100 Easy and Healthy Air Fryer Recipes for Dinner (2024)

FAQs

What is the healthiest thing to cook in an air fryer? ›

Try a healthy twist on crispy pork chops, air fryer chicken recipes, or healthy fish recipes made entirely in the air fryer. Serve it up with air fryer veggies, like Brussels sprouts or green beans, for a meal that's both easy and good for you, too.

Summary. In conclusion, while air fryers offer certain benefits such as reduced calorie intake and faster cooking times, they are not without their limitations. Size constraints, limited cooking options, and concerns about crispiness are driving some people to look for alternatives.

Air frying uses less oil

This means that your food has fewer calories. Still, food isn't necessarily healthier just because it contains less oil. Extra virgin olive oil, for example, is rich in polyphenols and has known heart health benefits. Overall, air frying is healthier than deep-frying.

The great news about air fryers is that you can use foil along with parchment paper to cook your food in an air fryer. Just remember that if it's safe and effective to use in a conventional oven, it will work just fine in an air fryer.

Putting a damp basket back into the air fryer can cause damage, such as affecting the time it takes for your air fryer to heat up or damaging the internal components. It is no secret that water and electricity do not go hand-in-hand.

“The worst foods for air frying have sauces or batters," the chef says. The problem isn't the cooking so much as the cleanup. Air fryer baskets have holes in the bottom or wire mesh for air circulation. Sauces fall through the openings and cause a messy disaster to have to clean up,” Klein explains.

What are the first things you should cook in your new air fryer? Steak, chicken or fish will come out amazing. So will roasted vegetables or homemade fries. Potato fries, sweet potato fries, and even carrot or apple fries are all delicious, healthy and pretty easy.

Those cuts include Top Sirloin, KC Strip, Ribeye, Tenderloin and Tri Tip. Ground beef also can be easily prepared in an air fryer. Because an air fryer works much like a convection oven, what you are cooking tends to dry out.

Place it in the fryer basket and preheat it for 5 minutes at 400°F (204 °C). Crack an egg to a small cup and slide the egg to the hot pan. Air fry at 350°F (177°C) for 3 minutes for a sunny side over easy fried egg. If you prefer a fried egg with medium egg yolk, add 1 more minute to the cooking time.

Why do chefs hate air fryers? ›

Food in an air fryer must be spaced out in order to actually cook, and since these fryers' baskets aren't all that big, you sometimes have to cook your food in batches. Since each batch can take several minutes to cook, this means that the first few will likely be cold by the time the last few are ready.

Potential Weight Gain: Overconsumption of air-fried foods, despite their lower fat content, can still contribute to weight gain due to calorie-dense preparations. Carcinogen Production: Certain cooking oils and high-temperature cooking in air fryers can produce carcinogenic compounds, posing long-term health risks.

A countertop oven is a quick fix

But I'll argue that the taste trade-offs are worth it, and that you'll still be heating food and cooking more quickly than you would in a large conventional oven.

Air fryers may be better for you than deep fryers, but they're only as healthy as the food you put inside. They won't magically remove the saturated fat from bacon or the trans fats from a bag of processed chicken wings. To reap the benefits, reach for better-for-you options like vegetables and lean proteins.

Avocado oil is one of the best oils to use in the air fryer. Not only does it have a very high smoke point, it also has a neutral flavor and is rich in heart-healthy unsaturated fats.

Shoppers are now swearing by halogen ovens as an "amazing" alternative to the air fryer, and at a fraction of the price.