17 Vegetarian Air Fryer Recipes That Are Crispy Perfection

Written by

Giulia Lallas

Published

Picture this: You head to your kitchen. You really want to make French fries, but you don’t have a deep fryer or nearly enough oil to fry the potatoes. You think back to your morning Instagram scroll and remember someone frying food in less than 15 minutes. Not to mention doing so in a healthy way. But how? Enter the air fryer.

Air fryers are basically magic, circulating hot air instead of a ton of oil in order to crisp up your food. If you've been looking to swap some of your go-to recipes for planet-friendly meatless options, utilizing the air fryer is a simple—and delicious!—way to do so.

From desserts to appetizers to full meals, try out some of our favorite vegetarian air fryer recipes below.

17 Vegetarian Air Fryer Recipes to Try

1. Jackfruit Taquitos

These crispy air fryer taquitos have a secretly meaty ingredient: jackfruit. Paired with refried beans and a creamy queso sauce, you definitely won't be able to have just one.

2. Mozzarella Sticks

These yummy mozzarella sticks work perfectly as appetizers or snacks. They provide all the stretch without the grease.

3. Avocado Fries

Avocado fries? We know, it sounds crazy. But trust us when we say that you can’t judge them until you try them. Avocados are a superfood, making them nutritional as well as tasty. And if avocados aren’t your thing, zucchini and eggplant are great substitutes.

4. Crispy Sesame Tofu

Sesame chicken, vegetarian-style. The crispy tofu pieces are coated in a sesame soy glaze that's just as good—if not better—than takeout.

5. Vegetable Spring Rolls

Despite what the name suggests, spring rolls are a must-have year-round. And these are no exception.

6. French Toast Sticks

These mini french toast sticks are mind-blowing. First of all, toast that comes with a dipping sauce? Yes, please! Second of all, they’re super easy to make and work great as a quick breakfast or brunch idea.

7. Potato Latkes

These potato latkes are packed with flavor, are extra crispy, and serve as a great side dish. (Or, a main course... because they're so good you probably won't be able to stop eating them.)

8. Homemade Cannoli

Cannoli are an Italian classic. Although they're a little challenging to make, they come out beautifully in air fryers and don’t need to be periodically turned as they would in a deep fryer.

9. Cauliflower Wings

Try swapping traditional chicken wings for this planet-friendly cauliflower version. This recipe is crispy and delicious. And, you can use any sauce you want: buffalo sauce, BBQ sauce, and beyond.

10. Falafels

These falafels are super easy to make. Just grab your food processor and air fryer, and let the two of them do all the work for you. The batter is also great for freezing. That way, you can save some for later.

11. Onion Rings

Onion rings are basically made for the air fryer. This recipe only requires six ingredients: onions, plant milk, flour, bread crumbs, paprika, and turmeric.

12. Roasted Vegetables

Even veggie-haters will love this air-fried version. Better yet, you can customize it to whatever is in your fridge.

13. Air Fryer Bagels

That’s right: air fryer bagels. This recipe takes no longer than 15 minutes to make. Once they're ready to go, pile on your toppings of choice.

14. Kale Chips

Looking for a healthy and crunchy snack? These air-fried kale chips are a quick and easy pick. You can also use the same technique to make cinnamon apple chips, potato chips, and more.

15. Asian BBQ Cauliflower Bites

These Asian BBQ cauliflower bites are sticky, sweet, crispy goodness. Enjoy them as an appetizer, or pair them with rice and veggies for dinner.

16. Air Fryer Salad

Bet you never thought you'd see an air fryer salad recipe on this list! Instead of getting a bowl of soggy greens, this salad is crispy perfection.

17. Air Fryer Pasta Chips

If you love pasta, just imagine how good it is in chip-form. If you pop cooked pasta in the air fryer with some seasonings, it comes out as a crunchy treat.