5 things you should know about cooking Christmas dinner in an air fryer

Air fryers have made it on to many a Christmas list, thanks to their reputation for saving you energy and helping you to cook tasty food.

But could you cook your whole Christmas lunch in one?

Some experts claim you can – and according to YouGov/AHDB Pulse November 2024, one in four people surveyed claim they'll use an air fryer to cook all or part of the Christmas meal. Of those who plan to use an air fryer, 57% aim to cook the meat, 53% the roast potatoes, 46% the pigs in blankets, 24% the vegetables and 19% the stuffing in the air fryer.

But if your air fryer is more of a little helper around the kitchen than a Santa-sized appliance, how realistic is this?

Eat well, live better and stay healthy. Sign up for our Food & Health newsletter, it's free monthly

1. When it comes to cooking turkey in an air fryer, size matters

Let's face it, even air fryers with a massive capacity – such as the Lakeland 27346 (2.4kg capacity) and Tower Vortx Elite T17138 (2.4kg capacity) – won't be able to accommodate a whole turkey.

You can opt for just roasting a small turkey crown (or turkey breast) instead – but you'll still need a big air fryer to do this.

Air fryers that only allow you to cook for one to three people and have smaller, inflexible cooking zones are unlikely to have room for your roast.

Larger models or multi-cookers that can cater for up to six are far more suited to the dining demands of Christmas Day.

You'll still need to make sure the crown fits, so take a look at the specifications of your air fryer to determine its dimensions before you buy your turkey.

Once you know your turkey crown will comfortably fit in your air fryer, you'll also need to make sure it's big enough to feed all the people you're cooking for – you’ll need between 300g and 400g per person. 

• 3 to 4 people – 1kg turkey crown: cook for 45-50 minutes (20-25 minutes on each side) at 180°C  
• 5 to 6 people – 1.5kg turkey crown: cook for 50-60 minutes (20-30 minutes on each side) at 180°C 

BBC Good Food suggests you should start with the crown skin-side down. The cooking time might vary depending on your air fryer, so we recommend using a meat thermometer. The Food Standards Agency says the thickest part of the turkey should reach 75°C. Some air fryers – such as the Progress EK4549P  – come with an internal probe to help you check temperatures.

You might have noticed that roasting a turkey in your air fryer is far quicker than in your oven.

But if saving time – or money on your electricity bill – is your priority, we actually found a pressure cooker is the quickest and cheapest way to cook your roast. For example, when we tested cooking a chicken in a pressure cooker, it cost only 8p and took 32 minutes to cook a 1.3kg chicken. In comparison, the air fryer took 53 minutes and cost 13p (although the skin was far crispier in an air fryer).

And if you're cooking for more than six, switching on the oven might still be a better option. You'll be able to use the space around your turkey for cooking other food, making it more economical.

You can read our tips on how to cook a turkey crown the traditional way here.

Check our air fryer reviews for the latest test results of the leading brands.

2. Your air fryer roast potatoes might come out crispy but uneven 

Roasting potatoes in an air fryer is doable, but does that mean it's a good idea? 

We used five different appliances to cook two portions of roast potatoes, and this is what we found:

If you have a large dual-zone air fryer, you might be able to cook your turkey crown and roast potatoes at the same time. Although roast potatoes take less time, you can use a Sync setting – a common setting on dual air fryers – as it lets you cook using two different programs, which you can set to finish at the same time.

So if you're trying to save money and time, cooking your roast potatoes in the air fryer is definitely worth it. However, you might have to compromise slightly on their appearance, since the roast potatoes we made had some uneven browning.

Looking for a large-capacity air fryer? Read our guide on how to buy the best dual air fryer.

3. Timing is key when roasting carrots and parsnips in the air fryer

When you add vegetables to the mix, you might be reaching the limits of what your air fryer can realistically achieve on Christmas Day.

If you're cooking your Christmas dinner for one or two, you could roast all of your vegetables – including your potatoes – together in one basket of a dual air fryer, while preparing your turkey in another on the Sync setting we mentioned above.

Carrots and parsnips – which have similar cooking times – should be added 10-15 minutes after the potatoes. You would need to ensure your veg have enough space to crisp up, which would limit how much you cook.

To cook carrots and parsnips, you'll want to set your air fryer to 200°C and cook them for around 20 minutes or until golden brown. Remember to shake the basket several times to ensure they cook evenly.

If you're attempting to feed bigger numbers, both baskets of your dual air fryer might be full of turkey and roast potatoes.

You may need to switch on the oven at this point, if only to keep your food warm while you turn your attention to other dishes.

You could also call on the support of other kitchen appliances to help you prepare your side dishes. For example, you could steam your carrots for three minutes in your microwave, by chopping them into bite-sized pieces and adding two tablespoons of water, seasoning and a knob of butter.

If you're trying to juggle several dishes, it's worth bearing in mind that many air fryers have a reheat setting that keeps your food warm by continuing to cook it at a very low temperature.

But if you're planning a Christmas dinner with a lot of trimmings, an air fryer alone probably won't accommodate them all. The hassle of loading your dishes one by one into the appliance might just add to the general stress of Christmas food prep. 

Looking for a Christmas air fryer or multi cooker? Cast your eye over the Ninja air fryer range, as well as the brand's other kitchen appliances.

4. You'll need to add oil to get crispy air fryer Brussels sprouts

One of the air fryer's claims to fame is that it allows you to cook with little or no oil – but we would still recommend the occasional drizzle, especially in the case of Brussels sprouts.

You can roast Brussels sprouts in your air fryer but, like parsnips and carrots, you'll have to plan your timings to avoid them getting cold. 

Here are some tips to help you impress your family and friends with perfectly roasted Brussels sprouts: 

• If you want your Brussels sprouts to be perfectly crispy, we recommend drizzling them with at least one teaspoon of vegetable oil.
• Season them well with chilli flakes, chopped roasted hazelnuts, chestnuts or even bacon bits to give them extra flavour.
• One important step when cooking Brussels sprouts in the air fryer is not overloading the basket. Spacing them out completely is better if you want to achieve a crispy texture. 
• Cook them for 10-15 minutes at 190°C or until golden brown.

If you prefer them boiled, some larger air fryers and multi cookers also have a steamer function. As with your carrots, microwaving is another option for preparing steamed vegetables, and our tests found it's also one of the cheapest and quickest - see our piece on the best and cheapest ways to cook vegetables.

If you're using the oven, we have tips on how to cook Brussels sprouts.

If you'd rather microwave than air fry, read our guide on how to buy the best microwave.

5. The oven might still be your best option

Above all, don't feel under pressure to try to get your air fryer to do everything – no matter what you may have read elsewhere.

The main advantage of cooking your Christmas dinner in an air fryer is that it will save you some money and time, but this is only really the case if you're cooking for a small group of people and have a large air fryer or multi cooker.

The main drawback is you may have to cook in batches and find ways to keep your food warm while you cook the rest. 

If you don't think your air fryer or slow cooker can realistically accommodate all of your meal, you could try using it alongside your oven instead.

Ovens can be crowded if you're preparing a traditional Christmas dinner, so cooking some of your vegetables and pigs in blankets in an air fryer might help free up some space, as well as potentially saving you money if your oven isn’t running for as long.

We'd also advise having a practice run if you haven't used your air fryer for cooking a roast before, so you feel comfortable cooking for your guests.

But once you're happy with how you want to use your air fryer it can make a big difference to your day, speeding up your cooking times or relieving pressure on a busy kitchen.

Thinking of going bigger than an air fryer? See our reviews of the best multi cookers or read our piece on air fryers versus multi cookers to explore the pros and cons of both appliances.