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.

Well sure. If for no other reason, air fryers offer more space on the stovetop or in the oven. Main dishes can be cooked on the oven and some side dishes (potatoes, Brussels sprout, fried veggies, etc ) are great in the air fryer. Cooking times are usually less in an air fryer than an oven.

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.

The Instant Vortex Plus 6-quart Air Fryer has impressed us time and time again as the best air fryer available. It's the right balance of manageable size yet useful 6-quart capacity, blasting convection power necessary for crispy results, and, of course, the user-friendly interface.

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.

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.

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.

There are air fryers large enough to cook a Christmas ham, but I find small- and medium-sized models under 5 quarts net the best results. If you're cooking for one or two people a 2- or 3-quart air fryer should be large enough.

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.