Air fryers have made healthy eating more accessible, convenient and delicious. Through less preparation time and a variety of preset cooking settings, air fryer recipes involve minimal manual cooking, yet maximum flavour – giving you more time to eat, relax and enjoy the things you love.
What’s made air fryers such a healthy choice is that they enable you to fry with air (rather than oil), which is a big benefit for those looking to reduce their calorie intake. This doesn’t mean that all air fryer recipes are oil-free, of course – or that cooking with oil is always unhealthy. It’s just handy to have the option!
There are so many other benefits of using an air fryer, too. They’re versatile, time-efficient, and make it easier to eat healthily. Below, explore our top 10 healthy air fryer meals, and learn more about their health content and flavours.
Top 10 air fryer recipes
Read on for our 10 healthiest air fryer recipes – fresh from the Ninja Kitchen.
1. Salmon fillets
Try our quick-cook salmon fillets – crispy and air-fried on the outside, juicy and tender on the inside.
Salmon is an excellent healthy air fryer choice. Not only does it provide a source of protein, omega-3 and a range of vitamins, it’s also speedy to cook – and will only take you seven to ten minutes from preparation to plate. Use the air-frying time to make a fresh tomato and cucumber salsa to serve on top.
2. Roast chicken and root vegetables
A staple both during the holidays and all year round, roast chicken and root veg is a warming, healthy dish for any home cook.
This classic recipe is also a great way to get in a mix of quality protein and vegetables (be sure to leave the skin on for extra nutrients), although it will require an air fryer with two large drawers, such as the Ninja Foodi Max XXXL Dual Zone. With this air fryer, you can set different cooking settings for each – allowing you to check on your vegetables without interrupting the cooking of the chicken.
3. Roasted salmon with parmesan asparagus
Simple yet fancy, roasted salmon with parmesan asparagus is a family favourite.
Both salmon and asparagus help your body in several ways, keeping the calories low and nutrients high. This recipe requires minimal prep, too, taking just 20 minutes from start to finish. If you want to be extra healthy, leave out the parmesan – it’s delicious either way.
4. Sweet and sour tofu with stir fry vegetables
Healthy air fryer meals don’t have to skimp on taste, and this crispy sweet and sour tofu recipe – served with crunchy, colourful vegetables – is proof.
Tofu is a complete protein, containing all your essential amino acids and a range of other vitamins. This is another recipe that works best with a dual air fryer, like the Ninja FlexDrawer Air with 6.6L MegaZone. By setting your tofu to air fry in one drawer and your vegetables to roast in the other, you’ll be done cooking in as little as 25 minutes.
5. Crispy potato and butter bean salad
If you want a fresh, exciting and nutritious new meal to try, look no further than our crispy potato and butter bean salad.
This air fryer recipe contrasts the creaminess of air fried butter beans with the flakiness of roasted potatoes in a healthy mix of flavours and textures. Butter beans are beneficial for your heart health and brain functioning, while roasted potatoes are a valuable source of minerals and fibre. Use less oil to reduce calories.
6. Roasted BBQ Chicken
Our tender BBQ chicken air fryer recipe is delicious to have on its own or as an addition to a wrap, salad or rice bowl. We recommend using the Ninja Air Fryer 4.7L Pro for this recipe. Choose the air roast function. Set the temperature to 170°, then set your timer for 30 minutes. After that, simply wait for a perfectly cooked chicken.
Cooking chicken in an air fryer is a healthier choice than your typical oven roast or bake. This is because you can go oil-free (or only use a small amount of oil), and you’re still going to get that delicious golden skin on the outside. When brushing your air-fried chicken with BBQ sauce, choose a brand that’s low on refined sugar.
7. Coconut-lime cod and cauliflower rice
When it comes to healthy air fryer meals, creamy coconut-lime cod and cauliflower rice is a must-try combination.
By using cauliflower rice, this recipe keeps your carb intake low. Cod is a quality low-fat protein source, cauliflower brings the fibre and antioxidants, while the cashew and coriander garnish help boost immunity.
8. Stuffed mushrooms with vegetables
Stuffed mushrooms with vegetables are always a crowd pleaser – especially if you’re cooking for vegetarians.
Stuffing vegetables is a great way to make low-calorie air fryer recipes that are full of vitamins and minerals. Plus, portobello mushrooms are fantastic for gut health – and, by topping with a little cheese, you’ll get some extra calcium and protein as well.
9. Boneless barbecue pork chops with squash and green beans
If you’re cooking for meat-eaters, it’s hard to look past our juicy boneless barbecue pork chops with squash and green beans.
To conveniently cook multiple pork chops and large vegetables like squash, we recommend using a large air fryer – like our Ninja DoubleStack XXXL 9.5L 2 Drawer Air. This air fryer has specific preset settings for different types of meat. For this recipe, place your porkchops in one drawer, select air fry and then choose pork. Then place your vegetables in the second drawer and select sync.
10. Lemon cajun-spiced salmon with asparagus and mushroom
On the off chance you’re still wondering “are air fryers healthy?”, settle the debate with our lemon cajun-spiced salmon with asparagus and mushroom recipe.
This recipe is proof that healthy food can also be tasty food. Pairing salmon with asparagus and mushroom, this healthy air fryer meal pulls out all the stops – maximising protein, vitamins and minerals, while cutting back on the carbs.
We hope our variety of healthy air fryer meals have helped broaden your culinary horizons. Next, fire up the grill with our top nine grilling recipes for every occasion.
