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I cooked an entire Sunday roast in an air fryer – here’s my step-by-step guide
Centrepieces and trimmings cooked with minimal fuss – here are my top tips
Air fryers may have entered the cooking sphere as a healthier way to make crispy chips, but we now know they’re capable of dishing up far more than a quick midweek meal. What I wanted to know, though, is if I could save time (and oven space) by cooking a roast dinner in an air fryer. To find out, I decided to go all in, attempting to cook the entire meal – trimmings and all – using nothing more than my Ninja air fryer.
Pulling together a delicious roast dinner is a fine-tuned operation, and one that even the most confident home cook can be undone by. From the trays of vegetables and stuffings to the gravy and meat, a roast is a culinary juggling act that can take years to master, with ovens filling fast and timings slipping as you try to ensure all the elements are cooked and ready to plate up at the same time.
With a bit of forward planning, however, an air fryer can take on a surprising amount of the workload, freeing up your main oven and often delivering better results in the process: crisper roast potatoes, quicker cook times and far less hovering around in the kitchen.
It’s important to remember that size matters, though. If you want to cook a whole bird or large cut of meat in your air fryer, you’ll need to make sure your appliance has suitable capacity.
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The best air fryers for cooking a roast dinner are, of course, dual-drawer air fryers, as they give you the freedom to cook your meat in one drawer and sides in another. But we like a challenge here at The Independent, and for this experiment, I used my trusty Ninja 15-in-one foodi max air fryer. Despite it having roast and steam functions, I just used the plain old air fryer setting for all steps.
As with any roast dinner, it pays to plan ahead. Start by making a list of what you’d like to include – this will help you work out the timings before you start cooking. For my meal, I went with a turkey crown, carrots, parsnips, roast potatoes, stuffing balls, Yorkshire pudding, pigs in blankets, and brussels sprouts (this was a dry run for my Christmas dinner).
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How to cook a turkey in an air fryer
The turkey was the star of the show for me but, of course, you could choose a different type of meat or a meat-free alternative. It’s unlikely that you will be able to fit a whole turkey in your air fryer, so opt for a crown (as I did) or a smaller cut of another type of meat (just be aware that cooking times may vary from those listed below).
Cooking the turkey in my air fryer was quicker compared with using my conventional oven, but timings will depend on the size of your bird or cut of meat. I opted for a small 1.9kg turkey crown, which would serve about five to seven people.
First, you need to prepare the meat. I started by patting down the turkey crown before adding garlic oil, salt, and pepper, and placing it in the air fryer skin-side down. Cooking it skin-side down first will help it stay juicy and stop the skin from drying out too early. I then cooked it for 25 minutes at 180C.
Then, it’s time to flip the turkey and baste it. You can use the juices that have come out already, or (and this is a top tip for a delicious turkey), mix together some oil and butter with a bit of garlic and brush over the top of the turkey. Cook for an additional 25 minutes at 180C.
After 25 minutes, give it another basting, this time using the juices that are in the bottom of the air fryer, and set it to 165C for about 35 minutes. You don’t want the heat too high, as it could dry out the meat or make the skin tough.
It’s a good idea to invest in one of the best meat thermometers. Your turkey should have an internal temperature of 75C. Once it’s reached that, you know it’s cooked. If you don’t have a thermometer, insert a sharp knife into the thickest part of the turkey – the juices should run clear (which means the meat is cooked). If they don’t run clear, cook the bird for another five to 10 minutes and check again.
Once your turkey is cooked, remove it from the air fryer, cover it loosely in foil and leave it to rest for about 40 minutes. The residual heat will continue to cook the meat and also allow time for the juices to settle. This also gives you enough time to cook the rest of your meal.
How to cook vegetables and roast dinner sides in an air fryer
While the meat is cooking, it’s time to prep your veg and sides. After peeling and cutting up your veg, the trick is to par-boil it. You don’t have to, but it speeds things up and can make all the difference. I par-boiled the potatoes for about 10-12 minutes; the carrots and parsnips for 7-10 minutes, and the brussels sprouts for no longer than four minutes – the last thing you want is a soggy sprout.
Cook your roast potatoes first. There are a couple of ways you can do this. First, you can do what I did, which is to use the turkey fat to cook the roasties. Since you’ve just taken your turkey out, it’ll already be hot and, remember, you’ll have that hint of garlic from the basting.
If you don’t fancy that, you could also use goose fat. Spoon one to two tablespoons of fat into the potatoes while they’re still hot (after par-boiling and draining them), then give them a good shake. The heat from the potatoes should melt the fat enough to coat them, giving the same effect as pouring them into a roasting tin of hot fat. If you prefer a slightly healthier option, you could use some spray oil.
No matter how you’re cooking them, don’t forget to season your potatoes – salt, pepper and garlic will level-up your roast-potato game. Throw them straight into the air fryer at 210C for 15 minutes. Give them a shake and cook for another 10 minutes. At this point, I add my carrots and parsnips – this is optional if you don’t have room. I’ll share my tips on keeping everything warm later on.
To prep your veg, glaze your carrots and parsnips, using a teaspoon of honey (or maple syrup) with a splash of olive oil, salt and pepper. Mix through to make sure they are evenly coated, then pop them into some tin foil. Add this in with your roast potatoes as they are finishing cooking, and we will crisp them up at the end.
If you have space, you can also add your brussels sprouts. Add some olive oil, salt, pepper and garlic before transferring them to foil and pop them in with the potatoes and other veg for about 10 to 12 minutes.
Once your potatoes are cooked, add them to some tin foil to keep them warm while you finish the rest of the dinner. Next, it’s time to cook the pigs in blankets and stuffing balls. Add these to the air fryer basket for about 14 minutes on 210C.
Once they are cooked, it’s time to start dishing up. While you’re carving your meat, put your veg back in the air fryer along with the Yorkshire puddings and cook for about seven minutes. This will crisp up the veg, perfectly cook the Yorkshire puds and give you time to get the rest of your dinner on the plate.
When it comes to gravy, I’ll let you suss that one out. I used instant gravy, which takes seconds to produce. Although you can make it a little tastier by adding a dash of red wine and an Oxo cube if you want to trick people into thinking it’s not just come out of a tub.
And that’s that. All of the elements of your roast dinner are done and ready for you to enjoy.
Tips for cooking a roast dinner in an air fryer
Foil is going to be your best friend, but not all foil is the same. Opt for a thick foil, if possible – this will cost a little more than your supermarket basic, but it holds its shape better and retains more heat, which is ideal when trying to keep multiple dishes warm.
Talking of keeping things warm, if you have a slow cooker, now is the time to get it out. Use the keep-warm function to ensure all your sides stay warm and ready for serving. Wrap them in foil before placing them inside the pot, and they’ll stay at a perfect temperature. If you don’t have a slow cooker, a large pot with a lid should suffice. The heat will stay within the pot, and while it won’t stay quite as warm as using a slow cooker, you won’t lose too much heat.
Another top tip is not to overcrowd your basket. It’s best to cook in batches to make sure everything cooks evenly.
Finally, clean as you go. There is nothing worse at the end of a roast dinner than having to deal with piles of washing up everywhere. The great thing about cooking in an air fryer is that you won’t have as much washing up as you would compared with cooking the meal traditionally. So, while you’re waiting for things to cook, pour yourself a glass of something nice and wash up as you go – you’ll thank yourself later.
The verdict: Cooking a roast dinner in an air fryer
Cooking a roasr dinner in an air fryer works a treat. It’s probably not the best option if you’re cooking for a large group, but if you’re a couple or small family, it’s ideal. It takes a fraction of the time compared with traditional cooking methods. As long as you’re organised, it’s a fuss-free way to cook your Sunday meal.
Ninja 15-in-one air fryer
The model I used was the Ninja 15-in-one air fryer, which landed took the top spot in my guide to the best air fryers. As an air fryer, it is fantastic. The temperature goes up to 240C, so you get a good crispy finish, and it even sounds an alert halfway through cooking, so you know when to give the basket a little shake, to get a good even cook.
Cosori smart air fryer twinfry
Another great option for cooking a roast is a dual air fryer – and this Cosori model took the top spot in IndyBest’s guide to the best. The model “really impressed” when it came to even cooking and speed, and air fryer aficionados will “enjoy the professional features and wifi connectivity”, noted reviewer Katie Gregory.
Need to stock up on kitchen essentials? Check out our review of the best supermarket olive oils
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