The 7 Foods You Should Never Cook in an Air Fryer

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The air fryer revolutionized cooking by offering a healthier alternative to traditional deep frying. It’s become a favorite kitchen gadget for many, promising crispy, golden-brown meals with little to no oil.

While it can work wonders for many foods, there are certain items you should never attempt to cook in your air fryer. Some foods just don’t lend themselves to air frying, and attempting to cook them can result in undercooked meals, smoke, or even damage to the appliance. Let’s explore the 7 foods you should avoid in your air fryer.

Battered Foods

One of the biggest mistakes people make when using an air fryer is cooking battered foods like tempura or beer-battered fish. While the air fryer works well for foods coated in breadcrumbs or flour, it struggles with liquid batters. The rapid air circulation causes the batter to blow off, making it impossible for the batter to crisp up the way you expect.

Battered foods need to maintain a wet consistency to form a proper coating when cooked. In an air fryer, the batter doesn’t have enough time to set properly, leading to uneven cooking. Instead, use the air fryer for breaded items, like chicken tenders or mozzarella sticks, but reserve liquid-battered dishes for a deep fryer or oven.

Whole Roasts or Large Cuts of Meat

While the air fryer is excellent for cooking smaller cuts of meat, like chicken breasts, steak, or pork chops, it’s not suitable for whole roasts or large cuts. The reason is simple: air fryers work by circulating hot air around the food, and a large roast can be too large for the appliance to cook evenly.

When you cook a roast in an air fryer, you risk the outer edges becoming overcooked while the inside stays raw. A rotisserie-style oven or conventional oven is much better equipped to handle large cuts of meat, ensuring that the roast is cooked uniformly and the internal temperature is properly reached.

Leafy Greens

While the air fryer does a great job crisping vegetables, leafy greens like spinach, kale, or lettuce don’t fare well in it. The lightweight nature of these greens causes them to get tossed around by the strong air circulation, resulting in uneven cooking or a mess of burnt bits at the bottom of the air fryer basket.

If you’re craving crispy kale chips, you can still use the air fryer, but be sure to use a light hand with the oil and avoid overcrowding the basket. For salads or other leafy greens, it’s better to stick to more traditional methods, such as sautéing or using a salad spinner.

Cheese

Cheese may melt beautifully when baked or fried, but it’s a tricky ingredient in an air fryer. When cheese is exposed to the high heat of an air fryer, it can melt too quickly and spill out of its original shape, causing a mess. Cheese can also drip through the holes of the air fryer basket, leaving a gooey mess that’s hard to clean.

Instead of cooking cheese directly in the air fryer, try using it in a sandwich, wrap, or as a topping on another dish. If you do want to cook cheese, opt for a breaded cheese item, like mozzarella sticks, which will contain the cheese and prevent it from melting out.

Rice or Pasta

Air fryers are great for a wide variety of foods, but rice and pasta should not be cooked in them. Both rice and pasta require water to cook properly, and since an air fryer circulates hot air, there’s no way to add water. Attempting to cook rice or pasta in the air fryer will result in undercooked, hard food.

If you want to make a rice dish, your best bet is to use a rice cooker or a stovetop method. For pasta, a pot of boiling water is necessary to ensure the pasta cooks properly. You can still use the air fryer for dishes that contain pasta or rice, but cooking them directly in the appliance is a no-go.

Foods with a Lot of Water Content

Foods with a high water content, such as fresh fruits and vegetables like tomatoes, cucumbers, or watermelon, don’t perform well in an air fryer. The water in the food evaporates during cooking, and this moisture can make the air fryer steamy rather than crisp. As a result, the food ends up soggy or rubbery, rather than having that desirable crisp texture.

For foods with a high water content, it’s better to cook them using methods that retain moisture, such as steaming or grilling. While the air fryer is great for items like frozen veggies, foods that are high in moisture should be avoided for the best results.

Uncooked Grains

Grains like quinoa, oats, and barley require specific cooking methods that involve simmering in water for an extended period. Air fryers, which circulate hot air, don’t provide the right conditions for grains to cook properly. Cooking raw grains in an air fryer can result in undercooked or burnt grains that are tough and unpleasant to eat.

If you’re in the mood for grains, use a stovetop or pressure cooker instead. These methods are designed to properly cook grains, giving you the fluffy, tender texture you’re looking for. If you want to add grains to a meal cooked in the air fryer, cook them separately and add them to the dish at the end.

Conclusion

The air fryer has undoubtedly become a must-have appliance in many kitchens, offering quick and healthier alternatives to traditional frying.

However, it’s essential to know which foods should be avoided in the air fryer to achieve optimal results. From liquid-battered foods to large cuts of meat, understanding what works and what doesn’t will help you make the most of this innovative kitchen tool. Stick to the basics, and your air fryer will deliver crispy, golden perfection every time.