I enjoy Super Bowl Sunday. I’m not much of a football fan, but my friend always hosts a lovely party with plentiful snacks, and I don’t have to do a thing. You see, hosting a dinner party is one thing—there’s a set meal, and you can plan out the timing—but a party based on hot snacks means lots of upkeep, and frequent refreshing.
You need a lineup of snacks that are delicious, easy to prep, and quick to churn out, leaving you plenty of time to yell at the TV. This sounds like a job for the air fryer. Here’s a list of my favorite Air Fryday snacks fit for the big game.
Cheese-stuffed biscuit balls
You know what’s better than cheesy breadsticks? These cheese-stuffed biscuit balls. They’re made with canned biscuit dough, which makes the preparation straightforward. Pop a can of your favorite vacuum-sealed dough and wrap a biscuit's worth around a fat cube of mozzarella cheese. Throw the balls in the air fryer for a few minutes, and before serving, swipe with melted butter and a sprinkle of garlic salt.
Devils on Horseback
These bite-sized nibbles offer an enticing balance of sweet and salty, crunchy and chewy. All you need is fruit, cheese, and pork to wrap around them. Pitted dates make an excellent fruit pocket for stuffing with cheese, and a half slice of bacon or prosciutto makes for a great pork blanket. Follow the directions here.
American cheese crisps
Talk about zero prep time: American cheese singles are already ready for your air fryer. While classic cheese frico is a crispy, lacey snack made from a hard cheese like parmesan, American cheese crisps are something altogether new. Simply lay a few floppy singles on the floor of your air fryer and witness their transformation to crunchy, cavernous puffs. Pile them into a bowl and watch them disappear.
Shishito pepper poppers
Jalapeño poppers are mildly spicy, but for a stuffed-pepper snack that keeps you guessing, try this recipe for shishito pepper poppers instead. Shishitos are long green peppers with a thinner fleshy wall than jalapeños, which allows them to soften a bit faster in the air fryer. Pair that with the knowledge that you’ll never know which one are mild and which are a pocket of spicy hellfire and you’ve got yourself a snack your guests won’t forget.
Phyllo wrapped veggies
If you’re looking for a way to incorporate more veggies onto your roster, here’s an incredible air fryer option: phyllo dough wrapped veggie sticks. You can use any vegetable you have available in the fridge, like carrot sticks, whole scallions, bell peppers, or asparagus. Lightly buttered phyllo dough creates crisp, flaky layers around each vegetable. Click here for the full recipe.
Mac and cheese bites
This is the only suggested air fryer snack on this list that requires cold leftovers, but it’s so insanely good I think it’s worth making a batch of mac and cheese the day before. Once the mac and cheese is cold, slice it into sticks or squares and toss into the air fryer as-is, no breading required. The existing cheese and oils from the sauce will fry and crisp to form a crunchy frico cheese exterior with a soft pasta interior. Click here for the full recipe.
Air fryer crunchy chickpeas
It’s nice to have a variety of snacks at the table. Here’s one that’s easy, low-commitment, and impossible to stop munching on. Air fryer crunchy chickpeas are tossed with seasonings and a secret ingredient: cornstarch. The layer of starch creates a shattering crust on each garbanzo unlike anything you’ve had before. And they’re ready in a snap. Air fryer crunchy chickpeas.
Leftovers egg rolls
This snack is a lifesaver if you underprepared for your party. Keep a pack of egg roll wrappers around so you can roll up any leftovers you have hanging in your fridge. Yep. Any and all leftovers. Fill the egg roll wrapper with a slice of lasagna, baked beans and cheese, ham and pickles, or leftover potato salad. They crisp up in the air fryer like a dream. Read here for the details.
Bacon-wrapped banana bites
Similar to devils on horseback but even simpler. Make a batch of these bacon-wrapped banana bites. They’re an irresistible blend of sweet, earthy, and salty. Slice ripe bananas into one-inch segments and wrap them in strips of bacon. Pop them in the air fryer until crisp.
Air fryer key lime pie
Just because it’s a snack party doesn’t mean we have to skip dessert. This air fryer key lime pie is a nice reminder that spring is just around the corner. Use a store bought graham cracker crust—they’re about eight inches in diameter and the aluminum tin fits in most air fryers. With only a few ingredients, this recipe comes together quickly...but don’t forget to give the finished pie time in the fridge to cool.