fryers are an excellent choice for freezer-friendly meals. Not only can you easily freeze cooked food and reheat it later in the air fryer, but you can also prepare and freeze meals until ready to cook.
Make sure to wrap your food securely in either foil or parchment paper to protect it from drying out in the freezer. When ready to cook, place the frozen food into the air fryer and adjust the settings.
3: How Should I Properly Thaw And Reheat Frozen Air-Fried Food?
To thaw frozen air-fried food, it is best to transfer it from the freezer to the refrigerator and let it thaw overnight. This gradual thawing method helps retain the texture and quality of the food. Once thawed, you can reheat the food in the air fryer.
Preheat the air fryer, place the food in the basket, and cook at the original air frying temperature for a few minutes until it is heated through and crisp. Keep an eye on the food to prevent overcooking.
4: Can I Batch-Cook Air-Fried Food And Freeze It For Meal Prep?
Air fryers are great for batch cooking and meal prep. You can cook larger quantities of food, such as chicken breasts, vegetables, or even small meals like stuffed peppers, and then freeze them in individual portions.
This allows you to have ready-made meals easily reheated in the air fryer when needed. Ensure the food is cooled before freezing and properly stored in freezer-safe containers or bags.
5: Are There Any Foods Unsuitable For Freezing After Air Frying?
While many air-fried foods can be successfully frozen, some dishes may not retain their optimal texture or flavor after thawing and reheating.
Foods with high water content, such as lettuce, cucumbers, and watery fruits, may become soggy and lose their crispness when frozen. Similarly, naturally delicate foods, like meringues or delicate pastries, may not freeze well.
Conclusion
An air fryer is a great tool for making freezer-friendly meals. With proper preparation, you can batch-cook large portions of food and freeze them until ready to reheat in the air fryer. You can enjoy your favorite fried foods without worrying about spoiling if you check the temperature and cooking time and use freezer-safe containers or bags.
Meet our air fryer recipe expert, Jenny J. Brown. Jenny is a culinary enthusiast with a passion for creating healthy, delicious meals using the latest kitchen appliances. As an experienced home cook and food blogger, Jenny has spent years experimenting with air fryer recipes and perfecting her techniques to create meals that are both nutritious and satisfying.
