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Home » Recipes » Air Fryer Vegetables

Published: Apr 22, 2024 · Modified: Oct 7, 2024 by marion · This post may contain affiliate links · Leave a Comment

Air Fryer Peppers and Onions

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We tried making peppers and onions in the air fryer, and the results were amazing! Our recipe for air fryer peppers and onions takes a total time of just 20 minutes from prep to plate. The veggies develop a crispy edge and a caramelized flavor, making them extra tasty. You'll love it!

A colorful medley of red, green, and. yellow air fryer peppers and onions on a white plate
Jump to:
  • Peppers and Onions in the Air Fryer
  • Why air fry peppers and onions?
  • How it works
  • Ingredients You'll Need
  • Watch the Video
  • How to Air Fry Peppers and Onions
  • Toaster Oven Style Air Fryer Instructions
  • Recipe Tips
  • Storing Leftovers
  • Serving Suggestions
  • Try this recipe with...
  • FAQ
  • Air Fryer Side Dishes
  • Air Fryer Peppers and Onions
  • Feedback

Peppers and Onions in the Air Fryer

Bell peppers and onions are the perfect match, and so versatile. Serve them with Italian sausage, in fajitas, over rice, or even in salad! Our favorite way to prepare them is this recipe for peppers and onions in the air fryer. It's simple, quick, and the results are always exactly what you're looking for.

To air fry peppers and onions to tender perfection, all you need to do is cook them at 400°F for 15 minutes, shaking halfway through the cook time. But, there's much more you can do to make them extra tasty! We'll show you how.

Why air fry peppers and onions?

  • It's quick: It takes just 15 minutes to cook peppers and onions in the air fryer, with about 5 minutes or so of prep time to cut the veggies. For comparison, it can take 35 minutes or more to roast peppers and onions in the oven. That's too long for us when the air fryer is right there waiting to make it easier!
  • It's super easy: You really don't have to do anything to make this recipe great. Just toss the peppers in oil and seasoning, add them to the air fryer, cook, and enjoy.
  • The results are so satisfying: Oh, those crispy edges! They are so good! The veggies turn out perfectly tender, with so much flavor.

How it works

Air frying peppers and onions makes the edges of the peppers and onions slightly crispy, and the veggies become tender and sweet. This is because of the high heat circulation in the air fryer, which caramelizes the natural sugars of the vegetables, enhancing their sweet flavor. Caramelizing veggies can take a long time on the stove or in the oven, but air frying them takes just 15 minutes. Want to learn more? We've got you covered: How Air Frying Works.

Ingredients You'll Need

Ingredients needed to make peppers and onions in the air fryer.
  • Bell Peppers: We like to buy the "stoplight peppers" (the packages of red, yellow, and green bell peppers) to have a variety of colors, but mostly we look for the best price on peppers we can find. We've found that ALDI is always a good place to find a great deal on bell peppers. Choose different colors for a visually appealing dish!
  • Large Yellow Onion: We prefer yellow onions for this recipe because they have a sweet and mellow flavor when cooked. Additionally, yellow onions are usually the most economical, which helps to keep this recipe budget-friendly. You can use other varieties of onion if it's what you have on hand, but red onion, for example, will most likely be too overpowering.
  • Olive Oil or Avocado Oil: We typically use olive oil or avocado oil for this recipe, but choose your favorite oil. The oil helps to retain moisture and crisp the peppers and onions while air frying. See our guide to Air Frying Oils for more info, where we've put together a list of our favorites.
  • Seasonings: We season the peppers and onions simply with a little kosher salt and black pepper. Feel free to add other seasonings such as garlic powder or Italian seasoning to your liking. We recommend you don't use table salt, as it can add a metallic flavor to food when cooked.

Before you start cooking, cut your peppers and onions into evenly-sized slices. Strips work best for this recipe (see our photos or the video for an exact idea of how they should look). We recommend using a nice, sharp knife and a cutting board. Note that if your peppers are a bit old, they will be harder to cut even with a good knife, so take care.

We've put together some helpful resources to make this recipe even easier. See our guides for how to slice bell peppers and how to slice onions crosswise, if you'd like a little more guidance.

Watch the Video

YouTube video

How to Air Fry Peppers and Onions

A glass bowl with sliced peppers and onions with seasoning.

Season those veggies

Preheat the air fryer to 400°F. While it preheats, add the sliced peppers and onions to a large bowl with oil. Sprinkle salt and pepper over the veggies, as well as any additional seasonings you may want to use, to taste.

Seasoned peppers and onions in the air fryer basket.

Give them a good shake

Add the seasoned peppers and onions to the air fryer basket and shake to distribute them evenly. Try to keep them in a single layer and avoid overcrowding to ensure even cooking. It's okay if they overlap a little bit, though.

Red, green, and yellow bell peppers and onions air fried in the air fryer basket.

Cook and serve!

Air fry the peppers and onions for 15 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through the cook time to ensure even cooking. If your air fryer doesn't have a built-in timer to remind you to shake the basket, we recommend you set an egg timer or use the timer function on your phone. When done, carefully remove the veggies from the air fryer basket, serve, and enjoy!

Toaster Oven Style Air Fryer Instructions

The following instructions are for toaster-oven style air fryers with a tray, such as the Breville Smart Oven Air. Note that these models take longer to cook than air fryers with a basket.

  1. Preheat the air fryer to 400°F.
  2. Place sliced peppers and onions into a large mixing bowl and add oil, salt, and pepper. Mix to coat all the peppers and onions.
  3. Add seasoned peppers and onions to the air fryer tray and spread out to distribute evenly. Avoid overcrowding to ensure even cooking. TIP: Place a foil-lined baking sheet on the bottom of the oven rack for easy clean up.
  4. Air fry for 18-20 minutes, stirring the peppers and onions halfway through air frying to ensure even cooking.
  5. Once the peppers and onions are tender with slightly crispy edges, carefully remove from the air fryer oven and serve. Enjoy every bite!
A forkful of air fryer peppers and onions ready to eat.

Recipe Tips

  • Be careful not to crowd the air fryer basket.
  • Shake basket halfway through air frying to ensure even cooking. This will give you the best results for tenderness and crisp edges.
  • Reheat in the air fryer to maintain the crispy texture.
  • Cook time may vary depending on your specific air fryer. Remember, air fryer brands vary, so you may have to adjust the cook time to your specific air fryer.
  • Recipe time and temperature is based on a preheated air fryer.

Storing Leftovers

If you have leftover peppers and onions, store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Reheat in the air fryer for about 3-5 minutes to maintain the crispy texture.

Serving Suggestions

  • Serve them as a side dish with grilled chicken, steak, or sausages.
  • Use them as a topping for burgers, sandwiches, or hotdogs.
  • Create delicious fajitas or tacos by adding sliced cooked chicken or beef and your favorite toppings.
  • Mix them into a salad for added flavor and crunch.
  • Sprinkle them on top of homemade pizza for a tasty twist!

Try this recipe with...

  • Loaded Air fryer shrimp tacos on a serving platter ready to enjoy.
    Air Fryer Shrimp Tacos
  • Air fryer sliced smoked sausage ready to eat.
    Smoked Sausage in the Air Fryer
  • A fork holding up an air fryer steak bite.
    Air Fryer Steak Tips
  • Crispy air fryer breakfast potatoes in a white serving bowl garnished with chives.
    Air Fryer Breakfast Potatoes

FAQ

Can I use frozen peppers and onions?

We don’t recommend using frozen peppers and onions for this recipe as they will release more moisture, which will make them soggy and lacking in texture and flavor compared to fresh. However, you absolutely can air fry frozen peppers and onions if that's what you have! You will need to adjust the air frying time, so watch them closely.

Can I add other seasonings or herbs?

Absolutely! Feel free to experiment with your favorite seasonings or herbs to customize the flavor to your liking. We've tried these peppers and onions with everything from taco seasoning to our favorite chili seasoning. You really can't go wrong!

Air Fryer Side Dishes

  • Green Beans
  • Butternut Squash
  • Brussels Sprouts with Bacon
  • Bacon Wrapped Asparagus
  • See all of our air fryer side dishes!

Leave a comment and review for us below if you enjoyed this recipe, or if you have questions about any of our air fryer recipes!

A colorful medley of red, green, and. yellow air fryer peppers and onions on a white plate

Air Fryer Peppers and Onions

Pepper up your plate! Try our Air Fryer Peppers and Onions - caramelized, crispy, and perfect for adding to fajitas, rice, burgers, and more!
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Prep Time 5 minutes mins
Cook Time 15 minutes mins
Total Time 20 minutes mins
Course Side Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 4 servings
Calories 65 kcal

Equipment

  • Air Fryer

Ingredients
  

  • 3 medium bell peppers washed, seeded, and sliced into strips
  • 1 medium yellow onion peeled and sliced
  • 1 Tablespoon olive oil or avocado oil - see our recommendations for oils
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the air fryer to 400℉. While your air fryer preheats, slice 3 medium bell peppers and 1 medium yellow onion into even strips. See our guides to cutting bell peppers and cutting onions if you need a little help!
  • Place sliced peppers and onions into a large mixing bowl, and add 1 Tablespoon olive oil, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, and ¼ teaspoon black pepper. Mix to coat all the peppers and onions.
  • Add seasoned peppers and onions to the air fryer basket and shake to distribute evenly. Avoid overcrowding to ensure even cooking.
  • Air fry for 15 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through air frying to ensure even cooking. NOTE: If you have a toaster oven-style air fryer model with a tray, air fry for 18-20 minutes instead, stirring them halfway through with a wooden or rubber spoon.
  • Once the peppers and onions are tender with slightly crispy edges, carefully remove from the air fryer basket and serve. Enjoy - we sure do!
Tried this recipe?Let us know in the comments below!

Notes

  • Be careful not to crowd the air fryer basket.
  • Shake basket halfway through air frying to ensure even cooking. This will give you the best results for tenderness and crisp edges.
  • Reheat in the air fryer to maintain the crispy texture.
  • Cook time may vary depending on your specific air fryer. Remember, air fryer brands vary, so you may have to adjust the cook time to your specific air fryer.
  • Recipe time and temperature is based on a preheated air fryer.

Nutrition

Serving: 1servingCalories: 65kcalCarbohydrates: 8gProtein: 1gFat: 4gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gSodium: 295mgPotassium: 230mgFiber: 2gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 2796IUVitamin C: 116mgCalcium: 13mgIron: 0.5mg

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