28 Vegan Air Fryer Recipes You Need To Try (2024)

FAQs

What do vegans use an air fryer for? ›

Air fryers can also make it easier to follow a vegan diet, offering a failsafe way to cook staples like tofu, cauliflower, and potatoes to perfection. Below, we've rounded up 10 mouth-watering recipes that prove plant-based cooking needn't be complicated or boring.

Some of the popular things to make in the air fryer are potatoes (chips, roasted, baked), muffins, scones, and cakes. It's also great for getting dinner on the table fast – we love to use our air fryer to make fritters, rissoles, nuggets, and pork belly (yes, you can cook raw meat in an air fryer).

Air fryers give you the ability to prep a larger volume of food at once, and use minimal pieces of equipment while doing so. Alongside that, they're a dream for prepping vegan protein sources like tofu, tempeh, or your favourite plant-based meat alternative.

Air frying uses less oil

This means that your food has fewer calories. Still, food isn't necessarily healthier just because it contains less oil. Extra virgin olive oil, for example, is rich in polyphenols and has known heart health benefits. Overall, air frying is healthier than deep-frying.

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.

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 fryer health risks

COPs are linked to an increase in heart disease, cancer and other medical conditions. You may have also heard about polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), which are carcinogens that are produced as fumes when foods are cooked at a high temperature.

Foil is safe to use in an air fryer so long as you follow three basic rules: never let foil touch the heating element; make sure the foil is weighted so it doesn't blow around the basket; and avoid contact with acidic ingredients, which can cause the foil to leach onto your food.

What do I wish I knew before I get an air fryer? ›

Shake it

One of the best tips I can offer you for how to use an air fryer is to periodically shake the basket during its cooking time. I'm not talking anything crazy – just a couple of good shakes during cooking to really move the food around and get that even, crispy coating on every single bite.

It is possible to cook pasta in an air fryer, and “pasta bakes that just need the baking part should be fine”, says Ailsa Burt. “But I wouldn't use an air fryer to cook pasta dishes with lots of sauce.”

An air-fryer is a kitchen appliance that cooks by circulating hot air around the food. The food is heated by convection which creates a crunchy, crispy exterior requiring minimal fat, making it both convenient and a lower fat method for cooking foods like chips and fried chicken.

Air-fryers require less oil

It's no secret that air-fryers use less oil than deep-fat fryers, which means they can be a healthier way to cook 'fried' favourites like chips, chicken thighs and doughnuts.

The fact that they use less energy than other frying techniques is just one reason for their greener reputation. Air fryers also produce less waste as they don't require the use of disposable cooking oils or other harmful chemicals.