Air Fryer Recipes that are both quick & nutritious the Whole Family will love - Cathy Richards, RD (2024)

FAQs

What does not cook well in an air fryer? ›

Instant Vortex 8-in-1 Dual Air Fryer - 7.6L

Use the SyncFinish feature to match cooking settings for get both baskets to finish cooking at the same time. This is machine you want in your corner when you're planning a big dinner, family event or party - it can make up to eight portions of food at once.

Air-fryers are convenient

And because they're typically more compact than traditional ovens, they also heat up and circulate hot air more efficiently around food – resulting in meals cooked faster.

Foil is safe to use in an air fryer so long as you follow three basic rules: never let foil touch the heating element; make sure the foil is weighted so it doesn't blow around the basket; and avoid contact with acidic ingredients, which can cause the foil to leach onto your food.

As with all dry-heat cooker methods (grilling, broiling, pan frying and oven roasting), tender beef cuts perform best in the air fryer. Those cuts include Top Sirloin, KC Strip, Ribeye, Tenderloin and Tri Tip. Ground beef also can be easily prepared in an air fryer.

Some say it's too good to be true, that you can't effectively “fry” something with a few tablespoons of oil and hot circulating air. Some say yeah, it works but it takes up too much countertop space for what it's worth. Some swear by it for a few things like frozen french fries and nuggets.

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.

Dry the outside of the food properly before you add oil. Do not use too much oil, as this will make the food less crispy and more fattening. Meat or poultry can be lightly brushed with oil or marinated to get the crispiest results.

What size air fryer is best for a family? ›

If you're cooking for a family of six, a 7- or 8-quart air fryer should work just fine. Whether or not you need to cook food in batches will depend on what you're cooking and the size of your portions.

2-4L is perfect for single households or small families, with a 2L air fryer providing 1-2 portions with a 4L giving 3-4 portions. For larger households, 5L+ is likely the way forward to comfortably feed everyone as it will provide more than 5 portions.

It tends to leave out the high amounts of sodium, additives and trans fats that you typically find in meals that you order out or on delivery apps. Air fryers are safer than deep fryers and make crispy goodies available and accessible at home. They also cook a lot quicker than a conventional oven.

Insider asked chefs to share their favorite things to make in an air fryer. Their favorite dishes to make in this appliance include gnocchi, chicken, and crunchy chickpeas. It's also possible to make flavorful steak, bacon, and chicken nuggets in an air fryer.

your oven. Many electric ovens have a convection setting, which simply blows a fan into the oven, creating that circulation of air that helps get everything super crisp. It's built in and it's big enough to accommodate plenty of food for you and your family.

Sausages can be cooked quickly and easily thanks to the air-fryer (and without the need for additional oil). Arrange the sausages in a single layer in the basket, set the air-fryer to 180C and cook for 10-15 mins, turning every 5 mins, until the sausages are cooked through.

Though Gordon Ramsay is clearly a fan of using an air fryer to cook steak, at his restaurants, his go-to method involves using a pan instead. Because you can only cook steak one or two at a time in them, an air fryer isn't the best option if you're feeding a crowd.