I use my air fryer in my kitchen on a weekly basis! There are so many recipes out there that I definitely have an air fryer recipe for everyone. These are the best of the best and the hardest part will be picking out which one is your favorite!
If you haven’t tried using an air fryer or you’re an old pro, there is something or everyone! Try out some of my top favorite air fryer recipes like this chicken, these delicious French fries or this mouthwatering salmon.
Air Fryer Recipes
Ok, ok, you’ve got me. The air fryer is currently my all-time favorite kitchen appliance! I mean, how could it not be when it does as many things as it does? Let’s talk about it for a minute. Air frying doesn’t require any oil, making it healthier and mess-free. It is quick and easy, and the cooking time is decreased in most recipes. It’s pretty hands-off. You may only have to flip your food a time or two during cooking (if at all). The air fryer can reheat leftovers like it’s nobody’s business and make them taste as good as when they were first cooked… Have I convinced you yet?
If you use an air fryer all of the time or you are just about to buy one (thanks to my convincing you), then I have you covered for the next step… The recipes! This air fryer recipe round-up is the best of the best! The most popular on my website, the most popular in my house, and really, just the spot where I have gathered together all of the tried and true favorites. So get cooking! Want fish? Check. Chicken? Check. Vegetables? Check. This roundup has something for everyone! Plus, You will have a lot fewer dishes to do at the end of it all… It’s a win-win!
Cooking with and Air Fryer
Before you get started on cooking air fryer recipes with your air fryer, there are some tips that I recommend reading over so that your food turns out perfect every single time!
Don’t Overcrowd the Basket: The most important rule (in my opinion) is that you don’t try to fill the air fryer’s basket up with too much food at once. When you overfill the basket and your food is all touching then it doesn’t cook evenly. The parts that touch will remain soggy and you won’t get that delicious and crisp edge that the air fryer is known for!
Shake the Basket: Give the basket a good shake throughout the cooking process! This helps to cook and brown the food more evenly. I like to do this with fries, vegetables, and anything I want to crisp and brown really well. Just pull open the basket a few times during the cooking process, shake to toss the ingredients inside, and replace the basket to continue cooking.
Flip Meat Halfway Through: Halfway through the cooking process, flip your meat to help cook it evenly. This is a good rule of thumb for chicken, hamburgers, steak, and pork. Simply open the basket, flip the meat using tongs, and continue cooking until done.
Easy Cleanup Tips: Use parchment paper or foil to line the basket if you want to make clean up easy. Also, be sure to clean the air fryer if there is a lot of residue from the food left behind. This helps to prevent the food from taking on other flavors. It’s not necessary to clean your air fryer after every use, just clean it when it needs it.
Air fryer French toast is simple and delicious! You can whip this up in less than 10 minutes, and your family will gobble it up so fast that it will fly off of your table!
Ingredients: eggs, milk, cinnamon, vanilla, thick bread Texas toast or French bread, fresh berries, powdered sugar, syrup
The lobster tails cooked in the air fryer are incredibly tender and delicious. Topped with a melted buttery garlic herb sauce, this is a quick and easy way to have that delectable fancy dinner without a lot of time and preparation!
Ingredients: lobster tails, salt and pepper, butter melted, garlic cloves minced, paprika, parsley chopped
There is no easier way to cook cinnamon rolls out there! These air fryer cinnamon rolls from a can are so easy and delicious. They take less than 15 minutes to bake!
This juicy air fryer turkey is SOO GOOD and will have all of your guests asking for more! It's perfectly golden brown and dripping in flavor… You will never cook a turkey any other way again!
Ingredients: bone-in turkey breast , Olive Oil, Italian Seasoning, paprika, garlic powder, salt, pepper, butter
Crunchy yet tender this Air Fryer Roasted Garlic Broccoli is going to become a favorite side dish. Super quick and easy this is the best way to cook broccoli guaranteed!
Ingredients: broccoli florets, olive oil, garlic, italian seasoning, salt and pepper
Coconut shrimp are insanely delicious! One of the best appetizers out there, these mouthwatering air fried coconut shrimp are crispy, lightweight and completely delightful! This appetizer is one that is sure to have your guests coming back for more!
Ingredients: large shrimp about 25, eggs, flaked unsweetened coconut, panko breadcrumbs, all-purpose flour, garlic powder, paprika optional, Salt and freshly ground black pepper
These air fryer fajitas are packed to the brim with flavor but only take a few minutes to make! They are perfect for those on-the-go, busy nights, and everyone will go crazy over them!
These Air Fryer Frozen French Fries come out exactly like your favorite fast food fries! They are crispy, golden on the outside and perfectly soft on the inside. So much better than frying or baking!
Ingredients: frozen French fries, salt to taste, olive oil spray
These perfectly cooked air fryer hard-boiled eggs will blow your mind! Convenient, quick, and easy to peel every time, they will be your go-to for some quick protein for any meal!
Pizza night just got a whole lot better with this Awesome Air Fryer Pizza! Perfectly cooked crust and exquisitely baked toppings, the air fryer does it again!
These quick and easy air fryer croutons will give your salads and recipes that "wow" factor! A fresh loaf of bread cubed, seasoned, and air fried to perfection.
Ingredients: French Bread, Olive Oil, Italian Seasonings, Parmesan Cheese, Garlic Salt
Air Fryer Corn on the Cob is going to change the way you cook corn. Super fast, tender, and full of toasted corn flavor air fryer, corn is insanely delicious.
Ingredients: ears of corn, olive oil, salt and pepper
Air fryer meatballs are tender, juicy, and delicious! They are SOO good and this will be a recipe that your family will want you to make again and again!
This amazing air fryer brown sugar pineapple is the easiest and most delicious snack! So juicy and sweet, this warm pineapple will become your new favorite way to eat this tropical fruit!
Ingredients: Pineapple, Brown Sugar, Butter melted, Cinnamon
Crispy Air Fryer "Fried" Chicken is what Air Fryers were created to do! Crunchy golden seasoned outside, and tender, juicy, full of flavor inside! This is how chicken was meant to be eaten.
Ingredients: bone-in chicken thighs and legs, salt and pepper, buttermilk, eggs, flour, cajun seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt, pepper, olive oil spray
This low-carb take on wings is going to rock your world! Draped in a sticky-sweet honey buffalo sauce, these easy air fryer cauliflower wings are absolutely to die for!
Ingredients: head cauliflower, flour, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, salt, pepper, optional: pinch red pepper flakes, milk, Franks Buffalo Sauce, honey, Brown Sugar
Air fryer fried green tomatoes are insanely delicious! Crispy on the outside and tender and juicy on the inside, these tomatoes will knock your socks off!
Ingredients: green tomatoes firm, eggs, milk, flour, salt, pepper, cornmeal, breadcrumbs, grated parmesan, Italian seasoning, olive oil spray
This Air Fryer Steak is impeccably seared on the outside and tender juicy on the inside. Cooking steak in an air fryer will create extra flavor and a delicate texture to truly satisfy!
Ingredients: Ribeye, olive oil, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper, butter, garlic clove, fresh rosemary, fresh thyme, fresh parsley
Crispy Air Fryer Chicken Wings are simply the best ever! Crispy on the outside, tender on the inside and with a smack of homemade buffalo sauce, they're finger lick'n good!
Ingredients: chicken wings, olive oil, garlic powder, paprika, salt and pepper, buffalo sauce, honey, Worcestershire sauce
Egg Roll lovers, this Crispy Air Fryer Egg Roll Recipe is for you! Crispy, crunchy outside, tender filling inside, without the extra fat of frying or drying out from oven cooking. These are what you have been waiting for!
Make your kids excited to get out of bed with these Homemade Air Fryer Pop Tarts! These pop tarts have a crisp flakey crust with a tender sweet filling, and topped with frosting, of course!
Air fryer chickpeas are crispy and flavored to perfection! With three different ways to season them, there will be a flavor for everyone. These crunchy, roasted chickpeas will become your new go-to snack!
Ingredients: of chickpeas, olive oil, garlic, salt, paprika, pepper, of Chickpeas, Olive Oil, Parmesan, Garlic, salt, of Chickpeas, Olive Oil, Homemade Taco Seasoning
If you are looking for a simple and delicious way to cook up your artichokes that is quick and easy, then these air fryer artichokes are just for you! Cooked to perfection, these will be your new favorite vegetable!
This Air Fryer Grilled Cheese is the best I have ever had! Perfectly grilled to a crunchy golden brown on the outside and melty goodness on the inside. It's life changing.
These birria tacos are packed full of flavor! They are filled with beef and Mexican flavorings that are so delicious that you will definitely need to come to this meal hungry because you will for sure be asking for seconds!
Make this the main course for any Taco Tuesday! After all, everyone needs some delicious Mexican food on hand that you can whip up at any time! Add in my favorite amazing street tacos, this Rotel dip, and these nachos, and make it a meal to remember!
What are Disneyland Copycat Birria Tacos?
These tacos are a work of art! Every single minute that you spend making them will be worth it. I first had birria tacos from a restaurant in California Adventure (Disneyland) called Cocina Cucamonga Mexican Grill. They became viral, and I just had to try making them on my own. Because we can’t just go to Disneyland whenever we want, right? Traditionally made as a delicious and savory Mexican stew, this flavored meats has been around for a long time! But then, the meat was taken and put into taco shells (genius!). Now, we have a dinner that you will want every single night.
It turns out that making these at home is even better! How often do you find a copycat recipe that is better than the original? The beef in these tacos is seasoned with a flavorful sauce, cinnamon and then bay leaves. And the sauce is really where it’s at. You make this with an array of delicious Mexican seasonings, peppers, and onions blended together. And to make things extra delicious, you use the sauce to flavor your tortillas and to dip your taco in once it’s finished. These tacos are SO good. You don’t want to miss out!
Ingredients in Birria Tacos
This ingredients list has a few unique items on it. So print off the recipe card, bring it to the store and gather them all up. You will find out quickly that these tacos are worth every single step! Check out the recipe card at the bottom of the post for exact measurements.
Consume/Sauce
Chile Peppers: Dried Guajillo Chile Peppers and Dried Ancho Chile Peppers. (They should be deseeded with the stems removed before cooking with them).
Additional Vegetables: White onion, roma tomatoes, garlic cloves.
Spices and Seasonings: Cracked black pepper, ground cumin, ground coriander, Mexican oregano (dried), smoked paprika, kosher salt.
Liquids: Apple cider vinegar, beef broth
Beef
Boneless Chuck Roast: This will cook into a delicious and tender cut of meat, perfect for tacos!
Kosher Salt & Pepper: These will season your beef.
Olive Oil: This helps the seasoning to stick to the beef.!
Seasoning: Bay leaf and cinnamon sticks sound interesting together but they flavor this beef like nothing that you have ever tasted before!
Birria Tacos
Yellow Corn Tortillas: You can use store-bought or you can also try making these homemade corn tortillas if you want instead!
Follow these step-by-step instructions, and you will have the best tacos that you’ve ever had! Don’t forget to save the extra sauce to dip your taco in!
Consomme/Sauce
Prepare Chile Peppers: Cut the stems off of the dried chilies. Deseed and discard the seeds by shaking the seeds out of the pods.
Cook Chilies: In a medium skillet, add the chiles, and cook for 1 minute on each side. Toast until fragrant and lightly toasted.
Soak: Bring 1 cup of water to a boil and remove from the heat. Submerge the chiles into the water and then soak for 15 minutes while you prepare the rest of the sauce.
Cook Vegetables: To the same skillet, add the oil and onion and tomato. Sauté for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until charred and softened. Then, add the garlic cloves and sauté until fragrant for 2 more minutes.
Add to Blender: Transfer roasted vegetables to a blender. Strain the soaked chilies, and add them to the blender as well.
Blend: Add the pepper, cumin, coriander, oregano, smoked paprika, salt, apple cider vinegar, and beef broth to the blender with the rest of the sauce ingredients and blend until smooth. Set aside.
Beef
Prepare Meat: To prepare the meat, season the chunks with salt and pepper. Turn the instant pot to sauté and add the oil. Then, sear the beef until golden brown on all sides. Press cancel to turn the instant pot off. Pour the chile sauce over the beef and stir to combine.
Add Seasonings: Add the cinnamon stick and bay leaves to the pot.
Seal and Cook: Close the lid and seal the pot. Cook on high pressure for 45 minutes. Allow the pressure to naturally release for 10 to 15 minutes.
Shred: When you open the lid, remove and disgard the cinnamon stick and bay leaves. Remove the beef and shred it with the help of two forks. Taste the shredded beef and consomme. Then add additonal salt if needed.
Save Sauce: Pour about 1 cup of the consomme/sauce into a serving bowl for later to dip your birria tacos in.
Quesabirria Tacos
Heat Pan: Heat a cast iron or nonstick pan to medium high heat. Spray generously with non-stick cooking spray. Using your hands, carefully to dip both sides of a tortilla into the fat in your shallow dish.
Add Sauce: Pour the rest of the consomme/sauce into a shallow dish. The fat settles towards the top of the sauce, and this is what you dip the tortillas in to fry them.
Assemble: Carefully fold the cheese side over the meat side creating a taco. Press down with the spatula to seal the taco. Continue to cook and crisp the outside of the taco. You can flip it a couple of times until it gets crispy and the cheese is melted.
Transfer and Repeat: Transfer the cooked tacos to a serving platter and then repeat until all the tacos are assembled.
Serve: Serve immediately with your desired toppings and the reserved consume/sauce for dipping!
Corn Tortillas
These birria tacos use corn tortillas, which can be tricky because they sometimes break before you can fill them up! To prevent that, you need to warm them up. This will make them more pliable. To warm them up, wrap a few of them in a damp paper towel and then microwave them for about 20 seconds!
Are Birria Tacos Gluten Free?
When you are getting your ingredients just make sure to use gluten-free beef broth as well as corn tortillas and this birria tacos recipe will be gluten-free!
How to Store Leftover Birria Tacos
These birria tacos make fantastic leftovers. Just make sure to store them correctly so that they can last as long as possible!
In the Refrigerator: Once your tacos have cooled then place them in an airtight container in a single layer. You can layer on top of each other as long as you put a piece of parchment paper inbetween. They will last for 4-5 days in the fridge.
To Reheat: Reheat your tacos in the oven at 400 degrees for 10-12 minutes or until they are heated through.
What to Serve with Birria Tacos
These birria tacos make the best Mexican meal! Pair them up with a few sides and you will be prepared for any Taco Tuesday or Cindo de Mayo celebration! Or let’s be honest. Once you cook these you are going to cook them all the time no matter the day of the week or if there is a celebration to be had! Check out these sides that will go with it. It will be a meal for the books!
These Birria tacos are packed full of flavor! They are filled with beef and Mexican flavorings that are so delicious that you will definitely need to come to this meal hungry because you will for sure be asking for seconds!
4Dried Guajillo Chile Peppersdeseeded and stems removed
4Dried Ancho Chile Peppers
1mediumWhite Onionpeeled and quartered
2largeRoma Tomatoes,chopped
6clovesGarlic
1teaspoonCracked Black Pepper
1teaspoonGround Cumin
1/2teaspoonGround Coriander
1tablespoonMexican Oregano,dried
½teaspoonSmoked Paprika
1tspKosher Salt
3tablespoonsApple Cider Vinegar
1 1/2cupsBeef Broth
Beef
3lbsBoneless Chuck Roast,cut into large chunks about 3-inch pieces
Kosher Salt & Pepper(for seasoning)
2tablespoonsOlive Oil
2bay leaves
1Cinnamon Stick
Birria Tacos
12-14Yellow Corn Tortillas(for serving)
12ozOaxaca cheese or Mozzarellashredded
Cilantro, Limes, Diced Onion(for garnish)
Instructions
Consume/Sauce
Cut the stems off of the dried chilies. Deseed and discard the seeds by shaking the seeds out of the pods.
In a medium skillet, add the chiles, and cook for 1 minute on each side. Toast until fragrant and lightly toasted.
Bring 1 cup of water to a boil and remove from the heat. Submerge the chiles into the water and soak for 15 minutes while you prepare the rest of the sauce.
To the same skillet, add the oil and onion and tomato. Sauté for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until charred and softened. Add the garlic cloves and sauté until fragrant for 2 more minutes.
Transfer roasted vegetables to a blender. Strain the soaked chilies, and add them to the blender as well.
Add the pepper, cumin, coriander, oregano, smoked paprika, salt, apple cider vinegar, and beef broth to the blender with the rest of the sauce ingredients and blend until smooth. Set aside.
Beef
To prepare the meat, season the chunks with salt and pepper. Turn the Instant pot to sauté and add the oil. Sear the beef until golden brown on all sides. Press cancel to turn the instant pot off. Pour the chile sauce over the beef and stir to combine.
Add the cinnamon stick and bay leaves to the pot.
Close the lid and seal the pot. Cook on high pressure for 45 minutes. Allow the pressure to naturally release for 10 to 15 minutes.
When you open the lid, remove and discard the cinnamon stick and bay leaves. Remove the beef and shred it with the help of two forks. Taste the shredded beef and consomme. Add additional salt if needed.
Pour about 1 cup of the consume/sauce into a serving bowl for later.
Birria Tacos
Heat a cast-iron or nonstick pan to medium-high heat. Spray generously with non-stick cooking spray. Using your hands, carefully dip both sides of a tortilla into the fat in your shallow dish.
Pour the rest of the consome/sauce into a shallow dish. The fat settles towards the top of the sauce, and this is what you dip the tortillas in to fry them.
Carefully fold the cheese side over the meat side creating a taco. Press down with the spatula to seal the taco. Continue to cook and crisp the outside of the taco. You can flip it a couple of times until it gets crispy and the cheese is melted.
Transfer the cooked tacos to a serving platter and repeat until all the tacos are assembled.
Serve immediately with your desired toppings and the reserved consume/sauce for dipping!