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? ›

Ninja Speedi Rapid Cooker & Air Fryer

The 12-in-1 appliance air fries well (and quickly!) and can sear, sauté, bake, roast, broil, steam, slow cook, proof, cook sous vide and even dehydrate. It can also steam and bake/air fry at the same time for the juiciest and most flavorful results.

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.

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.

Though certain foods become crispy and juicy in an air fryer, others can get messy or dry. Pros recommended using an air fryer when preparing frozen food, cookies, and bacon. Avoid putting overseasoned food, wet batters, and cheese in your air fryer — they can make a mess.

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.

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.

Do any chefs use an air fryer? ›

Who better to turn to on this quest than Calum Montgomery – chef patron of the Isle of Skye's award-winning AA 4-Rosette Edinbane Lodge, Great British Menu contestant and air fryer fanatic? “I use an air fryer all the time at home as it's quick and easy to use with no fuss,” he says.

They shave calories off family favourites like chips and reduce the amount of olive oil needed for trays of roasted vegetables to next to nothing! If you're looking to reduce your intake of oily foods or create healthier meals for your family, then an air fryer can offer you a lot.

Air-fryers are convenient

Think of air-fryers as mini ovens that can tackle almost anything you'd put in a conventional oven or deep-fat fryer. 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.

If you're cooking for one or two people, a small or standard air fryer suffices, but if you're preparing food for a family, a large-capacity air fryer saves you from having to cook one batch after another for a single meal.

They shave calories off family favourites like chips and reduce the amount of olive oil needed for trays of roasted vegetables to next to nothing! If you're looking to reduce your intake of oily foods or create healthier meals for your family, then an air fryer can offer you a lot.