Air fryer is a kitchen staple that promises quick meals with minimal cleanup, but it has its limits. After five years of experimenting, the author has found that certain foods simply do not fare well in the high-heat, convection environment. Below are the top ten foods that are best avoided in an air fryer.
At a Glance
- 10 foods that air fryers can’t handle.
- Lean meats and leafy greens dry out quickly.
- Certain baked goods and shellfish need liquid.
- Why it matters: Knowing these limits saves time and prevents ruined meals.
Why Some Foods Fail in an Air Fryer
Air fryers cook by circulating hot air, which can over-cook or dry foods that lack fat or moisture. The appliance works best with items that have a natural fat content or that can be protected by breading or marinades. Foods that are lean, highly perishable, or require liquid heat transfer often end up soggy, rubbery, or burnt.
| Food Category | Typical Problem | Recommended Alternative |
|---|---|---|
| Lean meats | Dry, rubbery | Cast-iron skillet, grill, sous vide |
| Leafy greens | Excessive crisping | Saute, steam, or bake |
| Shellfish | Over-cooked, chewy | Steamed, boiled, or sautéed |
| Baked goods | Burnt or uneven | Conventional oven or air-fry-specific recipes |
| Casseroles | Top burns before interior cooks | Slow cooker, Dutch oven, or oven |
1. Boneless Pork Chops
A perfectly cooked pork chop is a thing of beauty, but leaner cuts of the other white meat can dry out in a hurry. Bacon, bone-in pork chops and fattier cuts of swine can handle the air fryer, but lean, boneless pork chops and tenderloin tend to dry out when subjected to the blast of high heat. If you’re using the air fryer to cook pork chops, do so at a lower temperature and use some fat to prevent them from becoming dry.
2. Spinach and Leafy Greens
Leafy greens are a big “no” when air-fryer cooking. The hot convection air will crisp most leafy greens such as spinach, kale and chard far beyond anything you’d want to eat. Solid veggies, including Brussels sprouts, squash and zucchini, fare well in the air fryer, but leafy greens are best when sautéed, stewed or steamed.
3. Steak and Most Cuts of Beef
“Steak cooked in an air fryer may end up tough and rubbery,” said Molly Price. Steak reheats well in the air fryer but it’s not an ideal place to cook it for the first time. Air fryer baskets get hot but not hot enough to give the outside of your steak a proper sear. Even fatty, forgiving steaks don’t come out as well as when they’re cooking on a hot plancha, cast-iron skillet or grill. The exception to the beef rule is burgers. Ground beef won’t become stringy, and the air fryer’s intense heat allows for a crusty sear without over-cooking the middle.
4. Boneless Chicken Breasts
Unbreaded chicken breasts are not the best candidates. Chicken wings, thighs and any bone-in pieces are perfect candidates for the air fryer. Boneless chicken breasts don’t have much fat and will dry out easily. Protect them with a little egg batter and breadcrumbs, and you’ll be OK, but bare chicken breasts cooked in the air fryer often emerge dry or rubbery.
5. Large Cuts of Any Meat
Pot roast typically needs low and slow methods of cooking. Large cuts of beef, pork and lamb typically do best when cooked using a low-and-slow method such as braising or smoking. When cooking larger cuts of meat, avoid the air fryer’s hot blast of convection air and opt for the Dutch oven, slow cooker or pellet smoker.
6. Naked Broccoli
The air fryer will singe broccoli unless you cover it in foil. If you wrap your broccoli in foil, you can use the air fryer to roast it quickly. If you leave it uncovered and exposed to the hot convection air, you’ll end up with sizzled broccoli ends that are anything but delicious.
7. Shellfish
Clams and mussels are better for a pot instead of an air fryer. Shellfish, such as clams and mussels, require liquid to cook without drying out. They are also easily over-cooked, which can result in a chewy, rubbery morsel that you wouldn’t want anywhere near your plate. Avoid using the air fryer when cooking most types of shellfish.
8. Most Baked Goods
Cake and cookie recipes don’t typically translate well from the oven to the air fryer. You can certainly do some baking in the air fryer, but use caution because the air fryer’s super convection behaves differently than a normal oven’s convection heat. Baking a cake or batch of cookies in the air fryer using the time and temperature called for in a recipe will often result in an over-cooked, dry or burnt result. When baking in an air fryer, use recipes specifically designed for an air fryer and avoid assuming that an oven recipe will translate.
9. Deep Casseroles and Layered Pasta
Lasagna and deep casserole-style dishes may not warm through before the top starts to burn. Because the air fryer cooks fast and the heat comes from above, deep casseroles and layered lasagnas may not cook all the way through before burning on top. If you plan to use the air fryer, set it to bake or a lower temperature than you would typically use for cooking chicken wings or hot dogs.
10. Popcorn
Loose popcorn in the air fryer is a recipe for disaster. Popcorn seems like a good candidate for the air fryer but the quick results aren’t worth the potential danger. As popcorn pops, it shoots sky-high, and those kernels can get caught in your air fryer’s heating element, causing a fire at worst or burnt popcorn at best. If you’re going to make popcorn in the air fryer, a foil packet or other heat-proof container is a requisite.
Key Takeaways
- Air fryers excel with fatty, breaded, or marinated items.
- Lean meats, leafy greens, shellfish, and large cuts need slower, liquid-based cooking.
- When in doubt, use a conventional oven or a method that preserves moisture.
- Experiment with lower temperatures and protective coatings to avoid drying.
- Knowing the limits of your air fryer can save you time, money, and frustration.
