How Much Oil to Put in Air Fryer

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Air fryers. They're such a versatile appliance, yet I hear the same question all the time. Can you put oil in an air fryer?

Well, here are all the answers you are looking for including where to put oil in an air fryer, which oils to use, and which oils are the healthiest for cooking in one.

Can You Put Oil in an Air Fryer?

Yes, and you should be using oil in some capacity for almost 75% of what you cook.

It can sound deceiving knowing an air fryer is so you don't have to deep fry foods then finding out you need oil to cook in it.

The truth is, it is still much healthier than a deep fryer and cheaper. A deep fryer can easily hold a full container of vegetable oil. That's at least $3.00 PLUS the cost of food.

It can add up! With an air fryer, even if you use it every day, it can take weeks, but most likely months, to go through that same amount.

How Much Oil Do You Use in an Air Fryer?

While air frying, you use anywhere from a few sprays to 1 tablespoon of oil depending on the type of food you are cooking.

Where Do You Put Oil in an Air Fryer?

When air frying, you put the oil on the food, not in the basket. How you put the oil on the food will depend on what exactly you are cooking.

I explain this more below.

What Can I Use To Put Oil in an Air Fryer?

There are a variety of oil misters on the market to put oil into your air fryer. You can also use a basting brush when you're using something with a bigger surface (think frozen chicken breasts).

Here are the best oil misters out there:

• Evo Oil Sprayer Bottle
• Misto Aluminum Bottle Oil Sprayer, Set of 2
• Premium Olive Oil Mister and Cooking Sprayer
• Misto Brushed Aluminum Olive Oil Sprayer

What Foods Need Oil to Cook in an Air Fryer?

some frozen foods, egg rolls, fried ravioli, etc.

Frozen foods such as frozen dumplings and air fried ravioli made fresh or heated from frozen need a little oil when cooking in an air fryer or they will start to get a little dry.

How to add the oil:

Spray food with about 1 teaspoon of oil using an oil sprayer on all sides. When shaking the basket while cooking, if the food looks too dry at any point, spray a little more oil on it.

I love to air on the side of a little more oil for taste preference. You are still using MUCH less than a deep fryer, making it healthier than the latter.

Here are 17 of the best frozen foods to make in the air fryer!

Roasting Fresh vegetables

All roasted vegetables require a little oil or butter when air fried.

How to add the oil:

Place the cut-up vegetables in a bowl with 1 tablespoon of oil and toss together until well coated.

Leaving oil out in the above dishes can cause food to become dry and possibly even tough (no one wants that).

Examples of fresh vegetables cooked with a little oil/butter:

• Homemade Sweet Potato Fries
• Air Fried Baby Carrots
• Whole Air Fried Baby Potatoes
• Roasted Broccoli
• Brussels Sprouts

Looking for some healthy side dishes to make? Check out how to cook these 30 vegetables in the air fryer.

What Foods Should I Not Use Oil For?

• Most meats (besides some frozen) do not need oil. My rule is if you need oil when cooking a food in the oven, you should use a little oil. This includes if you just need to spray a baking sheet to make it not stick.
  You can, however, choose to marinate meat with ingredients such as oil, like these Air Fryer Chicken Thighs recipe.

Examples of Meats That Do Not Need Any Oil:

• Hamburgers/Cheeseburgers
• Hot Dogs (from fresh and frozen)
• Chicken Bites for Sweet and Sour Chicken
• Chicken Wings

• Most frozen foods do not need added oil when being air fried. Foods like frozen sweet potato fries when cooked in an air fryer already have oil in their ingredients and don't need an extra spritzing while cooking.
  Simply cook your frozen food halfway, open the drawer to flip or shake the basket, and add any oil if the food appears dry. Otherwise, skip the oil.

Other frozen foods that don't need oil in the air fryer:

• Hot Pockets
• Pizza Rolls
• Frozen Onion Rings
• Hash Browns

Appetizers are delicious when cooked in an air fryer! Check out these mouth-watering air fryer appetizers you need to make at your next party.

Can I Use PAM Cooking Spray in an Air Fryer?

Simple answer? No. You should NEVER use PAM cooking spray inside an air fryer. Let me rephrase that.

You should never use PAM on or in ANY non-stick appliance or pot.

PAM and other aerosol cooking sprays have an ingredient called soy lecithin. It ends up destroying the non-stick coating on the pan and adds a thick layer of sticky gunk. It's basically impossible to remove.

The coating to make a pot or appliance, like your air fryer, non-stick is there so you don't have to use anything else.

Be on the lookout for other cooking sprays, like this PAM Oil Mister that looks safe, but still contains soy lecithin.

If any of your food is sticking to the air fryer, feel free to spritz a little oil into the basket before placing your food in. You can also use a small amount of coconut oil and rub it in the basket before turning it on.

I learned the hard way through the years and completely destroyed my non-stick cooking pan from using PAM for quesadillas. Never again.

What Kinds of Oil Can I Use in an Air Fryer?

You can use any oil in an air fryer that you can use in an oven. This includes vegetable oil, olive oil, coconut oil, canola oil, and more.

Read more on the healthiest oils to use below.

What is the Healthiest Oil to Use?

There is not one oil that's considered the "healthiest." You'll get different answers depending on who you ask, even if they are health experts.

Here are some of the "healthiest" oils to use:

• Canola oil
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil*
• Pure Olive Oil
• Avocado Oil
• Grapeseed Oil
• Soybean Oil
• Sesame Oil
• Peanut Oil

Here are some of the oils you can still use but aren't as healthy as the ones above:

• Coconut Oil
• Any partially hydrogenated oils
• Vegetable Oil made with a blend of oils
• Palm Oil
• Corn Oil
• Butter

*should only be used in temperatures up to 320 degrees Fahrenheit

I recommend having more than one mister for different types of oil, especially if you use extra virgin olive oil.

I love these 2-pack misters available on Amazon:

What is your favorite thing to cook in your air fryer? What food do you want to know more about using oil with?

How Much Oil to Put in Air Fryer

Source: https://www.everydayfamilycooking.com/air-fryer-oil/

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