5 Buffalo Foods You Can Make in an Air Fryer

Buffalo is known for its wings, beef on 'weck, pizza, pierogis, and more but can these things be cooked well in an air fryer?

For years, many busy Western New Yorker's dinner routines consisted of pushing buttons on the microwave or making a call to get delivery. Lately, for many, it has turned into making a rushed decision on a food delivery app. 

Then during the pandemic, a new kitchen appliance became extremely popular, especially for those in a rush and/or those who have very little experience cooking. The Air Fryer boomed in households across the country and in WNY.

This is when I decided I was going to learn how to cook a decent meal. I was never much of a cook and an ex-boyfriend of mine once said the scrambled eggs I made were, "embarrassing." I was lost on where to start but then, after countless hours scrolling through TikTok (like we all do), I unlocked the secret to making fool-proof, gourmet-worthy meals. The Air Fryer was going to finally allow me to cook something and have it taste good.

I discovered air fryers.

Buying an air fryer was a game-changer. Whatever voodoo magic makes it work, I have no idea - but it has saved me tons of money in the long run, and makes me less of an embarrassment to future boyfriends and my mother. What's even better is I discovered that an air fryer can be a key player in making some of Buffalo’s best, most iconic dishes. These will come in handy for gameday, too.

Here are 5 Buffalo Foods You Can Make in the Air Fryer

1. Wings

Making crispy, juicy chicken wings is Air fryer 101. They are the first thing I ever made in my air fryer, and are literally fool-proof - even for a pathetic wannabe chef like me. All you’ve gotta do is toss the wings in the air fryer for half an hour, shaking it up every few minutes. Then when they’re good and crispy, mix ‘em up with some butter and Frank’s RedHot. Or for less heat, try marinating them in some Chivetta’s beforehand for some barbeque goodness. Yummmm. Don’t believe me how easy this is? Check out Frank’s own recipe here and see for yourself.

2. Beef on Weck

Cooking your roast beef in the air fryer leaves it juicy, moist, and most importantly, oh-so-delicious. I like whipping up beef on weck this way so my hands are free for toasting the kimmelweck rolls to perfection and picking out the perfect side (which honestly for me is usually just opening up a bag of potato chips). Check out the air fryer method here and then assemble your sandwiches as explained here. 

3. Spaghetti Parm

Try making this famous pasta dish in your air fryer for an easy Chef’s dupe. Cook your spaghetti, mix it up with some of your favorite sauce and throw it in the fryer. The secret (shhh) is covering up your pasta with parmesan-romano before completely smothering it in fresh mozzarella. Lots and lots of mozzarella. Find out how to do it here.

4. Pierogies

Sure, you could be fancy and whip up your Grandma’s recipe from scratch, but for an amateur (lazy) chef like me, frozen pierogies thrown in the air fryer and drizzled with sour cream are one of the easiest midnight snacks to make of all time. Check it out here. 

5. Chicken Finger Sub

In just about ten minutes, you can have a healthy twist on one of Buffalo’s favorite late-night eats. And again, like the wings, these are ridiculously easy. Get the recipe here.

Do you have an air fryer? What’s your favorite dish to make?