Looking to save some money while still enjoying delicious meals? Look no further! In this article, we’ve gathered 10 fabulous frugal air fryer recipes that are not only budget-friendly but also incredibly tasty. From crispy fried chicken to crispy vegetables, these recipes will satisfy your cravings without breaking the bank. Say goodbye to expensive takeout and hello to homemade goodness. Get ready to whip up some mouthwatering dishes that are both healthy and cost-effective. So grab your air fryer and get ready to embark on a culinary adventure that will save you money and leave your taste buds dancing with joy.

Easy Air Fryer Chicken Tenders

Ingredients

• 1 pound of chicken tenders
• 1 cup of breadcrumbs
• 1 teaspoon of paprika
• 1 teaspoon of garlic powder
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Cooking spray

Instructions

1. Preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees F.
2. In a bowl, combine the breadcrumbs, paprika, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
3. Dip each chicken tender into the breadcrumb mixture, pressing down to make sure the crumbs stick.
4. Place the chicken tenders in a single layer in the air fryer basket.
5. Spray the chicken tenders with cooking spray.
6. Cook for 10-12 minutes, flipping halfway through, until the chicken is cooked through and the breadcrumbs are golden brown.
7. Serve hot with your favorite dipping sauce.

Frugal Tips

• Buy chicken tenders in bulk to save money.
• Use pantry staples like breadcrumbs and spices instead of buying pre-made coatings.
• Use cooking spray instead of oil to minimize cost and calories.

Crispy Air Fryer French Fries

Ingredients

• 4 large potatoes, cut into fries
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• 1 teaspoon of garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon of paprika
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees F.
2. In a bowl, toss the cut potatoes with olive oil, garlic powder, paprika, salt, and pepper until evenly coated.
3. Place the seasoned fries in the air fryer basket in a single layer.
4. Cook for 20-25 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through, until the fries are golden brown and crispy.
5. Serve immediately with ketchup or your favorite dipping sauce.

Frugal Tips

• Instead of buying pre-cut fries, save money by cutting your own potatoes.
• Use basic pantry spices to season the fries instead of buying special blends.
• Opt for olive oil, which is more cost-effective than other cooking oils.

Healthy Air Fried Vegetable Medley

Ingredients

• 2 cups of mixed vegetables (such as broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, and bell peppers)
• 1 tablespoon of olive oil
• 1 teaspoon of garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon of dried herbs (such as thyme or rosemary)
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Preheat the air fryer to 375 degrees F.
2. In a bowl, toss the mixed vegetables with olive oil, garlic powder, dried herbs, salt, and pepper until well coated.
3. Place the seasoned vegetables in the air fryer basket in a single layer.
4. Cook for 10-15 minutes, shaking the basket occasionally, until the vegetables are tender and lightly browned.
5. Serve as a side dish or add to salads or stir-fries.

Frugal Tips

• Buy frozen mixed vegetables in bulk to save money.
• Use olive oil sparingly by using a brush or spray bottle to distribute it evenly.
• Experiment with different frozen vegetable blends based on what’s on sale.

Flavorful Air Fryer Chicken Wings

Ingredients

• 2 pounds of chicken wings
• 1 tablespoon of olive oil
• 1 teaspoon of paprika
• 1 teaspoon of garlic powder
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Your choice of hot sauce or barbecue sauce for serving

Instructions

1. Preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees F.
2. In a bowl, toss the chicken wings with olive oil, paprika, garlic powder, salt, and pepper until well coated.
3. Place the seasoned chicken wings in the air fryer basket in a single layer, making sure they don’t overlap.
4. Cook for 20-25 minutes, flipping halfway through, until the chicken wings are crispy and cooked through.
5. Serve hot with your favorite sauce for dipping.

Frugal Tips

• Buy chicken wings in bulk or on sale to save money.
• Make your own seasoning blend using pantry essentials to avoid buying pre-packaged mixes.
• Skip the expensive bottled sauces and make your own by combining hot sauce or barbecue sauce with melted butter.

Delicious Air Fried Onion Rings

Ingredients

• 2 large onions, sliced into rings
• 1 cup of flour
• 1 teaspoon of paprika
• 1 teaspoon of garlic powder
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 2 eggs, beaten
• Cooking spray

Instructions

1. Preheat the air fryer to 375 degrees F.
2. In a bowl, combine the flour, paprika, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
3. Dip each onion ring into the beaten eggs, then coat with the flour mixture, pressing down to make sure it sticks.
4. Place the coated onion rings in the air fryer basket in a single layer.
5. Lightly spray the onion rings with cooking spray.
6. Cook for 10-12 minutes, flipping halfway through, until the onion rings are crispy and golden brown.
7. Serve hot as a side dish or appetizer with your favorite dipping sauce.

Frugal Tips

• Use inexpensive onions, such as yellow or white, to make the onion rings.
• Make your own coating mixture using flour and spices, instead of buying pre-packaged onion ring mix.
• Use cooking spray instead of oil to save money on frying.

Crispy Air Fryer Fish Tacos

Ingredients

• 1 pound of white fish fillets (such as tilapia or cod)
• 1 cup of breadcrumbs
• 1 teaspoon of paprika
• 1 teaspoon of garlic powder
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 8 small corn tortillas
• Your choice of taco toppings (such as shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, and sour cream)

Instructions

1. Preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees F.
2. In a bowl, combine the breadcrumbs, paprika, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
3. Cut the fish fillets into small strips or nuggets.
4. Dip each piece of fish into the breadcrumb mixture, pressing down to make sure it sticks.
5. Place the coated fish pieces in the air fryer basket in a single layer.
6. Cook for 8-10 minutes, flipping halfway through, until the fish is crispy and cooked through.
7. Warm the corn tortillas in the air fryer for a few minutes.
8. Serve the crispy fish in the warmed tortillas with your favorite taco toppings.

Frugal Tips

• Look for sales or discounted white fish fillets to save money.
• Make your own breadcrumbs using stale bread or leftover dinner rolls.
• Use affordable corn tortillas and customize the toppings based on what you have on hand.

Mouthwatering Air Fryer Bacon-Wrapped Asparagus

Ingredients

• 1 bunch of asparagus spears
• 6-8 slices of bacon
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees F.
2. Trim the woody ends off the asparagus spears.
3. Wrap a slice of bacon around each asparagus spear, leaving the tips exposed.
4. Place the bacon-wrapped asparagus spears in the air fryer basket in a single layer.
5. Cook for 10-12 minutes, until the bacon is crispy and the asparagus is tender.
6. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
7. Serve hot as an appetizer or side dish.

Frugal Tips

• Look for sales or discounted bacon to save money.
• Choose thicker asparagus stalks, as they tend to be more budget-friendly.
• Use salt and pepper for seasoning rather than expensive herbs or spices.

Savory Air Fryer Stuffed Mushrooms

Ingredients

• 12 large mushrooms, stems removed
• 1 cup of breadcrumbs
• 1/2 cup of grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 tablespoons of chopped fresh parsley
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Preheat the air fryer to 375 degrees F.
2. In a bowl, combine the breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, chopped parsley, minced garlic, olive oil, salt, and pepper.
3. Stuff the mushroom caps with the breadcrumb mixture, pressing down gently to fill them completely.
4. Place the stuffed mushrooms in the air fryer basket in a single layer.
5. Cook for 12-15 minutes, until the mushrooms are tender and the breadcrumbs are golden brown.
6. Serve hot as an appetizer or side dish.

Frugal Tips

• Buy mushrooms when they are on sale or look for discounted packages.
• Make your own breadcrumbs using leftover bread or toast.
• Use pantry staples like Parmesan cheese and garlic for flavor instead of buying specialty ingredients.

Delectable Air Fryer Coconut Shrimp

Ingredients

• 1 pound of large shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1/2 cup of flour
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 cup of shredded coconut
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Dipping sauce of your choice (such as sweet and sour or cocktail sauce)

Instructions

1. Preheat the air fryer to 375 degrees F.
2. Set up a breading station with three bowls. In the first bowl, place the flour. In the second bowl, place the beaten eggs. In the third bowl, place the shredded coconut.
3. Season the peeled and deveined shrimp with salt and pepper.
4. Dip each shrimp into the flour, then into the beaten eggs, and finally into the shredded coconut, pressing down gently to make sure it sticks.
5. Place the coconut-coated shrimp in the air fryer basket in a single layer.
6. Cook for 8-10 minutes, flipping halfway through, until the shrimp is pink and the coconut is golden brown.
7. Serve hot with your favorite dipping sauce.

Frugal Tips

• Look for frozen shrimp on sale or buy in bulk to save money.
• Use regular flour instead of expensive specialty coatings.
• Customize the dipping sauce using basic pantry ingredients.

Tasty Air Fried Sweet Potato Fries

Ingredients

• 2 large sweet potatoes, cut into fries
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• 1 teaspoon of smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon of garlic powder
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees F.
2. In a bowl, toss the cut sweet potatoes with olive oil, smoked paprika, garlic powder, salt, and pepper until well coated.
3. Place the seasoned sweet potato fries in the air fryer basket in a single layer.
4. Cook for 20-25 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through, until the fries are crispy and lightly browned.
5. Serve immediately as a side dish or a healthy snack.

Frugal Tips

• Buy sweet potatoes when they are in season or on sale to save money.
• Make your own spice blend using pantry staples like paprika and garlic powder.
• Use olive oil sparingly by using a brush or spray bottle to distribute it evenly.