Pillowy soft, buttery goodness: that’s how I would describe these Air Fryers. Don’t worry though, making them doesn’t get any easier than this!
Fresh bread baking in your kitchen is one of life’s greatest joys, and these Air Fryer Dinner Rolls will fill your space with that delicious aroma.
That’s right. Air fryers aren’t just for frozen snacks or reheating pizza. From sponge cake to Baked Pasta to these Dinner Rolls, you’ll be surprised how much you can do with your air fryer. These rolls are quick to make, only needing 14 minutes of cooking time, and they’re even easy to make without eggs (see below for the egg-free version). Serve them with butter (essential!), eggs, dips or curry for a comfort meal.
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Ingredients for Dinner Rolls
an egg: Whole eggs used in the dough to help the bread rise and make it super soft and spongy. Alternatively, we also use one beaten egg as an egg wash
Yeast: Instant yeast mixed with lukewarm milk and sugar to activate it. This helps the dough rise to the double size and makes the bread super soft and spongy
oil: Makes the bread really soft from the inside
flour: All flour or maida forms the base of the dough. I wouldn’t recommend using whole wheat flour because it won’t have the same taste and texture
Salt: to season
Seeds: Kalonji and white sesame seeds used as cover. Although this is optional, it adds a nice nutty flavor so I highly recommend it
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Frequently Asked Questions
Yeast is the key to achieving soft and fluffy dinner rolls. Without it, the rolls will become hard and tough.
These rolls are perfect with wads, bhaji or stew. I honestly love to eat them with a little butter before nice soup dinner too!
When refrigerated in an airtight container, these dinner rolls stay fresh for up to 1 week.
You can freeze both unbaked and baked buns for up to 2 weeks. Wrap them in foil or place them in a ziplock bag before freezing.
They are one and the same! Mumbaikars call them ladi pav and they are more commonly known as dinner rolls in America. I have a traditional one ladi pav recipe that comes together in the oven you can control too!
Richa’s Best Tips
- The fluffiness of your dinner rolls is all in the kneading. So, be sure to knead your dough for at least 10-12 minutes. Your arms should definitely be tired by the end of it!
- To check if the dough is well kneaded, press the dough & it should bounce back quickly. Alternatively, take a small piece of dough, stretch until it becomes a thin film without tearing. If it tears, knead it for a few more minutes and try again.
- If you have stand mix, use that instead. That makes the kneading process easier.
- Check the temperature of the milk. First, make sure the milk used to activate the yeast is lukewarm and not boiling. If the milk is too hot, it can kill the yeast and prevent the dough from rising properly.
- You can also make these dinner rolls without eggs. Simply swap out the egg in the dough for melted butter for an egg-free version.
- Dinner rolls aren’t just for dinner. In fact, I often make these for breakfast to serve with eggs, aloo vada or example. They also make a great accompaniment to soups and stews whenever we make them. It’s a really versatile recipe that you’ll find handy to keep in your back pocket.
Storage Tips
- Refrigerator: Once the dinner rolls have cooled completely, transfer them to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to a week.
- to freeze: These dinner rolls are pretty freezable. Store them in ziplock bags or freezer safe containers to keep good for up to 2 months. Let them thaw at room temperature for a few hours before reheating.
- Reheating: To serve, heat the buns in the microwave for a few seconds or heat them in the oven until soft and warm again.
Service Ideas
These soft, fluffy dinner rolls are incredibly versatile and can be served in so many ways:
- Along with soups and stews: Serve them warm on the side creamy soups, hearty stewsor curries mop up every last bit.
- As a side for dinner: These rolls are perfect with roasted chicken, roasted vegetables, pastaor any comforting main meal.
- Make mini sandwiches: Cut them in half and stuff them with cheese, grilled chicken, paneer, eggs or your favorite sandwich fillings.
- With butter and toppings: Serve them warm with salted butter, garlic butter, cream cheese, jam or honey.
- For breakfast: Toast leftovers and serve with eggs, avocado, or your favorite breakfast toppings.
Once you start making dinner rolls in the air fryer, you’ll never buy them from the store again. These are addictive! Enjoy them fresh and you’ll be making these again and again. Send me photos of your fun times on my IG @my_foodstory!
If you liked this recipe, be sure to check out the other recipes in mine Air Fryer Series for more information on what you can do with your air fryer!
Watch Air Fryer Dinner Rolls Recipe Video
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Take lukewarm milk and 1 ½ tablespoons of sugar in a large bowl. Add yeast and let stand for 3-4 minutes until it becomes foamy.
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Add the remaining 1 ½ tablespoons of sugar, egg, oil and salt and beat until everything is well combined. Add all-purpose flour and knead it for at least 10-12 minutes. To check if the dough is well kneaded, press the dough and it should bounce back quickly. Or take a small piece of dough, stretch until it becomes a thin film without tearing. If it tears, it should be kneaded more.
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Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel and let it rest for 1 to 2 hours in a warm place until the dough has risen and almost doubled in size. Punch the dough down and transfer it to the kitchen platform and flatten it.
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Brush the air fryer with butter.
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Divide the flattened dough into 15 equal portions of 52 g each.
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Form each portion into a smooth ball using the tuck method. (Watch my video for detailed steps)
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Place them in the air fryer with some space between them. Let it prove for an hour until each ball rises and puffs up. See note 2.
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Brush each roll with egg wash and sprinkle with white sesame seeds and kalonji seeds.
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Air fry at 150 C for 12 minutes.
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Follow steps 7 through 9 above for the rest of the dough balls to make the dinner rolls.
- Kneading the dough very well is very important, so don’t skip it.
- An air fryer with a capacity of 5 liters holds 9 rolls at a time and the one with a capacity of 7 liters holds 12 rolls.
- Topping with sesame seeds and kalonji seeds is optional, but don’t skip it as it gives a good flavor to the dinner rolls.
Calories: 173kcal, Carbohydrates: 25g, Protein: 5g, Fat: 6g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 3g, Trans Fat: 0.02g, Cholesterol: 25mg, Sodium: 141mg, Potassium: 81mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 4g, Vitamin A: 62IU, Vitamin C: 0.004mg, Calcium: 41mg, Iron: 2mg
This article was researched and written by Urvi Dalal.