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What Can You Cook in an Air Fryer?

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The question What Can You Cook in an Air Fryer?

Before switching to a relatively healthier air-fried diet, one asks the pertinent question that what can you cook in an air fryer. You must be wondering if your air fryer will dwindle the fried chicken or leafy veggies in your life. Well, you can rest assured that the air fryer is one versatile appliance, and you can eat well.

An air fryer is a remarkable tool to have in your kitchen. It does a splendid job of reheating and preparing crispy, crunchy, and delicious meals. And contrary to the popular leaf, you can prepare crusty vegetables, as well. But the all-round nature of air fryers does not encourage you to toss anything edible in it.

Frozen foods, nuggets, filets, and French fries are the favorites of many, and people trust an air fryer to do the job well. However, you would be undermining this incredible tool if you limit it to frozen and precooked foods. So, here is a guide to help you sort the best foods you can make in an air fryer.

Whether you are looking to replace your (past its prime) air fryer or buying your first, stick till the end to see our top picks for the year.

Do Air Fryers Make Tasty Food?

You cannot answer the question by saying yes or no. In the end, each individual has their taste preference, and whether or not air-fried foods taste better than classic deep-fried is debatable. It is safe to say that the former is healthier to consume than the latter.

Technically, an air fryer doesn’t fry the food as you do with oil in a frying pan. Instead, it utilizes the convection mechanism and uses the hot air inside to prepare the meal, cooking faster, and distributing the heat evenly. So, you get your food quick, perfectly cooked, and with a crunchier texture.

It might not look and taste like oil-fried foods, but if you do it the right way, air-fried meals can get the same flavor and texture. For that to happen, you must appropriately stuff the pot, not more than 3/4th of it, for even heat distribution. Also, preheating can help bring the crispy and crunchy feel to the food.

What Can You Cook in An Air Fryer?

As we said earlier, an air fryer can do much more than cooking frozen foods. Here is a list of yummy oil-free meals that you can prepare using an air fryer.

Chicken breasts and legs

If you yearn for a juicy chicken breast or leg piece without the sogginess of the oil, then an air fryer can serve you better than an oven or a cooktop. An air fryer features a compact design, which does not let the juices escape the meat. So, you are in for a juicy chicken treat!

Glazed chicken is another delicacy that you can prepare, thanks to an air fryer. It provides a high amount of heat while keeping the airflow consistent. That is why glazed chicken that comes out of an air fryer is well-caramelized if you set the right temperature.

Steaks

Smoke and flames might not be the only ways of making a steak. Although it might take a lot of patience and practice, you can cook delicious steaks using an air fryer. Consider it to be a mini version of an oven, which provides heat to prepare the steak, and that too without leaving a lot of mess.

Certain Vegetables.

Let’s bust this myth: an air fryer can do more than reheat frozen nuggets. You can cook some veggies with it, as well. With that said, you can try cooking brussels sprouts and eggplants. You might want to keep the leafy vegetables away from the air fryer.

If you try cooking brussels sprouts, you don’t have to deal with the messiness of oil. Your brussels sprouts will come out crispier and tastier than usual. While you’re at it, you can try out making eggplant fries. You will be getting the best of both worlds, delicious food, void of any guilt of unhealthy eating.

Noodles

You may find it absurd but using an air fryer is the best way to prepare noodles. It is so because when making noodles, it releases a lot of moisture in the pan, which makes them a soggy pain. However, in an air fryer, the noodle moisture drips out of the basket, serving you perfect chow Mein or zucchini.

Fries

If you are a fan of homemade French fries, an air fryer is a must-have machine. Frozen French fries and air fryers go hand in hand with each other. And the best part is, with very little oil, you can enjoy your fries without any worries.

Cookies

Cookies develop well in an air fryer, and you can have a tray full of them in no time. If you have got cookie-dough balls in the freezer, all you have to do is bake them in an air fryer, without the hassle of preheating.

Hard-boiled Eggs

If you are a gym freak, you will like how you can prepare hard-boiled eggs in an air fryer. It does not get simpler than this; all you need are eggs and an air fryer, and without water, you get ready-to-eat boiled eggs.

What you shouldn’t put in an air fryer?

If a salesperson tells you that you can cook anything in an air fryer, you must take that with a pinch of salt. An air fryer does not thrive for some foods.

Whole chicken

Regardless of whether your air fryer can contain whole roasts or not, a full chicken won’t cook uniformly. The part closest to the heat source will burn out. So, it’s better to cut up the chicken beforehand.

Wet batter (pancakes)

Wet batter sets the best in oil. No matter how you put it in an air fryer, the batter will end up sticking to the bottom, and it won’t taste the way you remember.

Cheese

Much like the wet batter, you will find a cheesy mess in your air fryer after your little experiment with mozzarella or any other cheese.

Green vegetables

Except for brussels sprouts, eggplants, and frozen vegetables, green and leafy veggies won’t turn out as you hope. If they don’t fly around in the pot, what you will get is a soggy texture instead of a crisp one.

 Over-seasoned meat and vegetables

You wouldn’t want to over-season your meal before putting it into an air fryer. The reason is that the airflow can blow away the seasonings, and all your labor will go to waste.

 

Our Pick: Top 5 Best Air Fryers for 2023

Here are the best air fryers that you can find on the market.

1. Cosori Air Fryer, Max Xl 5.8-Quart

COSORI Air Fryer Max XL 5.8QT
COSORI Max XL(100 Recipes) 5.8QT Electric Hot Air Fryers Oven Oilless Cooker,11 Presets, Preheat& Shake Reminder, Nonstick Basket, Black

Coming from a renowned brand, Cosori Max XL 5.8-Quart is a beast. This one has 11 preset buttons and a preheat button. By pressing a few buttons, you are good to cook. A fascinating feature of the presets is that it reminds you to shake the food when required, as per the recipe.

This air fryer comprises a large pot, which is enough for you to host family dinners. Another reason you’ll often organize parties is the nonstick basket, which is safe to clean using a dishwasher. This one does its job well and safely. The auto-shutoff function will keep your food from burning.

Overall, Cosori Air Fryer is an exceptional tool, and it is going to be a great addition to your kitchen. You get complete control over the cooking process, thanks to the LED touchscreen, and the display allows you to monitor the progress of your food.

Pros

  • Auto-shutoff feature.
  • Shake reminder.
  • 11 presets and preheat buttons.

Cons

  • Too large for small kitchens.

2. Ninja FD401 Foodi 9-in-1 Air Fryer

Ninja FD401 Foodi 9-in-1 Air Fryer – Best Air Fryer 2020
Ninja FD401 Foodi 8-Quart 9-in-1 Deluxe XL Pressure Cooker, Broil, Dehydrate, Slow Cook, Air Fryer, and More, with a Stainless Finish

Most food lovers find it difficult to pass up a plate of delicious French Fries. That mostly happens when they’re prepared in Ninja 9-in-1 air fryer. This unit has the uncanny ability to transform any food you put into it into something magical. Here’s how it does that.

The Ninja Foodi relies on two technologies to prepare food that will tantalize your taste buds. The first of them, titled ‘Tender Crisp Technology’, plays its part by reducing the cooking time. Then comes its ‘Crisping Lid’ Technology’ that browns the food’s exterior to give it a glowing golden finish.

Equally noteworthy is this model’s huge capacity. Its spacious interior can hold up to 6.5-quarts of food and lets you prepare a hearty meal for the entire family. Every part that the food will contact inside this air fryer is ceramic coated and free of harmful substances.

This unit is also extremely easy to use. Its control panel features an LED display that tells you the ongoing temperature and remaining time. Also there are well-detailed icons to help you select your desired cooking mode from the nine presets on offer.

Pros

  • 6.5-quart basket
  • Stainless steel reversible rack
  • Gives meals a golden finish

Conclusion

Coming this far, you might be considering whether you should get yourself an air fryer or not. If you calculate the amount of oil you would forgo in your meals and the variety of foods that you can prepare, we say that the investment is worth the money. But if you plan on switching to a green diet, you can do without an air fryer.

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