The Sydney Morning Herald logo
Advertisement

Three of the best new recipes from Jamie Oliver’s new air-fryer cookbook

The superstar chef shares quick and easy wins from his new recipe collection, including easy midweek fixes to family meals and share-friendly weekend snacks.

Jamie Oliver

From a healthy spin on home-style fish and chips, to beautifully glazed teriyaki pork ribs and hearty meatballs with a hint of spice, this trio of recipes from Jamie Oliver’s new cookbook Easy Air Fryer demonstrates just how versatile air fryers can be in the home kitchen.

Photo: David Loftus

Posh fish & chips

Serves 2

Hands on: 22 minutes

Advertisement

Cook: 30 minutes

The best recipes from Australia's leading chefs straight to your inbox.

Sign up

2-drawer air fryer

  • 500g potatoes
  • olive oil
  • 1 free-range egg
  • ½ tsp smoked paprika
  • 10g parmesan cheese
  • 1 thick slice of seeded wholemeal bread (40g)
  • 2 x 130g salmon fillets, skin off, scaled, pin-boned, from sustainable sources
  • 1 tbsp plain flour
  • 1 x 340g jar of baby cornichons
  • 160g frozen peas
  • 2 sprigs of mint
  1. Scrub the potatoes, chop lengthways into 2cm wedges, place in the large air-fryer drawer, toss with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and a pinch of sea salt and black pepper and arrange in a single layer. Cook for 30 minutes at 200C, or until golden and cooked through, shaking halfway.
  2. Beat the egg, paprika and a little seasoning in a shallow bowl. Finely grate the parmesan into a food processor, tear in the bread, add 1 tablespoon of oil and blitz into fine crumbs, then spread across a plate.
  3. Dust the salmon with the flour, then dip into the egg mixture, letting any excess drip off. Coat in the breadcrumbs, spending a bit of time really patting them on. Evenly space in the small drawer and cook for 10 minutes at 200C, or until golden and just cooked through.
  4. Meanwhile, to make a gherkin ketchup, empty the jar of cornichons, and half their juice, into the food processor and blitz until smooth. Spoon out two portions, then pour the rest back into the jar and pop it in the fridge for future meals, where it will keep happily for up to 2 weeks.
  5. Cook the peas for 4 minutes in boiling salted water, then drain, reserving a little cooking water. Tip them into the food processor (there’s no need to clean it), pick in the mint leaves and blitz, loosening with splashes of reserved water, if needed, then season to perfection and cover to keep warm.
  6. Serve up the fish and chips with the minty peas and gherkin ketchup.

Energy 725kcal; Fat 22.4g; Sat fat 4.4g; Protein 64.6g; Carbs 69.8g; Sugars 5.4g; Salt 0.9g; Fibre 8.9g

Advertisement
Photo: David Loftus

Teriyaki pork ribs

Serves 2

Hands on: 6 minutes

Cook: 55 minutes

Advertisement

1-drawer air fryer

  • 40g caster sugar
  • 40ml low-salt soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
  • 2cm piece of ginger
  • 1 clove of garlic
  • 1 tbsp cornflour
  • 1 higher-welfare rack of baby back ribs (600g)
  • olive oil
  • 2 spring onions
  1. Remove the shelf from the air-fryer drawer and go in with the sugar, soy and vinegar, along with 300ml of water. Peel and finely grate in the ginger and garlic, add the cornflour and mix to combine, then replace the shelf.
  2. Rub the rack of ribs with a little olive oil and a pinch of sea salt, then place it on the shelf (cut it in half to help it fit, if needed). Cook for 50 minutes at 160C, or until the meat is tender and starting to get gnarly.
  3. Use tongs to carefully remove the shelf, tipping the ribs into the sauce, then turn the ribs to coat. Cook for another 5 minutes at 200C, or until the sauce sets and darkens on the ribs and the surrounding sauce thickens, too.
  4. Slice up the ribs, then trim, finely slice and scatter over the spring onions. Pour the remaining sauce into a bowl, for dunking. Great served with sticky rice and zingy seasonal greens.

Energy 394kcal; Fat 19.4g; Sat fat 7.6g; Protein 28.4g; Carbs 28g; Sugars 23.6g; Salt 2.6g; Fibre 0.3g

Photo: David Loftus
Advertisement

Chilli con carne meatballs

Serves 2

Hands on: 18 minutes

Cook: 25 minutes

1-drawer air fryer

Advertisement
  • 1 sweet potato (250g)
  • 2 tsp smoked paprika
  • olive oil
  • 1 x 400g tin of black beans
  • 2 tsp cumin seeds
  • 1 fresh red chilli
  • ½ a bunch of coriander (15g)
  • 250g higher-welfare beef mince
  • 1 lime
  • 200g ripe cherry tomatoes
  • chipotle chilli sauce
  1. Wash the sweet potato, chop into 2cm chunks, then, in a bowl, toss with the paprika, 1 tablespoon of olive oil, and a pinch of sea salt and black pepper.
  2. Remove the shelf from the air-fryer drawer, tip in the beans, juice and all, add 1 teaspoon of cumin seeds, and season well. Replace the shelf, add the sweet potato, keeping the bowl for later, and cook for 15 minutes at 180C.
  3. To make the balls, finely chop the chilli (deseed, if you like) and most of the coriander, stalks and all, reserving a few nice leaves. Scrape into the empty bowl with the remaining cumin seeds and the mince, finely grate in the lime zest, season, then scrunch together with clean hands.
  4. Divide the mixture into 10 equal-sized balls, then add to the drawer with the tomatoes, shake into an even layer, and cook for 10 minutes at 180C, or until lightly golden and cooked through, shaking halfway.
  5. Remove the balls, sweet potato and tomatoes to a plate and use tongs to carefully remove the shelf. Squeeze half the lime juice into the beans, add a few shakes of chilli sauce, then mash half the beans to create a creamier texture. Divide between your plates, pile the balls, sweet potato and tomatoes on top and sprinkle over the reserved coriander leaves. Serve with lime wedges, and extra chilli sauce, if you like.

Easy Air Fryer by Jamie Oliver is published by Penguin Michael Joseph © Jamie Oliver Enterprises Limited (2025 Easy Air Fryer). Recipe photography: © David Loftus, 2025.

Continue this series

Looking for a cookbook to gift? Preview recipes from 40 of the year’s best new releases here
Up next
Contrasting flavours and textures make this salad sing.

‘Every spoonful is deliciously good’: Donna Hay’s risoni and chilli-honey halloumi salad

Tender risoni, peppery rocket, sweet pops from currants and toasty almonds – just top with molten chilli-honey halloumi, and it’s simply perfect.

This greens-filled pie travels well for picnics.

A picnic pie so perfect no one will mind it’s veg-packed (plus an ‘essential’ condiment)

Nothing says picnic like a pie, and this one, from new cookbook A Heide Harvest, has an unusual pastry sturdy enough to travel.

Previously
Start preparing the day before the feast.

How to make an epic feast for Eid starring slow-cooked lamb on jewelled rice

Mark the end of Ramadan with this feast featuring mansaf kharouf (lamb on rice), fried cauliflower, deluxe fattoush and a delicious spin on baba ghanouj.

See all stories

From our partners

Advertisement
Advertisement