Bite Size Air Fryer Appetizers

Simple air fryer appetizers to make for a crowd, for a party, Super Bowl or just because you want a healthy snack. Make things like easy air fryer wings dry rub, our jalapeno poppers recipe below, and other finger foods in your Ninja Foodi, Cosori or other machine tonight. 

Ninja Foodi Appetizers

Lower in fat because they’re not deep fried, these tasty starters will surely make you the most popular host, or mom with your kids. You can use whatever brand of machine you might have such as a Foodi, AirWave or Cosori. We have all of them and there really isn’t much difference other than the size of the basket.

I mean, everyone loves finger foods like air fryer boneless wings and more right??! Make a few for dinner and you’ll be a “hero” according to your kiddos for sure too. 😉

First of all you should get started by making a meat and cheese tray that requires NO cooking and can be thrown together quickly (and cheap). I have a free charcuterie board shopping list so you can get started on that. Then get to the “heat of things” below.

Air Fryer Appetizers for a Crowd

I will share a NEW one in the recipe card below for air fryer jalapeno poppers in this post too. Another favorite with adults and kids alike is our air fryer ravioli.

• Use cheese or meat stuffed and with the Italian bread crispy coating they are a great starter when you’re having a party, or main entree too.

Have holiday leftovers you want to make into a new meal or snack? Try air fryer mashed potato balls and nobody will know they ate them the night before another way.

Our favorite are air fryer wings recipe with a dry rub is just incredible! People say after they make these that they’ll never make them another way again. 😉 Love spicy? Try hot wings in air fryer too.

If you have guests that have special dietary needs like GF, we have air fryer gluten free wings offered here as well.

Simple Air Fryer Appetizers

You may have made a few of these once in a deep fryer, but this is way healthier! Air fried foods are just as crispy but with NO oil. Let’s take air fryer avocado fries for example. I hated the aftertaste it got with oil. It is a delicate fruit/vegetable that soaked it up, but this solves that issue!

• Buffalo chicken won tons are fabulous, and a great side dish too
  • along with some easy crab rangoon
• Heaven = air fryer baked brie y’all
• Use little smokies and make air fryer pigs in a blanket!
• Air fryer egg rolls can be filled with just about anything.
• Cheese fries are always a win and a great side with sweet and spicy chicken wings

If you’ve never tried crispy crunchy air fryer dill pickles you’re in for a treat! NO dipping sauce required but paired with some ranch dressing is quite incredible too.

Vegetarian Air Fryer Appetizers

Air fryer artichoke hearts are on the top of my list for sure. My favorite veggie but the middle is the very best part of all. Yes you can buy them jarred and marinated and that is what I used to make these. For a healthier choice you can make air fryer artichoke too.

• Buffalo cauliflower bites are healthy and low carb, unless you want to go all out with air fryer cheese curds!
• Homemade corn nuts in the air fryer could be an appetizer or snack
• These air fryer sweet potatoes can be made as a starter. Create a fun filling bar with a group!
  • Or make sweet potato fries out of them.

Add some heat if you like, or leave them mild. Either way they’re always a hit along with some air fryer zucchini chips. No I wouldn’t say that air fryer baked potatoes would be a normal appetizer BUT if you stuff them!!

Ninja Foodi Football Recipes

Now let’s talk about seafood starting with air fryer fried shrimp!! We use a lot of spices to bring these defrosted jumbo shrimp to the next level. Try this same method with air fryer crab cakes.

• Then you can make the best twice baked potatoes that rock!!
• You can make traditional or sweet potato fries using our frozen french fries in air fryer directions.

Filled with crumbled bacon, cheese and sour cream they’re like the ones at TGI Fridays you love. What can you fill air fryer potato skins with?

1. Sour cream and butter
2. Garlic salt
3. Salt and pepper
4. Cream cheese
5. Bacon bits
6. Green onions
7. Diced onion
8. Lots of cheese inside and on top

Top with crispy fried onions too!

Air Fryer Jalapeno Poppers Recipe

Try some air fryer jalapeno poppers!! The recipe is below, these are the ingredients you’ll need to get started: These have no breading so it is keto friendly and easier to make than some others.

1. Fresh jalapenos
2. Bacon
3. Cream cheese
4. Cumin
5. Cheese 
6. Olive oil spray

Yes you can make a cook frozen jalapeno poppers in your air fryer but these are so simple you mind as well make them homemade.

How do you serve hors d oeuvres?

1. Use a few cute boards or tiered trays, one for each type of food.
   1. Put deviled eggs on one layer and something warm like air fryer stuffed mushrooms on another.
2. Serve enough figuring that each person will eat about 10 pieces in two hours. If you’re serving cheese they will consume a bit less.
3. Pre bake them if you don’t want to be in the kitchen the whole time.

Have trays full and ready when the guests arrive, rewarm others when you need to refill.

What are the most popular dipping sauces?

• Homemade Fry sauce is a must in our area and in the South
• Ranch dressing is probably the most popular amongst kids
• Ketchup
• Garlic aioli
• Yellow and/or dijon mustard
• Sweet chilli sauce or Hot Honey Sauce for spicy
• Teriyaki sauce
• Marinara sauce
• Our bang bang sauce is great on all the things

Spaghetti sauce is great on frozen mozzarella sticks in air fryer or for just about everything, but mainly known for shrimp and our Ninja Foodi crab rangoon.

How many different appetizers should you serve?

If you have fewer than 45 people plan on serving about 6 different appetizers. For more I would plan on 8. The rule of thumb for smaller gatherings is that 3 types of appetizers are suitable for 8 to 10 guests, 4 or 5 types of appetizers for 14 to 16 people, so on and so forth. Need more easy Ninja Foodi recipes?

Can you reheat appetizers in air fryer?

Absolutely you can, just keep in mind that cooking anything twice will dry it out more than when it was freshly cooked. We have done this with our air fryer chicken kabobs in our Ninja Foodi grill in just 2 minutes to eat for lunch the next day. You can do this with others the same way at 380F. like;

• Chicken fried steak in an air fryer is a fun finger food.
• Air fryer meatballs can be smothered in sauce for a quick bite
• Find more great football party foods here too, like air fryer bacon wrapped smokies and more.