The air fryer is popular for a reason. With one, you can cook crispy chicken wings, chicken nuggets and fries. What you may not have realized is that it’s also more than capable of cooking up delicious crispy veggies that can steal the show at dinner.
I wanted expert input about which vegetables are best for the air fryer, so I chatted with Executive Chef Ryan Ratino of Four Seasons in Fort Lauderdale, who told me you can make restaurant-quality mushrooms at home with your trusty air fryer.
“We may not use an air fryer in the restaurant, but we do use high-powered combo ovens that, under the right settings, are very similar,” he says.
Aside from fantastic fungi, plenty of other vegetables are perfect candidates for the countertop appliance, too. We tapped into Ratino’s expertise for tips on achieving air-fried vegetable perfection.
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Best vegetables to air fry
Potatoes and starchy vegetables
Potatoes and other dense, starchy vegetables are made for the air fryer.
Practically anything can be made in an air fryer but some ingredients hold up better than others. “Potatoes, sweet potatoes, yucca, plantains and also mushrooms air fry the best,” Ratino says. This is because of their starchiness, which cannot only hold up to quick, extreme temperatures but also maintain internal moisture with a crunchy exterior.
Brussels sprouts, green beans, zucchini, eggplant and onions
Dense Brussels sprouts make perfect air fryer food.
Aside from the aforementioned starches, try Brussels sprouts, green beans, zucchini, eggplant and onions, which have layers, pockets and/or thick skins that can withstand oil, coatings, air and quick bursts of heat. One exception to the no fibrous veggie rule (below) is cauliflower. The fibrous cousin of broccoli is more dense and contains more moisture, meaning it’s less likely to burn inside the air fryer basket.
Avoid fibrous greens
Kale, spinach and other leafy greens don’t fare as well against the air fryer’s fierce heat.
Vegetables such as broccoli and asparagus can certainly be tossed into an air fryer but that may not be the best way to maximize their potential. “These dry out too fast before browning and give you a poor texture,” says Ratino. If you’re going to use an air fryer, it’s best to cover the veggies with foil so they don’t dry out or burn.
Blanch your vegetables
Perhaps the most important air frying tip of all, at least with vegetables, is to blanch. “Blanching helps with retaining the moisture in the vegetable while trying to brown it,” explains Ratino. Simply boil a pot of water, add the veggies for one to five minutes (or whenever they appear bright in color), and then immediately transfer them to a bowl of ice water. Drain and dry the vegetables before storing or cooking them.
Lightly oil and coat your vegetables
A spritz of cooking oil will ensure veggies don’t singe or burn.
For added crunch and moisture retention, Ratino recommends a light spray of oil, as well as a coating of French-fried onions. But feel free to experiment with other crispy additions, such as panko, breadcrumbs, crushed crackers and even pork rinds. These add not only drool-worthy texture but also flavor that can change anyone’s perception of what it means to be healthy.
Advantages and disadvantages of using an air fryer
Cauliflower makes another good candidate for the air fryer.
The advantages of air fryers are apparent, with time, color and texture topping Ratino’s list of all-time favorite perks. Although traditional frying techniques may guarantee more-consistent and, frankly, delicious results, these machines cut corners so that less time is spent cooking and more time is spent eating.
That said, air fryers do tend to dry out ingredients more quickly, making it important to keep an eye on temperature and cooking times. This can require a significant amount of trial and error, although a bit of science in the kitchen can be fun for novice chefs.
Additionally, it’s important to note that air fryers can become quite difficult to clean over time because of the volume of food that’s constantly added to their small spaces.
But no matter how you swing — er — bake it, air fryers are now a kitchen countertop essential and a perfect way to knock off the recommended servings in a daily food pyramid.
For more air fryer tips, see the one spot on your air fryer that you’re forgetting to clean and how much you can save on energy using an air fryer instead of your big oven.
