Air Fryer Recipes for One Person

It's easy to make single serving recipes in the air fryer. Here are a lot of ideas for cooking air fryer recipes for one person along with some tips!

Why cook single serving recipes in the air fryer

Quick - The air fryer cooks up food quickly! Cooking times can be reduced a lot when cooking in the air fryer.

Doesn't require heating up a whole oven - If you're cooking for one, it can seem like a waste to heat up a whole oven to make a single serving. The air fryer lets you cook using a smaller appliance with delicious results.

Easier cleanup - If you're not having to cook on the stove or in multiple dishes, cooking in the air fryer can be an easier cleanup, depending on what you're making!

What type of air fryer is best for one person?

Honestly, it depends on you and what you're looking for. Some people may choose a smaller air fryer to reduce the amount of counter space needed or to choose an air fryer that is lighter and easier to move.

However, I love a larger air fryer, even when just cooking for myself. This means I can often cook a main course (like a salmon fillet) and a vegetable at the same time.

Delicious air fryer recipes for one person

Salmon

Cooked salmon on a white plate with a fork.

Other seafood

Air fried panko cod with a wedge of lemon on top.

Other main courses

Air fryer pork chop bites (serves 1 as a large main)
Air fryer bbq chicken pizza

Air fried pork bites on a white plate with parsley garnish

Vegetables and side dishes

Cooked asparagus in an air fryer basket.

Desserts

caramelized banana sliced in half from the top down

Tips for cooking recipes for one in the air fryer

Cooking a main and side at the same time

Making recipes for one in the air fryer is easy. If adding a vegetable while cooking a main course, always check the timing and temperature to make sure you can add both to the air fryer at the same time.

If cooking salmon in the air fryer, many times you may need to start cooking the vegetable sooner, as salmon cooks quickly in the air fryer.

If cooking chicken thighs (especially bone-in chicken thighs), many times you will need to start cooking the chicken thighs prior to a vegetables, as chicken thighs can take 20-25 minutes to cook in the air fryer.

Dividing a recipe that serves 2 in half to serve only 1

Dividing a recipe that serves 2 is relatively easy. Due to how the air fryer cooks, you should not have to adjust cooking times when diving a recipe in half.

Simply keep the cook time the same, but halve the ingredients. This should help you make a delicious air fryer single serving meal.

Leftovers

Many foods that you can cook in the air fryer can be saved as leftovers for a few days in the refrigerator. Depending on what you have made, you can usually add back to the air fryer for several minutes to reheat the leftovers.

Note that this does not work with all types of food, and some food should be eaten immediately and not saved as leftovers.