While using an air fryer, we always think about whether it is suitable to use oil or not. At least I’m the one who ponders on it a lot. You might also wonder if vegetable oil is suitable or if you should opt for another one.
Vegetable oil is safe to use in an air fryer. It has a smoke point of 400 to 450 F and contains nutrients to prepare healthy food.
Other than that, all the oven-friendly oils can also be used in an air fryer. This includes canola oil, coconut oil, olive oil, and various other types of oil.
Several oil spritzer misters are available on the market to add oil to your air fryer. A basting brush can be used for foods with larger surface areas. For roughly 75% of what you prepare, you should use oil in some form.
In this article, I’ll discuss all the possible answers to a bunch of frequently asked questions. We’ll look at whether vegetable oil can be used in an air fryer or not, and if yes, what’s the best way to do it.
Apart from that, You’ll get relatable solutions to air frying problems.
Stick with me till the end!
What is an Air Fryer?
An air fryer, like an oven, bakes, and roasts, but the difference is that its heating elements are only on the top and are accompanied by a large, powerful fan, resulting in super crispy food in no time — and, more importantly, with less oil than deep-fried counterparts.
Air fryers typically heat up quickly and cook food quickly and evenly due to the combination of a concentrated heat source and the size and placement of the fan.
Another benefit of air frying is the simplicity of cleanup. Most air fryer baskets and racks are dishwasher safe.
How does an Air Fryer work?
Air fryers do not cook food; instead, food is placed in a perforated basket, and the machine cooks it by blowing hot air around it.
The air force creates a convection effect, which cooks and browns the outside of the food in the basket. Breaded foods like frozen chicken tenders or unbreaded starchy items like french fries or tater tots will turn brown as long as the air temperature exceeds 320 F.
Does An Air Fryer Consume Oil?
Air fryers are designed in such a way that they don’t consume any oil. At least we don’t have to add oil from the outer surface. It uses the fat content of foods that are being air fried.
But, most of us use oil to satisfy our mouth sensations.
I cover my post-workout chicken breasts with butter and Nando’s Peri Peri sauce before putting them in the air fryer for 20 minutes at 180 °C to get a fantastic flavor. I give them a slight brush of olive oil to have a better taste.
An air fryer can use oil, although it uses less than a deep fryer because the amount needed depends on the food being cooked. You don’t need more oil than 2 tbsp for the majority of meals. I don’t recall using any more oil for my steaks and vegetables than 2 tbsp.
My main motivation for purchasing an air fryer was to reduce my calorie intake, and I must say that I made the right choice. If you’re hesitant to use a liter of vegetable oil in the air fryer, as you would in a deep fryer, your hesitation is valid.
Thus to put it shortly, air fryers don’t require oil, but adding that won’t cause any consequences. Using oil excessively will kill the purpose of cooking healthy food in an air fryer.
Which Oil Works Best In An Air Fryer?
The following oils work well in an air fryer: refined sunflower oil, refined peanut oil, and refined corn oil that have a neutral flavor. These oils won’t take away the flavor of your favorite fried meals.
Your air fryer’s cooking oil significantly impacts how tasty your food turns out. Not all oils are healthy for cooking food, so choose wisely.
Your food will taste fantastic, and you won’t experience any unfavorable side effects if you use the correct oil. The best oils to use in an air fryer are those with a high smoke point and prevent turning food brown.
It is not intended to be a deep fryer, but you can add extra virgin olive oil to the meal to coat it.
Does Air Fryer Need the Same Amount Of Oil As A Deep Fryer?
Using only 2 to 3 tablespoons of oil for cooking food in an air fryer is best.
Convection cooking is accomplished via the air fryer using 2-3 tbsp of oil. It cooks by providing a heating element through its fan. The fan moves the hot air around the food as it operates.
The air fryer doesn’t need as much oil as a deep fryer, microwave, or toaster oven. The taste and texture of deep-fried food can be achieved with just a tablespoon of oil. Some recipes use no oil, while others only call for one or two teaspoons.
Avoid using an air fryer for cooking the cheese, wet batters, or anything with excessive seasoning since they can spill and cause a mess.
Be aware that the best oils for air fryers are avocado oil, extra light olive oil, peanut oil, and sesame oil.
To summarize, I’d say that the amount of oil used while air frying is 10% compared to that of a deep frying technique. Therefore, the results are contradictory.
Unlike deep-fried food, you just need to spray a bit of oil, or droplets are brushed upon food when you air fry them.
Remember, oil makes a lot of difference to your food as well as to your health.
Smoke Caused In An Air Fryer
The most important thing to remember while frying food in an air fryer is the smoke point of the fat you’re using. The oil stops cooking at the smoke point and emits dense smoke.
But what causes this smoke to emit?
The mineral components of crude oil that react poorly to the high temperatures are the cause of this smoke.
Virgin oils that have not been refined have a low smoke point, whereas refined oils perform very well at high temperatures. This is due to the absence of naturally occurring minerals in these oils.
How Do I Cook Food In Air Fryer With Vegetable Oil?
As I’ve already talked about, air fryers cook food using air. It needs something to react with, and that when adding oil to your food help. Using 1 to 2 tablespoons is an excellent way to give the right crispiness to your food.
But how can we do it? Let me give you a short procedure check.
- Before placing the food in the air fryer, season it with your favorite spices.
- Then combine it with a few teaspoons of vegetable or olive oil.
- And then place your food in the basket and let it cook.
A small quantity of oil can go a long way in keeping your food moist and giving it that golden brown hue. Use nonstick spray. Always trust your gut feelings. While using oil while cooking on the stovetop or in the oven is commonplace, air fryers don’t always need it.
Some of the items you prepare in an air fryer already contain oil, so adding additional oil risks making your food overly oily. Oil is not required to cook frozen items that already include oil, such as frozen fries, pizza rolls, or other high-calorie frozen foods.
What Oil Is Recommended For Air Fryers?
Vegetable oil, avocado oil, olive oil, peanut oil, grape seed oil, safflower oil, and canola oil are the best oils for air fryers. Avoid using corn oil, coconut oil, or sesame oil, as they provide a lot of flavor to the food.
You can also use olive oil in your air fryer. The best olive oil to use is olive pomace oil because it has a high smoke rate compared to extra virgin olive oil.
Extra-virgin olive oil typically tastes fruity, bitter, and peppery. The flavor can change based on the brand that you buy.
| Best Oils For Air frying | Temperature Limits |
| Avocado Oil | 375-400°F/190-205°C |
| Peanut Oil | 450°F/230°C |
| Vegetable Oil | 400-450°F/205-230°C |
| Sesame Oil | 350-410°F/175-210°C |
| Olive Oil | 375°F/190°C or 400°F/205°C |
The Design Of An Air Fryer And Oil Placement
The best way to use oil while cooking in an air fryer is to add oil directly to the food before placing it in an air fryer basket.
Add oil and seasoning to your food (vegetables or meat). Mix everything well in a bowl, and then add the basket to the air fryer to let it cook.
As the name suggests, an air fryer is meant to cook food with air. You can add oil, however, not the same amount as a deep fryer.
They aren’t designed to fry food without extra oil. It contains a rotating basket, five wire shelves, a rotisserie, skewers for kabobs, and other things.
The dish will receive far less fat from the air fryer. Cleaning up after using an air fryer is comparable to sautéing and considerably simpler than deep frying. Since fat from oil tastes wonderful, the outcomes are not the same as when you fry food.
However, the food comes out delicious, and you can enjoy eating more healthfully. In the air fryer, chicken pieces, fish fillets, whether breaded or not, fish cakes, and roasted root vegetables perform well.
This video below would help you know more about using oils in an air fryer!
Final Thoughts
To conclude, I’d like to give an overview that;
- An air fryer does not require oil, but we can add oil, depending on what we want to prepare. The best oils to use in an air fryer are vegetable oil, avocado oil, olive oil, and canola oil.
- The amount of oil you use depends on the food you are cooking. Oil should be applied to the meal rather than the basket during air frying.
- Depending on what you are preparing, there are many ways to apply the oil to the meal.
- You can buy sprays that are exclusively designed for an air fryer to avoid breakage.