Vegetarian Air Fryer Recipes For Quick, Healthy Meals

Air fryers are a great way to cook vegetarian food, offering the flavours of deep-fried cooking without the mess and health implications of using lots of oil. You can cook anything from fritters and falafel to tandoori tofu and hasselback tofu in an air fryer, as well as simply preparing vegetables as a side dish.

Air fryer French fries

Ingredients:

• 2-3 medium-sized russet potatoes
• Olive oil
• Salt
• Pepper
• Optional seasonings: Fresh herbs, chili powder, chipotle powder, onion powder, garlic powder, or Italian seasoning.

Method:

Preheat your air fryer to 375-380°F (190-200°C).

Prep:

Slice the potatoes into fries of similar size, about 1/4-inch thick. You can use a mandoline or a sharp knife for this step. Leaving the skin on helps the potatoes crisp up nicely, so no need to peel them!

Soak:

Place the cut potatoes in a bowl of cold water for about an hour. This helps remove excess starch, ensuring crispier fries.

Season:

After soaking, pat the potatoes dry with a paper towel. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and toss to coat evenly. You can also add other seasonings of your choice.

Air Fry:

Place the potatoes in the air fryer basket in a single layer, leaving a little space between each fry. This ensures that the hot air comes into contact with all sides of the potatoes, making them golden brown and crisp. Air fry at 380°F for 12-15 minutes, flipping halfway through. You may need to work in batches to avoid overcrowding.

Toss and Serve:

Once all batches are cooked, toss them all together in the air fryer for 1-2 minutes to warm up and crisp. Serve with your choice of seasonings and dips. Enjoy!

Tips:

• Work in batches to ensure even cooking and crispiness.
• Taste a fry from each batch to ensure it is cooked to your preference before moving on to the next batch.
• For extra crispiness, continue cooking in small batches for a few more minutes.
• If you want to reheat your fries, do so at 425°F in the oven or air fryer for about 5 minutes, or until they reach your desired texture and temperature.

Serving Suggestions:

These air fryer French fries make a great snack or appetizer on their own. You can also pair them with various dips and sauces, such as ketchup, mustard, mayo, chipotle sauce, chimichurri, or vegan cheese. They also go well as a side dish with Portobello mushroom burgers, crispy cauliflower Po' Boy sandwiches, or BBQ jackfruit sandwiches.

Air fryer roast potatoes

Ingredients:

• Potatoes – Yukon Golds, red potatoes, and russet potatoes are best for roasting, but any type of potato can be used.
• Oil – extra virgin olive oil is recommended, but other oils such as rapeseed, avocado, or sunflower oil can also be used.
• Seasonings – smoked paprika, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper are all popular choices. You can also experiment with different seasonings like fajita seasoning, shawarma seasoning, or stone house seasoning.

Method:

• Cut the potatoes into uniform, bite-sized pieces. If using baby potatoes, cut them in half. For larger potatoes, cut them into 1-inch pieces.
• Place the potatoes in a large bowl and toss them with the oil and desired seasonings. Make sure the potatoes are well coated.
• If using a shallow tray insert in your air fryer, place it into the basket. This will help the potatoes cook more evenly and result in crispier potatoes.
• Add the potatoes to the air fryer basket or tray.
• Cook the potatoes at a temperature between 380°F and 400°F for 10 minutes.
• Flip or toss the potatoes and cook for an additional 8-10 minutes, or until they are tender and crispy.
• Garnish with fresh herbs like parsley or cilantro and serve hot.

Tips:

• It is not necessary to preheat the air fryer, but doing so for 5 minutes will result in crispier potatoes.
• If using starchy potatoes, soak them in cold water for 10-15 minutes before roasting to remove excess starch. Make sure to pat the potatoes dry before adding them to the air fryer.
• Use tongs or a turner to flip the potatoes, as shaking the basket may cause them to break.
• For extra crunch, add an additional drizzle of oil before the final cooking stage.

Air fryer tofu

Ingredients:

• Extra-firm tofu (not silken tofu)
• Garlic powder
• Onion powder
• Paprika
• Ground black pepper
• Sea salt
• Cornstarch
• Light soy sauce or liquid aminos
• Sesame oil or any oil of your choice

Method:

• Press and cube the tofu.
• Place the tofu in a medium-sized bowl and add liquid aminos, tossing to coat.
• Add in the rest of the seasoning ingredients and toss to combine.
• Place the tofu in the air fryer in a single row, leaving a little space around each piece.
• Set the air fryer to 400°F and cook for 10 minutes, shaking the basket after 5 minutes.
• Remove the tofu from the air fryer and allow it to cool for a few minutes before serving.

Tips:

• If you have a smaller air fryer, you may need to cook the tofu in two batches to avoid overcrowding.
• You can experiment with different seasonings like Italian seasoning, dried parsley, oregano, and dried basil.
• Pressing the tofu before cooking will help remove excess water and make it crispier, but this step is optional.

Air fryer halloumi

Ingredients

• Halloumi
• Olive oil

Method

• Preheat the air fryer to 360-400 degrees F (180 degrees C).
• Slice the halloumi into 6 equal slices, or to your desired thickness. You can also cut the halloumi into strips, cubes, wedges, or fries.
• Dry the halloumi slices with a paper towel and brush both sides with olive oil.
• Lightly spray the air fryer basket with cooking spray. Place the halloumi slices in the basket, ensuring they don't touch. You may need to cook in batches.
• Air fry for 7 to 10 minutes, depending on how golden you want the exterior. Keep an eye on it to avoid overcooking, as it can turn rubbery.
• Serve immediately.

Tips

• Halloumi is quite salty, so you may not want to eat a whole block in one sitting.
• You can cut the halloumi into different shapes, but check on it earlier if the pieces are smaller.
• Halloumi fries can be served with dips.
• It also works well in a sandwich or wrap with avocado and tomato, in a salad, or as a topping for scrambled eggs or avocado toast.

Air fryer sweetcorn fritters

Air fryers are a great way to cook vegetarian food, and there are plenty of options to choose from. You can make everything from starters and snacks to full meals. Here's a detailed recipe for Air Fryer Sweetcorn Fritters, a delicious and easy option for lunch, a starter, or a side.

Ingredients:

• All-purpose flour
• Breadcrumbs (plain or panko)
• Corn kernels (fresh, canned, or frozen)
• Shredded cheddar cheese
• Eggs
• Sour cream
• Baking powder
• Garlic powder
• Smoked paprika
• Parsley
• Spring onions
• Milk
• Salt and pepper

Method:

• Combine the dry ingredients (flour, breadcrumbs, baking powder, garlic powder, paprika, and a pinch of salt and pepper) in a large bowl.
• Gradually whisk in the milk and eggs until you have a smooth, thick batter.
• Mix in the spring onions, parsley, and corn kernels.
• Take a spoonful of the mixture (about the size of a golf ball) and flatten it into a patty. You should be able to make 10-12 fritters.
• Place a layer of baking parchment in the air fryer basket.
• Heat the air fryer to 200°C.
• Cook the fritters in batches of 4 for 12-15 minutes, turning them over after 8 minutes, until they are golden and cooked through.
• Serve immediately with your choice of dipping sauce.

Tips:

• If using frozen corn, you can mix it in directly. If using canned corn, make sure it is well-drained. Fresh corn will have the most flavour, but it's important to drain off any liquid and pat it dry.
• The batter should be thick but if it seems too dry, add a little milk or water. If it's too wet, add a bit more flour.
• Try to make the fritters a similar size so they cook evenly.
• Preheat your air fryer and cook in batches to ensure even cooking and a crispy exterior.
• Flip the fritters halfway through cooking to ensure even browning.
• These fritters are best served fresh, but you can reheat them in the air fryer if needed.

Other Air Fryer Vegetarian Options:

If you're looking for more vegetarian options to make in your air fryer, here are some ideas:

• Roasted vegetables like cauliflower, squash, potatoes, Brussels sprouts, or green beans
• Crispy tofu
• Halloumi
• Chickpeas
• Vegetable nuggets
• Falafel
• French fries
• Bread pizza
• Kale chips
• Tofu tikka
• Roasted peanuts

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