An air fryer is a valuable kitchen appliance, offering the ability to cook food quickly and with minimal oil. While they excel at handling various dishes, some foods are best avoided to prevent damage to your appliance and ensure proper cooking. Matt Ayres, an appliance expert at RDO Kitchens & Appliances, warns against cooking certain items in your air fryer.
1. Wet Batter
Air fryers are not designed to handle wet batters. Unlike deep frying, the hot air in an air fryer won’t quickly set the batter, resulting in a soggy, dripping mess at the bottom of the basket instead of a crispy coating. This also makes cleaning the appliance a nightmare. To achieve a crispy exterior on your air-fried foods, opt for a dry coating like breadcrumbs.
2. Popcorn
While various online recipes suggest making popcorn in an air fryer, it can be more hassle than it’s worth. Depending on your air fryer model, it might not reach the high temperatures required to pop popcorn effectively. This can lead to uneven popping or even burning. Matt suggests sticking to more traditional methods such as a stovetop popper or the microwave.
3. Leafy Greens
Lightweight leafy greens like spinach are easily blown around by the air fryer’s fan. This can cause them to burn quickly without cooking evenly. For a more successful experience, opt for denser vegetables like carrots or potatoes that respond better to the hot air, resulting in an evenly cooked side dish.
4. Smaller Nuts and Seeds
Toasting nuts like hazelnuts or pine nuts in your air fryer might seem appealing, but they will just end up blowing around. Similar to popcorn, they can damage your air fryer and won’t toast evenly. Instead, use other methods like pan-toasting, grilling, or baking them in the oven.
5. Bread for Toast
Toasting bread in the air fryer might seem convenient, but it can lead to crumbs on the fan and heating elements, making cleaning a challenge. These crumbs are difficult to remove from the heating elements, resulting in a persistent burning smell every time you use the appliance.
6. Rice and Pasta
Water is essential for cooking rice and pasta, and air fryers cannot provide this necessary moisture. As a result, these foods will not cook properly, ending up hard and undercooked. It’s best to cook rice and pasta on the stovetop or in a rice cooker to ensure they are fully cooked. However, if you want a crispy top on a baked pasta dish, you can place the casserole dish in the air fryer for a few minutes to grill the top.
