27 Healthy Air Fryer Easter Brunch Ideas Your Table Desperately Needs
Light, crispy, festive, and ready before your guests start hovering in the kitchen asking if they can help.
Let’s be real — Easter brunch is one of those meals that sounds lovely in theory and becomes a chaotic juggling act about forty-five minutes before guests arrive. The oven is already committed to something. The stovetop has three pans going. And you, the person who promised a “relaxed holiday spread,” are stress-eating mini chocolates over the sink. Sound familiar?
Here’s what changed everything for me: the air fryer. Not in a gimmicky, social-media-trend kind of way, but genuinely and practically. This little counter appliance handles an extraordinary amount of brunch work — crisping, roasting, browning, even baking — without monopolizing your main oven or requiring you to babysit anything. For a holiday spread, that is worth its weight in chocolate eggs.
These 27 healthy air fryer Easter brunch ideas run the full range: spring veggie bites, protein-packed egg dishes, light pastries, crispy potatoes, and even a few sweet finishes. Every single one is designed to be simple enough that you actually enjoy the holiday instead of surviving it.
Why the Air Fryer Is Your Secret Easter Brunch Weapon
Before we get into the recipes, let’s talk about why the air fryer genuinely works for a brunch spread — not just in a click-bait “life-changing” way, but in a practical, kitchen-logistics kind of way. When you’re serving eight people and have exactly one oven, timing becomes a puzzle. The air fryer functions as a completely independent cooking zone. You can run it simultaneously with your oven, and most brunch items cook faster in it anyway.
There’s also the health angle, which matters on a holiday when you’re probably going to eat your body weight in Easter candy later. According to Healthline, air-fried foods can contain significantly less fat than their deep-fried counterparts — using roughly a tablespoon of oil versus the cups required for traditional frying. For brunch dishes like potatoes, egg bites, and pastry-wrapped items, that means you get the crispiness everyone loves without the post-meal regret.
The air fryer also runs cooler and faster than a conventional oven, which means less heat building up in your kitchen while you’re trying to look put-together for family photos. Practical? Absolutely. Underrated? Yes.
Prep your veggie and egg components the night before — slice, season, and refrigerate in airtight containers. Easter morning you just load the air fryer basket and press go. Future you will be very grateful.
The Savory Lineup: 15 Recipes That Do the Heavy Lifting
A good Easter brunch leads with savory and lets guests pace themselves into the sweet stuff. These fifteen recipes cover every corner of a proper brunch table, from egg-forward dishes to crispy potatoes and spring vegetable sides that actually taste like spring rather than sad cafeteria vegetables.
1. Mini Air Fryer Frittata Bites
These are the MVP of any air fryer brunch situation. Whisked eggs with ricotta, spinach, and a little feta go into a silicone muffin tray dropped into the basket. They puff up beautifully in about twelve minutes and hold their shape perfectly for a buffet setup. Customize the add-ins endlessly — smoked salmon, roasted peppers, or even leftover spring greens. Get Full Recipe
2. Crispy Air Fryer Prosciutto-Wrapped Asparagus
Asparagus at Easter is practically mandatory at this point, and wrapping spears in thin prosciutto before air frying turns them into something genuinely impressive. The prosciutto crisps up like a salty shell around the tender asparagus — five ingredients, twelve minutes, zero complaints. These disappear faster than anything else on the table. Get Full Recipe
3. Air Fryer Deviled Egg Toast
Take your deviled egg filling and spoon it onto slices of sourdough that have been air-fried to a golden crisp. The contrast of creamy filling against that crunch is genuinely excellent. Top with a sprinkle of smoked paprika and chives. It’s the deviled egg in a more practical, easier-to-eat form — and yes, people will ask for the recipe before they’ve even finished chewing.
4. Spring Veggie Hash with Air Fryer Poached Eggs
Dice up zucchini, asparagus, baby potatoes, and shallots, toss them with olive oil and herbes de Provence, and air fry until caramelized. Serve with a softly poached egg on top. Light enough to feel like spring, satisfying enough to hold everyone over until the actual Easter dinner situation later in the day. Get Full Recipe
5. Air Fryer Everything Bagel Bites
Cut small circles of biscuit dough, top each with cream cheese, everything bagel seasoning, and a tiny piece of smoked salmon. Air fry until golden and puffed. These are the kind of thing people eat standing in your kitchen before they’ve even found a plate — which is honestly the highest compliment a brunch appetizer can receive.
6. Lemon Herb Chicken Skewers
Yes, chicken at brunch — specifically marinated in lemon zest, garlic, fresh thyme, and a little honey. These skewers air fry beautifully in about fifteen minutes and work perfectly as a protein anchor for the spread. Pair them with a light yogurt dipping sauce. For more ideas in this direction, check out these air fryer lemon herb chicken recipes built for spring.
7. Air Fryer Caprese Flatbreads
Naan or pita flatbreads topped with crushed tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, and basil go into the air fryer and come out with perfectly melted cheese and slightly charred edges in about seven minutes. Drizzle with a good quality balsamic glaze before serving. Simple, elegant, and almost effortlessly crowd-pleasing.
8. Mini Air Fryer Spinach and Feta Pastries
Store-bought puff pastry, thawed and cut into squares, filled with a quick mix of spinach, feta, and a touch of nutmeg. Fold into triangles, press the edges, and air fry until deeply golden and flaky. The inside stays molten and creamy. These look way more impressive than the effort involved — which is exactly the kind of recipe you want for a holiday situation.
9. Crispy Air Fryer Smashed Potatoes
Boil baby potatoes until just tender, smash them flat, then hit them with olive oil and a generous amount of garlic powder and fresh rosemary before loading the basket. The air fryer transforms them into crispy-edged little discs that taste wildly indulgent. FYI, these also work as a vehicle for toppings — sour cream, chives, a sliver of smoked salmon. For a deeper dive into this technique, you’ll love this guide to 21 crispy air fryer potato methods that barely need any oil.
10. Air Fryer Salmon Bites with Dill Cream
Salmon cut into one-inch cubes, seasoned simply with lemon pepper and a light brush of olive oil, air fries in about eight minutes and comes out with that gorgeous seared exterior while staying silky in the center. Serve with a quick mix of Greek yogurt, fresh dill, and lemon zest as a dipping sauce. These are genuinely beautiful on a platter and take almost no time.
I made the salmon bites and the smashed potatoes together last Easter and my mother-in-law, who is famously impossible to impress, asked me for both recipes before she left. I did not share them immediately. I savored the moment.
— Jamie R., from our reader community11. Air Fryer Zucchini Fritters
Shredded zucchini squeezed bone-dry, mixed with egg, Parmesan, and a touch of flour, then formed into small patties and air fried until golden and crisp. Top with a dollop of Greek yogurt and a curl of smoked salmon for an elegant little bite. These come together in under twenty minutes and work beautifully as part of a vegetable-forward section of the table.
12. Stuffed Mini Peppers with Herbed Ricotta
Halved mini peppers filled with ricotta, fresh herbs, and a little honey, then air fried until the peppers soften and the filling develops golden edges. These are essentially two bites of spring in edible form — bright, creamy, a little sweet from the pepper, and completely addictive. You’ll want to make more than you think you need. Get Full Recipe
13. Air Fryer Ham and Cheese Biscuit Sliders
Fluffy homemade or store-bought biscuits split and filled with thin-sliced honey ham and gruyere, then air fried briefly until the cheese melts and the outside crisps slightly. These are the crowd-pleaser, the safe bet, the thing you make because someone at Easter brunch will not touch the salmon bites or the frittatas and you know it. No judgment — just good biscuits.
14. Air Fryer Spring Vegetable Tarts
Puff pastry squares with a thin spread of ricotta, topped with asparagus tips, peas, and thinly sliced radish, then air fried until the pastry puffs around the edges and the vegetables are just roasted through. Top with lemon zest and a drizzle of good olive oil after cooking. These look like something from a bakery display case and take about fifteen minutes.
15. Crispy Air Fryer Chickpea Bites
For a plant-based protein option that doesn’t feel like an afterthought, crispy air fryer chickpeas seasoned with smoked paprika, cumin, and garlic are honestly addictive. They work as a topping on frittata bowls or simply in a small bowl for snacking. A batch takes three ingredients and twelve minutes. Check out 23 crispy air fryer chickpea variations made with just 3 ingredients for the full rundown.
Cook your potatoes and chickpeas first — they reheat in the air fryer in two minutes and free up your basket for the more delicate items right before serving time.
The Sweet Side: 7 Lighter Air Fryer Brunch Desserts
Easter brunch without something sweet feels incomplete, but “something sweet” doesn’t have to mean collapsing on the couch at 11am. These seven lighter options satisfy the dessert instinct without derailing the rest of the day.
16. Air Fryer Lemon Ricotta Pancake Bites
These are fluffy little clouds of lemon-scented ricotta pancake batter, cooked in a silicone mold in the air fryer until they puff and brown slightly on top. Dust with powdered sugar and serve with a small bowl of berry compote. They taste indulgent and actually aren’t — ricotta adds protein and richness with less added fat than a standard butter-heavy batter.
17. Air Fryer Cinnamon Sugar Donut Holes
Made with biscuit dough, rolled into balls, air fried until cooked through, then immediately rolled in a mix of cinnamon and sugar. The outside has that faint crisp, the inside is soft and slightly doughy. Serve them warm in a basket lined with parchment. These require almost zero skill and produce maximum joy — a solid combination. Get Full Recipe
18. Strawberry Cream Cheese Wontons
Wonton wrappers filled with a spoonful of sweetened cream cheese and a small piece of fresh strawberry, sealed and air fried until golden and crisp. They’re a two-bite dessert that looks fancier than the five minutes they take. If you want to lean into the spring fruit situation, this also works beautifully with fresh raspberries or blueberries.
19. Air Fryer Banana Walnut Muffin Bites
Ripe banana mashed into a simple batter with oats, walnuts, a touch of honey, and Greek yogurt instead of butter. Air fry in a silicone muffin tray and you get moist, naturally sweetened muffin bites in about twelve minutes. The bananas keep them tender and the oats add a subtle heartiness that actually keeps you full — unlike most brunch pastries, which evaporate before you’ve even sat down.
20. Air Fryer Apple Rose Pastries
Thin apple slices layered in a spiral within a strip of puff pastry, rolled into a rose shape, and air fried until the pastry is golden and the apples are caramelized at the edges. These are visually stunning and technically simple — the kind of thing you photograph before you eat and genuinely enjoy both experiences. A light dusting of cinnamon sugar before cooking is all they need.
21. Chocolate Hazelnut Stuffed French Toast Sticks
Thick-cut brioche spread with a light layer of hazelnut spread, sandwiched, cut into sticks, dipped in a simple egg custard, and air fried until deeply golden. These are technically still brunch food. They are also clearly dessert. The line is blurry and that is perfectly fine at Easter.
22. Air Fryer Blueberry Hand Pies
Small circles of pie crust filled with a spoonful of blueberry jam or fresh blueberries with a touch of lemon zest, folded and crimped, then air fried until perfectly golden. These are hold-in-your-hand portable, which makes them ideal for a buffet spread where people are circulating and grazing rather than sitting formally. Get Full Recipe
Kitchen Tools That Make This Brunch Actually Happen
Here’s what I actually reach for when pulling off a spread like this — no fluff, just the tools that genuinely earn their counter space.
Physical Tools
A larger basket means you can actually cook for a group without running five batches. This 6-quart version handles everything from pastries to potatoes without crowding — the thing that wrecks air fryer results most often.
Non-negotiable for the frittata bites and muffin recipes. A flexible silicone tray that fits a standard basket is one of those purchases that makes you wonder how you lived without it. Zero sticking, zero scrubbing.
For the apple rose pastries and the thin-sliced radish on the tarts, thin even slices matter. A simple adjustable mandoline does this in seconds and makes everything look professionally prepped. Use the cut-resistant glove — yes, always, non-negotiable.
Digital Resources
A printable brunch prep schedule that maps out what to make the night before, what goes in the air fryer first, and how to keep everything warm. Takes the mental load off the morning entirely.
A curated collection of 30+ spring air fryer recipes in printable format, sized for easy kitchen reference without needing your phone propped against the backsplash.
A quick-reference digital guide with cook times and temperatures for every common brunch ingredient — eggs, pastry, vegetables, proteins — so you’re not guessing mid-batch.
The Spring Veggie Section: 5 Sides That Deserve the Spotlight
Here’s a hot take: the vegetable sides are often the best part of a brunch spread and consistently the most underplanned section. These five bring actual spring produce into the mix and do it in ways that make vegetables feel like a genuine treat rather than an obligatory presence on the table.
Mayo Clinic Health System notes that air fryers are excellent for roasting vegetables — not just as a side note, but as one of the primary reasons to own one. The circulating heat caramelizes the edges of vegetables in a way that a conventional oven rarely matches at the same speed. For spring produce especially, that quick caramelization preserves bright flavor without turning anything mushy.
23. Air Fryer Garlic Parmesan Asparagus
Asparagus tossed with olive oil, minced garlic, and grated Parmesan, then air fried at 400°F for about eight minutes. The tips get slightly crispy while the stalks stay tender. Finish with a squeeze of lemon and a little flaky salt. It’s the kind of side that people eat off the platter before it reaches the table. For more vegetable inspiration, explore these air fryer spring veggie sides that genuinely taste amazing.
24. Air Fryer Radish and Pea Salad Warm-Up
Halved radishes and fresh peas tossed with butter and herbs, air fried briefly until the radishes soften and lose their sharp bite while the peas stay bright. Serve warm with a handful of fresh mint and a drizzle of white wine vinegar. Radishes transform completely when cooked — they go from peppery and sharp to mild and almost potato-like. It’s one of those kitchen facts that genuinely surprises people.
25. Air Fryer Broccolini with Lemon Tahini
Broccolini air fries faster than broccoli and the thin stalks crisp beautifully at the ends. A simple drizzle of tahini thinned with lemon juice and a pinch of garlic powder transforms this into something that works on its own as a side or as a topping for grain bowls later in the week. Two uses from one batch — always a win on a busy holiday weekend.
26. Air Fryer Spring Onion and Mushroom Toast Toppers
Sliced mushrooms and spring onions tossed with thyme, a splash of soy sauce, and olive oil, then air fried until deeply golden and slightly caramelized. Pile them onto toasted sourdough with a spread of ricotta underneath. This is the kind of toast that makes people seriously reconsider their brunch priorities. It’s earthy, savory, deeply satisfying, and vegetarian without making a point of it.
27. Air Fryer Roasted Carrot Ribbons with Honey Glaze
Use a peeler to strip long ribbons from large carrots, toss with olive oil, honey, and a pinch of cinnamon, then air fry until the edges curl and caramelize. These are visually gorgeous — they almost look like little nests on the plate — and they taste like the best version of a glazed carrot. Sprinkle with toasted pumpkin seeds and a little fresh thyme to finish. Get Full Recipe
The carrot ribbons were the sleeper hit of my Easter table last year. I made them mostly because I had a bag of carrots to use up. By the end of brunch, three separate people had texted me asking for the recipe. Into the permanent rotation they went.
— Melissa T., Simply Tasty Co. reader communityDon’t crowd the air fryer basket — especially with vegetables. One even layer lets the hot air circulate completely. A second slightly smaller batch beats a crowded single one every time. The difference in crispiness is significant.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make air fryer Easter brunch recipes ahead of time?
Most of these recipes work beautifully when prepped the night before and air fried fresh the morning of. The frittata bites, pastries, and potato-based dishes all reheat in the air fryer in two to three minutes without losing their texture. Avoid pre-assembling anything with a custard element — those are best made same-day.
What size air fryer do I need to cook for a group?
For a brunch serving six to eight people, a 6-quart basket air fryer gives you enough room to cook meaningful batch sizes without running ten rounds back-to-back. If you only have a 4-quart model, just prioritize what needs to be served hot and fresh versus what can be made ahead and plated at room temperature.
Are air fryer brunch recipes actually healthier than oven-baked versions?
For most recipes they’re comparable nutritionally, since both methods use hot air and minimal oil. The air fryer does tend to produce crispier results faster, which means less time at high heat and potentially slightly better retention of heat-sensitive nutrients in vegetables. For anything that would otherwise be deep-fried, the air fryer is a significant improvement.
Can I make vegetarian and gluten-free options from this list?
Absolutely — many of these recipes are naturally vegetarian, including the frittata bites, stuffed peppers, chickpea bites, veggie tarts, and carrot ribbons. For gluten-free, simply swap any pastry or biscuit component for a certified gluten-free version. The egg-based, potato-based, and vegetable-based recipes need no modification at all.
How do I keep air fryer food warm during a buffet-style brunch?
Set your oven to its lowest setting (usually around 170-200°F) and use it purely as a warming drawer. Spread finished items on a sheet pan and let the oven hold them while you run subsequent batches in the air fryer. This is the single best technique for pulling off a large air fryer brunch without anything going cold or limp.
Here’s the Thing About Easter Brunch
The best holiday meals don’t come from spending all morning stressed out in the kitchen. They come from having a solid plan, the right tools, and a handful of recipes you actually trust. The air fryer handles a surprising amount of that equation — faster than your oven, independent from your stovetop, and capable of results that legitimately impress people.
These 27 recipes cover everything from the first bite to the last sweet thing — crispy potatoes, elegant tarts, protein-packed frittatas, fresh spring vegetables, and lighter desserts that won’t send anyone into a sugar coma before the egg hunt. IMO, that’s the ideal spread: something for everyone, nothing that takes all day, and enough variety that even the pickiest person at the table finds something they love.
Pick eight to ten recipes, prep what you can the night before, and trust the air fryer to handle the rest on Easter morning. You actually get to enjoy the holiday — which is, after all, the entire point.
