You can make practically anything that you would fry in an air fryer. It's great at heating frozen foods, but it's also fantastic for from-scratch foods, like chicken wings, potato chips, donuts, and extra-crisp cookies!
Air fryers are a trendy, must-have kitchen appliance, but they can't cook everything. Here we share the top foods that you should avoid putting in an air fryer, plus discover best alternative recipes to try instead.
Veggies like broccoli, Brussels sprouts, potatoes, zucchini, mushrooms & onions, and cauliflower all turn out incredible in the air fryer. You can also make your main dish IN the air fryer. It works magic with proteins like tofu, chicken drumsticks, meatballs, pork chops, fried chicken… even steak.
Are Air-Fried Foods Better for You? By most measures, air frying is healthier than frying in oil. It cuts calories by 70% to 80% and has a lot less fat. This cooking method might also cut down on some of the other harmful effects of oil frying.
Air-frying equipment is not known to cause cancer, but the process of air frying does result in the formation of certain compounds, like acrylamide, that are linked to cancer development. Acrylamide is classified as a probable human carcinogen.
It is safe to cook raw meat in the air fryer if it is fully defrosted, seasoned, and monitored. Some fully cooked foods, including chicken tenders or fries, can be placed frozen in the air fryer. However, with raw meat, it's recommended to thoroughly defrost to allow more even cooking and a tasty final product.
Preheat an air fryer to 250 degrees F (120 degrees C). Place eggs in the air fryer basket. Cook eggs in the preheated air fryer for 15 minutes. Transfer eggs to a cold water bath until fully cooled, 8 to 10 minutes.
Air fryers don't use a lot of electricity, with most requiring between 800 and 1800 watts (W) to run, though some large models need more. Air fryers also use less electricity than electric ovens, which typically use around 2,200 W to 5,000 W, and therefore cost more to run.
An air fryer is simply a small oven that runs on convection heat. The heat is circulated around a tight space by a powerful fan that lies just below or behind the heating element. Just as in a standard oven, it is perfectly safe to use aluminum foil in the air fryer.
Overfilling the Basket or Tray
Overfilling can cause sogginess, uneven cooking, or much longer cooking times. To avoid this air fryer mistake, cook your recipe in two or more batches if needed to allow for breathing room between pieces.
Bacon is safe to cook in the air fryer, but you need to make sure that you use the proper temperature and that your air fryer is clean before you begin. The best bacon air fryer temperature is 350 degrees F. This will crisp the bacon without causing it to smoke or burn.
Toasting bread in the air fryer is about as easy as it gets. Add the bread to the air fryer and cook at 390ºF until toasted to your liking. For me, this is around 4-5 minutes. Don't forget to flip halfway through for even toasting!
Arrange the sausages in a single layer in an air fryer basket. Set the air fryer to 180C and cook for 10-15 mins, turning every 5 mins, until the sausages are cooked through.
Can You Put Frozen Foods in an Air Fryer? Yes! Frozen food in the air fryer comes out crispy and cook more quickly than if cooked in an oven. You can cook everything from frozen meat to frozen snacks to frozen appetizers!
Any glass you use in an air fryer should be tempered and oven-safe. The best options for air fryer cooking are those glasses made of borosilicate glass, like the well-known brand Pyrex. This particular type of glass is made in a 1000 degree F oven, making it super durable!
Did you know you can cook a whole English breakfast in your air fryer? We didn't, but it can be a much quicker and healthier way than frying in a pan with lots of oil. Plus - there's less washing up too, win-win! This recipe includes an air fryer fried egg, crispy bacon, sausages, hash browns and baked beans.
Once the air fryer and ramekins are preheated, gently crack the egg into each dish. Cook The Eggs. Cook on air fry mode at 370°F (187°C) for 3-5 minutes until golden brown on top and cooked through in the center.
To help food crisp, always turn, rotate or shake the contents in the air-fryer basket—just like flipping french fries, fish fillets or chicken tenders halfway through cooking in a traditional oven).
The pros are that air fryers are versatile, easy-to-use, and very quick allowing you to make healthier food efficiently in your own kitchen. Despite this, these rather large devices quickly take up space on your kitchen counter or in your cupboards and can be tricky to clean.
The air fryer is perfect for oil-free cooking. Though manufacturers and recipes often suggest using a little bit of oil, you actually don't need to add any oil to ingredients before tossing them into the fryer basket. The high heat and circulating air will give you crispy texture without any oil.