Air fryers have gained a ton of traction in the past few years and it is hard to miss the delicious recipes all over Pinterest (mozzarella sticks galore!). I was gifted an air fryer this Christmas and then made my New Year’s resolution to eat healthier. This may sound like a predicament, but if you’re in the same boat, these recipes are for you. Here are 5 healthy and vegan air fryer recipes to use your new appliance and stay fit.
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Healthy Zucchini Fries
Thanks to Best Recipe Box for this recipe!
Ingredients
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1 1/2 lbs. (680 g) zucchini, cut lengthwise into wedges (about 3 medium zucchini)
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1/2 cup (50 g) vegan Parmesan
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1 teaspoon (5 ml) dried herbs – thyme, oregano, basil, rosemary, etc
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1/2 teaspoon (2.5 ml) smoked paprika
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1/2 teaspoon (2.5 ml) garlic powder
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Kosher salt, to taste
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black pepper, to taste (freshly ground if possible)
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2 tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil
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3 tablespoons (45 ml) chopped fresh parsley leaves
Directions
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Preheat oven to 400° F. Line baking sheet with parchment or aluminum foil. Spray with non-stick cooking spray.
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In a bowl, combine Parmesan, dried herbs, smoked paprika and garlic powder salt and pepper, to taste.
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Toss the zucchini with olive oil and roll in parmesan/herb mixture to coat all sides. Place zucchini onto prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle with extra parmesan/herb mixture if needed.
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Bake until crisp, about 15 minutes. Then broil for 2-3 minutes, or until golden brown.
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Garnish with parsley. Serve warm.
Air Fryer Sweet Potato Chips
Thanks to Vegan In The Freezer for this recipe!
Ingredients
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1 ½ cups sweet potatoes – 2 medium sweet potatoes
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1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
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2 tablespoons organic brown sugar, light or dark can be used
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2 teaspoons chili powder – Emeril’s Southwest Essence is excellent too.
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1 teaspoon ground cumin
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½ teaspoon salt
Directions
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Thinly slice sweet potatoes.
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Toss in a bowl with the oil so that each sweet potato slice is lightly coated. You can use your hands if you like.
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Mix the brown sugar, chili powder, cumin, and salt in a small bowl.
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If any water has come out of the sweet potatoes while they were sitting then you can drain that off.
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Sprinkle the seasoning mix over the sweet potatoes and toss so that each slice has seasoning on it. They should be lightly coated.
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Lay sweet potatoes in a single layer in the air fryer touching or overlapping a tiny bit. If you have a stirring arm in your air fryer that has to be removed.
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Air fry at 180°C (356°F) for 6 to 9 minutes, depending on how thin your slices are. Keep an eye on them so they don’t burn!
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Shake the basket halfway through or lightly stir to keep them from sticking.
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When done remove chips to a cooling rack and let them cool. They will get crispier as they cool.
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Eat or store in an airtight container.
Air Fryer Lemon Tofu
Thanks to Veggies Save The Day for this recipe!
Ingredients
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1 pound extra-firm tofu drained and pressed, or use super-firm tofu
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1 Tablespoon tamari
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1 Tablespoon cornstarch, or arrowroot powder
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1 teaspoon lemon zest
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⅓ cup lemon juice
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½ cup water
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2 Tablespoon organic sugar
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2 teaspoons cornstarch, or arrowroot powder
Directions
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Cut the tofu into cubes.
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Place the tofu cubes in a quart-size plastic storage bag. Add the tamari and seal the bag. Shake the bag until all the tofu is coated with the tamari.
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Add the tablespoon of cornstarch to the bag. Shake again until the tofu is coated. Set the tofu aside to marinate for at least 15 minutes.
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Meanwhile, add all the sauce ingredients to a small bowl and mix with a spoon. Set aside.
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Place the tofu in the air fryer in a single layer. You will probably need to do this in two batches.
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Cook the tofu at 390 degrees for 10 minutes, shaking it after 5 minutes.
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After you’re done cooking the batches of tofu, add it all to a skillet over medium-high heat. Give the sauce a stir and pour it over the tofu. Stir the tofu and sauce until the sauce has thickened and the tofu is heated through.
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Serve immediately with rice and steamed vegetables, if desired.
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If you use Meyer lemons instead of the lemons commonly found in the market, you may not need as much sugar. Try adding half the sugar and give the sauce a taste before adding more as needed.
Air Fryer Baked Potatoes
Thanks to Courtney’s Sweets for this recipe!
Ingredients
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3 Idaho or Russet Baking Potatoes
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1-2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
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1 Tablespoon Salt
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1 Tablespoon Garlic
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1 Teaspoon Parsley
Directions
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Wash your potatoes and then create air holes with a fork in the potatoes.
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Sprinkle them with the olive oil & seasonings, then rub the seasoning evenly on the potatoes.
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Once the potatoes are coated place them into the basket for the Air Fryer and place them into the machine.
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Cook your potatoes at 392 degrees for 35-40 minutes or until fork-tender.
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Top with your favorites. We love fresh parsley and vegan sour cream!
Easy and Healthy Air Fryer Eggplant Parmesan
Thanks to Watch What U Eat for this recipe!
Ingredients
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1 large eggplant, mine was around 1.25 lb
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1/2 cup whole wheat bread crumbs
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3 tbsp finely grated vegan parmesan cheese
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salt to taste
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1 tsp Italian seasoning mix
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3 tbsp whole wheat flour
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1 egg (use your favorite vegan egg substitute — we like Just Egg) + 1 tbsp water
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olive oil spray
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1 cup marinara sauce
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1/4 cup grated vegan mozzarella cheese
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fresh parsley or basil to garnish
Directions
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Cut eggplant into roughly 1/2″ slices. Rub some salt on both sides of the slices and leave it for at least 10-15 mins.
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Meanwhile in a small bowl mix egg with water and flour to prepare the batter.
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In a medium shallow plate combine bread crumbs, vegan parmesan, Italian seasoning blend, and some salt. Mix thoroughly.
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Now apply the batter to each eggplant slice evenly. Dip the battered slices in the breadcrumb mix to coat it evenly on all sides.
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Place breaded eggplant slices on a clean and dry flat plate and spray oil on them. See notes section for details.
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Preheat the Air Fryer to 360F. Then put the eggplant slices on the wire mesh and cook for about 8 min.
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Top the air fried slices with about 1 tablespoon of marinara sauce and lightly spread vegan mozzarella cheese on it. Cook the eggplant for another 1-2 min or until the cheese melts.
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Serve warm on the side of your favorite pasta.
What are some of your favorite healthy air fryer recipes? Comment them below!
Looking For More Healthy Recipes? Read These:
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