Tips and tricks for cooking healthy food with air fryers

Air fryers are incredibly useful appliances that provide lots of cooking options while taking up relatively little space in your kitchen. But how do you get the tastiest and healthiest results when cooking with an air fryer? Don’t worry, Electrolux is here to provide you with the most useful tips on how to cook with an air fryer, so put on your chef’s hat and find out more.

Benefits of air fryers

1. Eating less deep-fried food is good for your health

Even those of us who love some fried chicken or French fries straight from the deep-fryer know that it’s not healthy to eat too much of it. Cooking with oil and deep-frying food in oil is linked to several health conditions and using an air fryer can reduce your health risks and help you have a healthier diet.

2. Switching to an air fryer can help you lose weight

Deep-fried food is very fattening due to its combination of high calorie and fat contents and the oil we consume along with it. Exchanging your deep fryer for an air fryer can promote weight loss.

3. Air fryers are safer than deep-fryers

It’s hardly surprising that an appliance that cooks foods in scalding hot oil can pose a risk to humans. While you still have to be careful around an air fryer because the basket inside gets very hot, there is no risk of oil spray or spills.

4. Air fryers are very versatile

An air fryer gives you many more cooking options than a deep fryer does. In fact, you can cook entire meals in a single air fryer.

What foods can you cook in an air fryer? 

1. Fried chicken

Obviously, one of the most popular fried foods in the world is perfect for an air fryer. Just refrain from using liquid batter (we’ll get to that).

2. French fries

Your fries will be just as delicious as from the hot oil, just a lot healthier.

3. Egg rolls

Egg rolls get exactly the right crispiness in an air fryer.

4. Baked goods

Be it cookies, cakes, or even bread – your air fryer can turn your kitchen into a veritable bakery.

5. Chips

You can easily cook your own snacks using just a few simple ingredients and potatoes.

6. Meat and fish

Steaks, chicken, salmon, you name it – your air fryer can cook it just as easily as your oven.

7. Bacon 

Fried bacon is delicious, but not exactly a healthy breakfast choice. But you might be surprised to learn that bacon also achieves perfect crispiness in your air fryer, with a fraction of the grease.

What foods should you NOT cook in an air fryer?

1. Battered food

As mentioned, don’t use liquid batter when cooking with your air fryer. Not only will the batter fly everywhere, it will also not turn into the same kind of crispy shell you get from frying it in oil.

2. Raw greens

Spinach, kale or other leafy vegetables will be blown around inside the air fryer and will not be cooked evenly. If you want to cook vegetables, opt for frozen fried vegetables.

3. Rice and pasta

These grain-based foods need water to cook, but an air fryer cooks drily. If you want to get them crispy, they need to be cooked in water first.

4. Cheese

While cheese fried in oil is a delicious treat, the air fryer will just make the cheese melt in a mess you’ll have to clean.

5. Popcorn

If you’re making popcorn with loose kernels, you’ll still need a pot with oil, because an air fryer does not get hot enough to pop popcorn.

7 tips you need when cooking with an air fryer

1. Mind where you put your air fryer

Parts of your air fryer can get very hot, so make sure to put it on a heat-resistant surface and away from other appliances, plastic, or paper.

2. Preheat your air fryer

Just like your oven, you should preheat your air fryer before you start with the actual cooking. This will only take a few minutes, but the effect will be immediate.

3. Don’t use loose spices

Just like batter, loose pepper, chili powder, or herbs will fly around due to the air fryer’s strong air circulation. So, either make sure the food you put the spices on is moist enough for them to stick to it, or season afterwards.

4. Use aluminum foil

If you want the spices to stay with the food or you don’t want the juices to fall down out of the basket, put aluminum foil at the bottom of the basket. This will let your meat or fish cook in its juices while also making cleanup much easier. However, make sure to mold the foil to the bottom of the basket or to your food so the strong air circulation doesn’t flap around and impede the air flow or send your food flying.

5. Don’t overload

If you’re trying to fry something like French fries, make sure the hot air can get to every single piece.

6. Remove the basket from the drawer when removing the food

Before you dump your food onto a plate, remove the basket from its drawer so any oils and juices that dropped down don’t land on top of your food.

7. Always clean both the basket and the drawer

Unless you just toasted a bit of bread, just wiping down the two parts of the air fryer, isn’t enough. Dirt and grease will accumulate, making it harder to clean down the road and possibly affecting your food’s taste.

Check out more tips and tricks to effectively use your kitchen appliances:

• Your complete guide on how to clean your oven
• How to use your dishwasher effectively and safely

Enjoy cooking with your air fryer!

Knowing how to cook with your air fryer allows you to create all kinds of meals for you and your family while avoiding excessive amounts of oil and its effects. And Electrolux air fryers with dishwasher-safe frying baskets and different cooking modes like roasting and grilling will make cooking fancy meals easier than ever. So, get cooking and make your life tastier and healthier!