New search data from meal delivery service, HelloFresh, reveals a surge in air fryer-related Christmas dinners has increased by a massive 5,000% over the last 30 days.
But professional chef Mimi Morley warns, “Air fryers can absolutely elevate parts of your Christmas dinner but some dishes are best left to the traditional oven. Used well, they save time, add texture and reduce stress. Used badly, they can dry out your showstoppers.”
Love them or hate them, air fryers seem like they’re here to stay with over half of Brits now owning one. With that, people are looking for ways to use their air fryer when cooking their Christmas dinner. “Christmas dinner in an air fryer” and “roast potatoes air fryer” have rocketed by more than 5,000% in the last 30 days, as home cooks look for faster, easier festive hacks.
To dissect the air fryer do’s and don’ts, Senior Recipe Development Manager at HelloFresh, Mimi Morley, is sharing her tips on how to use an air fryer for your Christmas dinner.
“To start, it’s vital to ensure your air fryer has had a deep clean before you use it to make any part of your Christmas dinner. Our study revealed 47% of Brits don’t clean their air fryer after every use, leaving them vulnerable to harmful bacteria and food poisoning. Once you’re all clean, you can move on to the fun side, the cooking.”
The Air Fryer Christmas Dinner: What You Should Do
1. Make ultra-crispy roast potatoes
A viral TikTok hack for air-fried roasties has amassed more than 3.4 million views and Mimi says it works.
“Soaking your potatoes for at least 30 minutes removes excess starch and helps create that golden crisp,” she advises. “Parboil them, then air fry for around 20 minutes for the perfect finish.”
2. Air-fry pigs in blankets for next-level crispiness
“They’re a Christmas favourite and the air fryer does them beautifully,” Morley says. “Wrap small sausages in streaky bacon, drizzle with a little honey and cook for around 12 minutes at 180 degrees.”
The best part? You can prep them the day before, ideal for reducing Christmas Day stress.
3. Transform Brussels sprouts into a crowd-pleaser
Love them or hate them, sprouts are a Christmas staple, and the air fryer just might convert the haters. There are a few ways to make them more enjoyable.
“Halve and parboil them, then toss with butter, bacon lardons, crushed walnuts and seasoning,” Mimi explains. “After 15–17 minutes at 180 degrees in the air fryer, you get sprouts that are crispy, smoky and packed with flavour.”
What Not to Put in Your Air Fryer This Christmas
1. Your turkey or turkey crown
“Avoid using the air fryer for your main bird,” Mimi warns. “Turkey needs low, slow, even heat to stay moist. An air fryer can dry it out quickly.”
2. Stuffing
“Traditional stuffing can lose moisture fast in an air fryer,” Mimi says “It’s one part of the meal that really benefits from the oven. If you’re going for stuffing with sausage meat, the air fryer will do a good job.”
Discover more air fryer recipes for your Christmas dinner with HelloFresh.
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