Air fryers have revolutionized home cooking by offering a quick, convenient way to achieve crispy, delicious results with significantly less oil than traditional deep frying. One of the key advantages of air fryers is their ability to produce that coveted crunchy texture while using minimal oil, making meals healthier without sacrificing flavor or mouthfeel. However, despite their ease of use, there are important nuances to using oil effectively in an air fryer. Selecting the right type of oil, using the appropriate amount, and understanding common pitfalls can make a big difference in the outcome of your dishes.
To shed light on how best to use oil in an air fryer, I spoke with John Marchetti, the executive chef of Carcara in Phoenix. He emphasized that the magic of air fryers lies in their ability to replicate the speed and crispiness of deep frying but with far less oil. “It’s for anything that you want that deep-fried crispness but without the extra fat,” Marchetti explains. This means that while you don’t need to drown your food in oil, a light coating can be crucial, especially for certain ingredients prone to drying out during cooking.
When it comes to applying oil in an air fryer, the volume used matters more than the specific type of oil, according to Marchetti. Using too much oil can cause uneven heat distribution, leading to burnt spots on your food. On the other hand, too little oil can result in soggy or under-crisped results, particularly with battered or breaded foods. Marchetti recommends lightly seasoning battered items with oil, salt, and pepper after freezing them, then cooking in small batches to prevent sticking and maintain the appliance's temperature. This technique helps keep the food crispy and evenly cooked.
While some chefs advise against using oil sprayers, I find that affordable oil mister sprays are quite useful for evenly coating food before air frying. This ensures a uniform layer of oil without overdoing it, helping the food crisp up nicely without excess grease.
Choosing the right cooking oil for your air fryer is crucial, as heat tolerance varies widely among oils. Because air fryers cook food quickly at high temperatures, oils with high smoke points are best suited for this method. A smoke point is the temperature at which an oil begins to burn and degrade, producing unpleasant flavors and potentially harmful compounds. Oils with high smoke points maintain their integrity under the air fryer’s intense heat, allowing them to impart moisture and flavor while creating a light, crispy texture.
Three of the most commonly recommended oils for air frying are avocado oil, grapeseed oil, and extra-light olive oil. Notably, not all olive oils are created equal: while extra-virgin olive oil has a relatively low smoke point and is better suited for dressings or finishing dishes, extra-light olive oil is more refined and can withstand the higher temperatures of air frying.
Chef Marchetti’s personal favorite oil for air frying is peanut oil. He praises peanut oil for its high smoke point, affordability, flavor complexity, and health benefits compared to many other frying oils. “I believe the best oil for frying is peanut oil,” he states. If peanut oil isn’t available, avocado oil is a good substitute, although it tends to be more expensive.
For those who prioritize flavor variety, canola and sunflower oils are also good options. These oils have distinct tastes that complement a wide range of foods, from vegetables like broccoli to proteins such as chicken. However, when selecting oil, it is important to avoid unrefined oils like extra-virgin olive oil or some coconut oils, which have lower smoke points and will likely burn or fail to crisp food effectively in an air fryer. Melted butter should also be avoided for similar reasons—it burns easily due to its low smoke point.
Another common pitfall is the use of aerosol cooking sprays, such as Pam. While these sprays promise even oil distribution, many contain additives like lecithin to prevent sticking. Unfortunately, these additives can damage the nonstick coating inside the air fryer basket over time and degrade the appliance’s lifespan. Lecithin has also been associated with gastrointestinal discomfort in some people, making these sprays less desirable from both a cooking and health perspective.
Certain specialty oils, such as toasted sesame oil, are better reserved for finishing dishes or adding flavor to dips and dressings rather than cooking in an air fryer. Though they add wonderful aroma and depth to Asian-style dishes like spring rolls or crab rangoons, their delicate flavors do not hold up well under