Easy Air Fryer Peppers and Onions

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The air fryer is a magic tool, and you’re never going to go back to stovetop peppers and onions, because you'll be making Easy Air Fryer Peppers and Onions from now on! Air Fryer Peppers and Onions are the best way to cook them, and they’re even better topped on these air fryer sausages with buns!

Jump to:

• Ingredients you'll need to make peppers and onions in the air fryer
• HOW TO KEEP PEPPERS AND ONIONS FROM BURNING IN THE AIR FRYER 
• WHY YOU’LL LOVE PEPPER AND ONIONS IN THE AIR FRYER
• HOW TO KEEP PEPPERS AND ONIONS FROM BURNING IN THE AIR FRYER
• HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO COOK PEPPERS (AND ONIONS) IN AN AIR FRYER?
• CAN YOU COOK RAW ONIONS/PEPPERS IN AN AIR FRYER?
• CAN I CHAR PEPPERS IN AN AIR FRYER?
• MORE AIR FRYER RECIPES TO TRY
• Air Fryer Peppers and Onions

We talk a lot about air fryers on this site, because well, you can’t beat the convenience of an air fryer.  

What is an air fryer, you might ask? Let’s talk quickly about what an air fryer is not: it’s not a deep fryer.  It doesn’t “fry” you food in the way that often comes to mind when you think of traditional frying.  You’re not putting anything into a basket and dipping it into hot oil.  And generally, I don’t like to do any deep frying inside of the house.  Pots of boiling oil scare me, and fried foods aren’t the best things to eat on a regular basis. 

However, air fryers! Air fryers are not deep fryers.  They’re essentially small, countertop ovens that can cook in half the time with way less energy.  Um, sign me up! They’re great for apartments, small spaces, campers, and traveling.  

We’re a military family, when we change duty stations and often have to haul across the USA to move from coast to coast, we take our air fryer. 

I’m not a fan of a ton of crazy kitchen gadgets, especially ones that take up space, but I am a fan of the air fryer.  If I had to choose between the air fryer and a toaster oven? Goodbye toaster oven! And I don’t even have a toaster oven, never have, never will.  But I’ll always have an air fryer! 

Ingredients you'll need to make peppers and onions in the air fryer

This is a simple recipe and here’s what you’ll need:

• 3 bell peppers
• 2 small onions
• Olive oil
• Chili powder 
• Salt and pepper

That’s it.  Seriously, that’s it.  

It could not be any easier, and you’re likely not going to go back after you see that you can have these ready in under 15 minutes. 

But there is one catch, and you will not want to skip this step…

HOW TO KEEP PEPPERS AND ONIONS FROM BURNING IN THE AIR FRYER 

Don’t slice your peppers and onions super thin or they’ll shrivel up and burn.  Cut them at least ½ inch thick, see, about the width of a man’s finger, or two women’s fingers.  

Let’s talk about how to make this recipe

Okay, now you’re ready to walk through the steps involved in making peppers and onions in the air fryer.  It’s a simple process, but to be sure they come out correctly there are a few steps we’ll need to follow.  Let’s do this…

Slice your peppers and onions, as we’ve already mentioned, you’re going to be slicing them thick, don’t slice them too thin or they’ll burn and they’ll be gross.  You don’t want that. 

Toss them with a quality olive oil (or whatever oil you like), chili powder, salt and pepper.  You’ll want them to have some flavor and in any case that you’re going to be using cooked peppers and onions, I think chili powder works.  But if you don’t have it on hand, or don’t want to use it, salt and pepper is quite enough!

Then toss them into the basket of the preheated air fryer.  

Your air fryer may not have a preheat setting, but you still need to preheat it.  Just trust me on this one.  

Set the timer for 10 minutes.  Give the basket a shake to shake up the peppers and onions, and then close it and set it for another 5 minutes.  

Check them when they’re done.  If you like them “al dente”, then the peppers and onions are likely done.  If you like them mushy and soft, keep cooking them and check on them every two minutes until they’ve reached your desired level of doneness.  How you like your peppers is personal, so nobody can judge this but you.  I wouldn’t recommend cooking any more than 15 minutes, though…they edges will get burnt and crispy.  And the air fryer will probably start to get smoky. 

WHY YOU’LL LOVE PEPPER AND ONIONS IN THE AIR FRYER

You’re going to love making peppers and onions in the air fryer.  Not only is the process quick, but the mess is minimal.  And the air fryer yields such a delicious result.  

I personally love the air fryer because it frees up space on the stove to cook other things, and it takes way less energy to use the air fryer than the stove. It’s especially convenient in those summer months when you might not want to heat your stove (and your house), but the air fryer doesn’t give you those concerns! It doesn't heat your house or use a ton of energy! 

HOW TO KEEP PEPPERS AND ONIONS FROM BURNING IN THE AIR FRYER

Yes, you’ll want to keep them from burning by cutting them thick like we just talked about.  This is a common problem and I don’t want to see you ruin your air fryer sausage sandwiches or you fajitas with burnt peppers and onions.  Just don’t let it happen. 

HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO COOK PEPPERS (AND ONIONS) IN AN AIR FRYER?

It takes 12 minutes to cook peppers and onions in the air fryer on “AIR FRY”.  You can cook them longer if you like them more tender but if you like your peppers and onions with a little structure, then 12 minutes is the sweet spot.  

CAN YOU COOK RAW ONIONS/PEPPERS IN AN AIR FRYER?

You absolutely can but the best way to do it is to toss them in some olive oil and spices before tossing them into the air fryer basket.  

CAN I CHAR PEPPERS IN AN AIR FRYER?

Well, maybe but that would be difficult as an air fryer doesn’t offer direct heat.  You can get a “charred” look but really you’re roasting the pepper.  The best way to cook a pepper in the air fryer is to slice it thick and air fry it for about 12 minutes or until your desired level of done-ness is reached.  

MORE AIR FRYER RECIPES TO TRY

Air Fryer Italian Sausage
Sweet and Sour Pork (Air Fryer)
Hawaiian Salmon (Air Fryer)