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What Kind of Oil to Use in an Air Fryer?

The air fryer is celebrated for its ability to fry foods using minimal to no oil. Yet, a majority of users opt to add oil when cooking with an air fryer. The reason behind this choice is that oil contributes to achieving a desirable crispy texture and enhances the overall flavor of the food. So, the question arises: which oil should you use in your air fryer? Thankfully, there’s a variety of oils suitable for air frying.

In this article, we will let you know about some of the best oils that you can use while cooking in the appliance. We will also discuss the right procedure of using the oil to get the best outcome. Keep reading the article to solve all your confusion about using oil while cooking in the air fryer.

What are the Best Oils to Use in An Air Fryer?

Well, the best oil to use while cooking in the air fryer will vary depending on what you are cooking. To be more specific, some oils work well while cooking food in the low temperature while the others are good for the higher temperature. The good news is there are a lot of options out there for you. You need to choose an oil that has a higher smoke point.

But what’s the smoke point? The smoke point is the temperature where the oil begins burning and smoking while losing the health values and natural flavors. Below, we will discuss some of the oils that have a good smoke point and are suitable for air fryers.

Avocado Oil

Avocado oil is considered one of the best options to use while cooking in the air fryer. That’s because of its highest smoke point. The oil’s smoke point is above 500 degrees, enabling you to utilize it for any air fryer recipe. As the max temperature of the most air fryers is 400 degrees F, there is no chance of burning. Although the oil may be a little grassy and include an avocado flavor, it is mostly neutral and ignorable.

Extra Light Olive Oil

The next best oil in terms of the smoke point after the Avocado oil is the extra light olive oil. It arrives with 470 F which is a bit less than the avocado oil. But that is adequate for the air fryer as most of the air fryers arrive with a 400 F temperature limit. One of the impressive things about the extra light olive oil is more neutral in taste and flavor. That means food cooked with oil will be more flavorful and tastier.

Soybean Oil

After these two oils, soybean oil has the highest smoke point which is something around 460 F. In case you don’t know, this oil is very popular around the globe because of the price and tasteless. It allows you to get the best taste from the food. Although the oil is not that healthy, using a small amount of the oil will help you to get the best taste of the food.

Coconut Oil

Coconut oil arrives with a unique composition which makes it different than the other oils on the list. It has a smoke point around 450 F which is adequate for the air fryers. The good news is it is one of the healthiest oils out there coming right out of the coconut. Moreover, it is also neutral in nature, allowing you to preserve the taste of the food.

Peanut Oil

A lot of people prefer Peanut Oil for frying things. The smoke point of the oil is similar to the coconut oil 450 F and suitable for the air fryers. Note that there is a different quality of peanut oil available out there at various prices. Based on the variation you are purchasing, there can be a little nutty flavor in the oil although it sometimes makes your food taste better.

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Well, extra virgin olive oil is very popular for use on the skin. You will be very glad to know that you can also utilize it for cooking things in the air fryer. We have mentioned another oil with almost the same name, but they are different. The smoking point of the extra virgin olive oil is 375 F, which is a bit less than the highest temp of the air fryers. We only recommend this oil for food that can be cooked in low heat.

Other Oils

The above are the best oils for cooking in the air fryer. Apart from these, you can consider vegetable oil which is vastly available everywhere. Its smoke point is 400 F and is suitable for air fryers. You can also consider ghee (clarified butter), usual butter, corn oil, palm oil, sesame oil, grapeseed oil, pure olive oil, canola oil, etc.

How to use Oil in the Air Fryer?

Typically, you need to lightly coat the food you are cooking with the oil. At first, add the food to a bowl. Then use a spray bottle to spray the oil on the ingredients. You may also use a brush or your hand for rubbing the oil in the air fryer. While cooking the vegetable, you can pour the oil directly on them and then shake the bowl to coat the oil.

Note that not all the dishes in the air fryer require using oil. Such as while cooking meat dishes, it is not necessary to use oil. The fat in the meat can do the work of the cook. However, you can still add a little amount of the oil to bring the taste. You also don’t need to add oil while cooking the frozen packaged foods. They are already cooked and include oils in the curst.

Conclusion

One of the main selling points of the air fryer is they don’t require much oil to cook. Compared to the traditional methods, food cooked in the air fryers come out healthier and has low calories. However, people still tend to use the oil for the taste and texture. We hope the above information will solve your confusion on which oil to use while cooking in the air fryer.


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