It’s 2021, air fryers are still trending, and so is the burning question of: “What all can I cook in an air fryer?”
We all know air fryers are known for their low-oil cooking and speedy convenience, great for crisp chips and reheating croissants, but what about vegetables? Well, to let you in on a little secret, you can air fry virtually any vegetable with relatively no stress. Cooking your vegetables in the air fryer gives the same result as roasting, just with a slightly crispier “crust” in much less time!
So, first things first, you’re going to want to stock up on some of your favourite McCain products – Broccoli Florets, Cauliflower Florets, Diced Beetroot, Brussels Sprouts, Pumpkin Chunks, Sweet Potato and Diced Carrots all work beautifully in the air fryer, and the best part is you don’t have to slave over vegetable prep beforehand and you get nutrient-rich vegetables on the table every time.
The next step is to differentiate between tender and firm vegetables. Tender vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, bell pepper, tomatoes and asparagus generally cook more quickly. Meanwhile, firm vegetables such as carrots, beets, potato, butternut, pumpkin and sweet potato generally take longer to cook.
To cook vegetables in an air fryer, make sure the veggies are prepped to size, drizzle with some oil, and season with salt, pepper and your favourite spices or herbs. Then set your air fryer to 190°C and add the prepped vegetables to the air fryer in as flat of a layer as possible. Tender vegetables will cook in about 10–15 minutes, while firm vegetables will take about 20–25 minutes. The cooking times may vary depending on the size of each prepped vegetable, so keep an eye on them while they air fry and make sure to give the air fryer pan a shake once or twice during cooking to promote even cooking.
You can air fry your McCain vegetables from frozen – just must make sure the air fryer isn’t overcrowded and space your veggies to make sure they come out golden, crisp and delicious. You’ll have perfectly cooked, crisp and deliciously healthy veggies ready to go.