What shouldn’t you cook in an air fryer?

Air fryers are all the rage right now. And what’s not to love? Your food is cooked quickly and evenly with less oil. It’s also cheaper to run than an oven.

But there are some things you should never cook in an air fryer, no matter what. 

What to avoid putting in your air fryer

Although an air fryer boasts of being able to cook almost anything, there are still a couple of limitations involved. This fabulous kitchen appliance can be damaged easily if instructions and guidelines are not adhered to, so it is always best to avoid those foods that are unfit for it.

Here are the top 7 things that can’t be cooked in an air fryer:

1. Cheesy foods

Melted gooey cheese might make the perfect comfort food, but it shouldn’t be cooked in an air fryer. The cheese melts quite quickly, so if you place it under really high heat in your air fryer, you’ll probably end up with burnt cheese. 

2. Sauces and liquids

Air fryers are made for frying solid food, not liquid sauces. The pressure from the air can cause the liquids to spray around in your basket, leading to all sorts of damage to your appliance. If you want to cook with sauce, use your oven or stovetop.

3. Battered foods

Similar to the above point, trying to cook wet batter in an air fryer won’t work and will, in fact, make a mess. If you are craving battered food, cook it in the frying pan. 

Fritters are a family favourite, but a batter like this will make a mess and clog up your air fryer!

4. Fresh greens

Yes, you can cook veggies in your air fryer as long as they are heavy enough to stay in the basket once the machine has turned on. So that leaves out things like lettuce, spinach and kale.

You might be able to make kale chips if enough oil is used, but it’s probably best to avoid the air fryer. Other vegetables like broccoli and beans can also dry out if cooked in an air fryer. If you want to cook broccolini, this is the best way to do it.

5. A whole chicken

If your air fryer is big enough to cook a roast chicken, that doesn’t mean you should. The top of your roast will likely burn while leaving other parts undercooked. And nobody wants to eat unevenly cooked chicken. 

This one pot chicken roast is ideal for a cosy night in, but putting it in the air fryer may result in a burnt top and uncooked bottom!

6. Popcorn

Although air frying popcorn sounds like a healthy snack, it’s unlikely your appliance can do the job. Not to mention, it’s possible the kernels will fly around and become lodged in your air fryer, causing big problems later on. 

7. Whole eggs

Making boiled eggs in the air fryer is quite a popular method. However it can often result in a very rubbery texture. If left on for too long, there have been rare occasions of whole eggs exploding or popping with too much heat. All we can say is, they’re called boiled eggs for a reason!

Other foods that are best avoided

• Grains and rice: To avoid any flying around and being lodged in the appliance, it’s best to stick to using the stove, rice cooker or even the microwave.
• Leafy greens: Because kale, broccoli and sliced brussels sprouts are so light, they can burn easily from the intense temperature of an air fryer.
• Toast: It’s quite easy for bread to burn in the air fryer. In our opinion, the toaster reigns supreme.
• Pasta: Unless you loved the toasted ravioli trend, pasta is always best boiled on the stove. For a pasta bake, you may need a little extra liquid in the air fryer so it doesn’t dry out.
• Mountain bread, wraps, tortillas and pappadums: because these are so light, they can easily be lifted (UFO style) and cook unevenly. If you’ve got toppings, like a pizza dupe, then you’ll be fine!

Tips for air frying

• Ensure your air fryer is placed on a flat surface with nothing covering the exhaust vent. 
• Preheat your air fryer for a few minutes before frying your food, and set the time for 2 or 3 minutes. Once it goes off, you can start the cooking process. 
• Space your food items evenly.
• Put down the spray oil. Although some recipes might tell you to spray oil on the base of the basket, avoid using spray oil. The problem with oil in a can is the oil isn’t the only ingredient there, and over time it will ruin your air fryer basket’s non-stick coating. Using a brush, you can brush regular oil over the basket before cooking. Alternatively, a spray oil bottle like this can be a game-changer in the kitchen.