15 Air Fryer Healthy Dinner Recipes (2024)

FAQs

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

Crispy homemade potato chips have the perfect crunch without all the saturated fat, oil, and calories. Air Fryer Mushrooms with Balsamic Vinegar and Parsley make for a delicious and healthy side dish. Serve with your favorite main course. Delicious Air Fryer Carrots are the perfect side or snack for all ages.

Using air fryers can promote weight loss

A higher intake of fried foods has direct links with higher obesity risk. This is because deep fried foods tend to be high in fat and calories. Switching from deep-fried foods to air-fried foods and reducing regular intake of unhealthful oils can promote weight loss.

People getting rid of air fryers in favour of kitchen appliance that's cheaper to run. Households are shelving their air fryers in favour of another kitchen appliance that is cheaper to run, and just as healthy.

An air fryer cooks smaller quantities of food faster, healthier, and more evenly, perfect for crispy dishes such as chips, frozen food, etc. On the other hand, an oven can accommodate larger quantities of food and has multiple cooking modes such as baking, grilling, reheating, toasting, and more.

Healthier indulgences – If you crave the flavors of deep-fried goodness without the excessive oil, the air fryer is your culinary savior. Because they require significantly less oil, temperature-adjustable air fryers let you enjoy your favorite fried treats while cutting calories by about 70–80%.

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.

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.

They are healthier than the deep-fried version. How healthy they are depends on what you add to them after they are cooked. If you watch the salt and choose a low-fat option like vinegar or onion powder, there is no reason you can't enjoy air fryer frozen French fries as a healthy treat.

Is air-fried chicken bad for you? ›

By most measures, air frying is healthier than frying in oil. It cuts calories by 70% to 80% and has a lot less fat. This cooking method might also cut down on some of the other harmful effects of oil frying.

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.

TOASTER OVEN. An air fryer is usually limited to the convection-like air frying function, while a toaster oven or countertop oven can offer a wider range of functions such as broil, roast and bake. Some countertop ovens even feature an Air Fry setting, maximizing your appliance's functions.

Air fryers have a smaller capacity than convection ovens; that's why they cook food faster. On the downside, they struggle with more than four portions (conversely, a convection oven can cook food for a crowd, thanks to multiple racks and generous surface area).

If you have a convection oven or a toaster oven with a convection oven setting, you can use it to make any air fryer recipe — even the New York Times' Wirecutter column agrees that the best air fryer is actually a toaster oven!

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.