7 Healthy Air Fryer Recipes To Do In Under 20 Minutes

If you’re on a diet but can’t imagine living in a world without fried food, consider preparing your meals with an air fryer! It’s an alternative cooking method that is way healthier than deep frying. Better yet, air fryers will prepare your meals in a neat and timely fashion–lots of healthy air fryer recipes don’t take more than 20 minutes! From chicken wings to steaks, we’ve got a list of air fryer recipes that are guaranteed to make you appear like a better cook than you actually are!

So if you’re keen on dishing out a mean air fryer cuisine, here are seven healthy air fryer recipes that even beginner cooks can whip up with ease!

Must-Try Healthy Air Fryer Recipes 

1. Air Fried Fish and Chips

Here’s a family-friendly meal for the weekdays: fish and chips. People tend to stray away from this dish due to its excess fat and calories from all that deep frying. Luckily for us, using the air fryer solves that problem! 

Need something even simpler? This healthy air fryer recipe also makes for a great party snack! After all, only a few handfuls of potatoes can provide more than enough slices to serve up a small gathering of friends. The best thing about potatoes is their versatility. French fries, wedges, or chips–pick your potato form! For that touch of powdered fries magic, consider buying flavoring like cheese, barbeque, and sour cream!

(yields 2 servings)

Ingredients:

• 450g white fish fillet (cod, tilapia, seabass, or halibut)
• 1 potato
• ½ cup all-purpose flour
• 1 egg

Steps: 

1. Pat the white fish fillet dry with a paper towel.
2. Season and bread the white fish fillet.
3. Submerge the white fillet fish into a beaten egg.
4. Cook at 165°C for 15 minutes, turning the fish halfway through the time. Once the fillet is gold and crispy, it’s good to go.
5. Preheat the air fryer to 190°C while preparing the potatoes.
6. Cut the potatoes into your desired form. Afterwards, rinse and pat dry with paper towels.
7. Stack the cut potatoes in the air fryer and cook for 15 minutes. Toss the fries occasionally.
8. Season with salt afterwards.

2. Air Fried Bacon-Wrapped Asparagus

This healthy air fryer recipe is perfect for those who refuse to eat their vegetables. Fool your sense of taste–let the salty flavors of bacon overpower the asparagus, making it easier to integrate greens into your diet! Strike the right balance between pigging out and staying healthy with an air fryer! Try this dish as a light alternative for lunch or maybe as a little afternoon snack! 

(yields 8 bundles)

Ingredients: 

• 8 strips of bacon 
• 450g asparagus spears
• ½ tsp black pepper
• 1 tbsp olive oil

Steps: 

1. Preheat the air fryer at 195°C.
2. Sprinkle olive oil and black pepper on the asparagus.
3. Wrap a slice of bacon around several stems of asparagus.
4. Leave in the air fryer for 18 minutes.
5. Add seasoning of your choice to pack an even more powerful punch.

3. Air Fried Crispy Tofu

Who can say no to crispy tofu? Although a simple dish, it packs a highly distinct flavor that is sure to satisfy anyone’s taste buds. With your extra firm tofu on hand, you can also consider giving it a run through the air fryer! Just have cornstarch, soy sauce, and garlic powder, and paprika ready to be tossed in with your tofu! This dish features a simple set of ingredients but actually takes some skill to get the right amount of crispy that won’t turn soggy. This healthy air fryer recipe works for those looking for a gluten-free food option as well!

(yields 4 servings)

Ingredients:

• 450g block extra firm tofu
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 clove of minced garlic
• 1 tbsp olive oil 

Steps:

1. Press the tofu to drain out moisture.
2. Preheat the air fryer 190°C while preparing the tofu.
3. Cut the chunk of tofu into bite-sized pieces.
4. Combine cornstarch, soy sauce, minced garlic, and olive oil in a bowl. Coat the tofu and let it marinate.
5. Cook the tofu blocks in the air fryer for 10-15 minutes, depending on how golden you want it to be.

4. Air Fried Surf and Turf 

Craving for high-protein food? Take surf and turf into your own hands with air fried steak and shrimp! If you want potatoes to go with your meal, placing it in the air fryer is a smart way to give it that crispy skin! There’s no doubt about it–this surf and turf is the quickest and heaviest meal you’ll have in a long, long time!

(yields 2 servings) 

Ingredients:

• 900g ribeye
• 225g shrimp
• Salt and black pepper for steak seasoning
• 1 tbsp of each herb (parsley, chives, thyme, or rosemary)
• 4 tbsp butter
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• ¼ tsp paprika

Steps:

1. Preheat the air fryer 200°C.
2. Marinate the ribeye in a normal fashion with herbs, minced garlic, and butter. Rub some olive oil if you wish.
3. Season the ribeye with salt and pepper.
4. Place the ribeye in the air fryer. Wait for seven minutes to get it to medium-rare. 
5. Remove the steak.
6. Lower the temperature to 190°C to accommodate the shrimp.
7. In the meantime, make sure the shell is removed and the shrimp is clean.
8. Brush the shrimp with paprika and other preferred seasoning.
9. Wait for eight minutes for the shrimp to turn into that delectable shade of orange.

5. Air Fried Eggplant 

Afraid of carbs? Try out this healthy air fryer recipe that will only take about five minutes of your day! It’s both healthy and delicious. The best part about this recipe is that it doesn’t require oil at all–perfect for those who are looking to cut down a few extra calories! Other than the breadcrumb coating, you can choose any form of spice to sprinkle on this comforting snack. You can even enjoy it without the guilt since you’re technically munching on a vegetable.

(yields 4 servings)

Ingredients:

• 1 eggplant
• Breadcrumbs
• Salt
• Paprika
• Garlic powder

Steps:

1. Preheat the air fryer 180°C.
2. Cut the eggplant into slices. Make sure to cut all parts into the same thickness in order for it to cook evenly later on.
3. Coat the eggplant slides in the seasoning of your choice. We recommend one teaspoon of each: salt, paprika, and garlic powder.
4. To make things interesting, feel free to smear breadcrumbs on the eggplant.
5. Cook in the air fryer for 8 minutes.

6. Air Fried Glazed Chicken Wings

You don’t need to spend a ton on flavored chicken wings at restaurants. In fact, chicken wings are one of the easiest air fryer recipes you can do! Simply add sauces of your choice to this classic favorite! Instead of making sauce from scratch, why don’t you just purchase chicken wing sauces in packs or bottles? Like air fryers, this saves you more time when a quick lunch break is all you have! Options include Soy Garlic, Hickory BBQ, Lemon Glaze, and of course, Sriracha for that extra spice!

(yields 4 servings) 

Ingredients:

• 450g chicken wings
• 2 tsp salt
• Wing sauce

Steps:

1. Pat the chicken wings dry.
2. Sprinkle with salt to add flavor.
3. Place the chicken wings in the air fryer in a way that no two wings touch.
4. Cook at 190°C for 20 minutes, flipping it with tongs every once in a while. 
5. To make the chicken wings extra crispy, increase the temperature 200°C and wait for another five minutes.
6. Toss the chicken wings into the bowl with your desired sauce. Coat it on all sides.

7. Air Fried Honey Mustard Pork Chop

Pork makes a wonderful foundation for many complex meals, yet it doesn’t require many cooking techniques either. Just lay out the right mix of ingredients and let the air fryer do its magic! However, in this guide, we’ll show you how to prepare a honey mustard pork chop to change things up a notch and bring out the chef in you. To really make the pork chop meal come alive, feel free to prepare brussel sprouts, fried rice, or potatoes sprinkled with some salt and pepper as side dishes! Are you ready for a challenge?

(yields 2 servings)

Ingredients:

• 2 pork chops
• ¼ cup honey
• 2 tbsp whole grain mustard
• ¼ tsp paprika
• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tbsp lemon juice

Steps:

1. Combine the honey, whole grain mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and paprika together. 
2. Marinate the pork chops in it.
3. Preheat the air fryer to 205°C.
4. Let the pork chops sit in the air fryer for 10-12 minutes. Feel free to pour more marinade on top of the pork chops to add more flavor in the final outcome.

Hungry For Healthier Food Options?

If you want even healthier food, check out our 3 Quick & Easy Recipes To Stay Healthy. For folks who are interested in a meat-free diet, you might want to read up on our 5 Easy Vegan Recipes To Try At Home! 

However, cooking becomes difficult if you don’t have the right ingredients on hand. From main courses to desserts, all-purpose cream is part and parcel of many flavorful dishes. Interested to know more? Here are some Easy Nestle All Purpose Cream Recipes To Try! Make sure to also check out these best coffee makers to complete your collection of small kitchen appliances. 

This article was first published by Shopee Singapore.