Healthy Vegan Air-Fryer Recipes (2024)

FAQs

Are air fryers healthy for vegans? ›

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.

It's important to eat your veggies, and while there are many ways to cook them—the air fryer isn't a good choice for leafy green vegetables, such as spinach, bok choy, Swiss chard, and kale. This is because the speed of the air causes them to heat unevenly.

Seitan – Protein packed with amazing texture, seitan is a wonderful plant-based alternative to beef. Finger Steak Breading – This peppery mix crisps up beautifully in the air fryer. Oil – Although much less than deep frying, a little oil is necessary for perfectly crispy air-fried finger steaks.

Air fryers have a limited cooking capacity compared to traditional ovens or deep fryers, making them unsuitable for larger families or cooking larger portions.

In one study, air frying of fish raised the amount of a substance called "cholesterol oxidation products" (COPs). COPs form when the cholesterol in meat or fish breaks down during cooking. Studies connect these substances to coronary heart disease, hardening of the arteries, cancer, and other diseases.

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.

Hamburgers. Air fryers aren't really designed to grill red meat, especially if you like your burgers medium-rare. Though it takes a fairly short amount of time for an air fryer to cook the inside of meat to medium-rare, the outside of the burger won't brown as quickly.

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.

Why are my vegetables not crispy from the air fryer? ›

If these pieces are too large, they won't cook through by the time the zucchini and peppers are tender. Don't crowd the air fryer basket. The #1 rule of air frying! In order for the vegetables to become caramelized and crisp, the hot air must be able to contact them on all sides.

Fortunately it's now easy to whip up a plant-based burger like the Beyond Burger in the air-fryer. Whether fresh or frozen, all you need is 10 minutes a and a few toppings for a quick and delicious burgers for dinner!

As with all dry-heat cooker methods (grilling, broiling, pan frying and oven roasting), tender beef cuts perform best in the air fryer. Those cuts include Top Sirloin, KC Strip, Ribeye, Tenderloin and Tri Tip. Ground beef also can be easily prepared in an air fryer.

The new Beyond Burger significantly improves that health profile. It has 10 percent of the recommended intake of saturated fat and 14 percent of the recommended intake of sodium. A single patty has 230 calories, which is the same as the outgoing burger. For comparison, a Kroger-brand 80/20 beef patty has 290 calories.

Yes, air fryers are generally considered more energy-efficient than traditional ovens. Carefully consider your household size and follow other tips to keep your air fryer's efficiency at max.

Myth 3.

Think air fryers are just for cooking chips, nuggets and other frozen foods? Think again! "Air fryers can be used for cooking similar foods to what you cook in the oven, like roasting and grilling meats, vegetables, nuts and even reheating," Fiona explains.

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.

Because air fryers use less energy and can help reduce food waste, they can help lower your overall consumption of natural resources by reducing your contribution to greenhouse gas emissions and other environmental problems, such as air and water pollution.