Air fryers have made frying foods healthier—you can fry without using as much oil, and the texture of the food rivals that of traditionally fried foods. While they're often touted as oil-free appliances, air fried food does often taste better if a little oil is used.
We're going to talk about the best oil for air fryer success, as well as some creative ways to use oil in an air fryer.
Read on; you won't want to miss out!
Jump to:
- Why Do You Need to Use Oil in Your Air Fryer Basket?
- Some of the Most Popular Oils to Use for Air Frying
- What About Pam and Other Nonstick Cooking Spray?
- Why Smoke Point Matters
- The Best Way to Use Oil in an Air Fryer
- Flavor Infusion With Different Oils
- Making Healthy Choices
- Caring for Your Air Fryer When Using Oil
- Tailoring Oil Choices to Your Preferences
Why Do You Need to Use Oil in Your Air Fryer Basket?
To understand why you might want to use oil in an air fryer basket, it's helpful to know how an air fryer works and what oil can do.
How Air Fryers Work
An air fryer, much like a convection oven, uses circulated hot air to cook food. It's this hot air, propelled by a fan, that crisps up the outside of foods like chicken, frozen French fries, and various other foods.
If you wanted to cook your ingredients with no oil at all, that would work and it would be perfectly fine.
Why Oil Can Help
Oil in an air fryer, however, can serve a few different purposes.
First, it enhances that crispy texture.
To get scientific, you're looking for the Maillard reaction. This is when the proteins and sugars caramelize to produce taste and texture. Oil enhances this reaction, leading to a crisper, more delicious texture, and a better aroma.
Oil in the air fryer basket also promotes more even cooking, since it acts as a heat conductor to evenly distribute the heat across the food's surfaces.
A little oil also helps to prevent dryness. Air frying foods with lower moisture content can lead to dryness, and oil can combat that.
Finally, oil carries flavors, making for an additional layer of deliciousness. If you can boost the complexity of a dish by just adding some oil, that's reason enough!
Some of the Most Popular Oils to Use for Air Frying
Now that you're convinced you might like a little spritz of oil added to your air fryer, let's talk about the best types to use.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Pompeian Smooth Extra Virgin Olive Oil on Amazon
Extra virgin olive oil is a staple, and you probably already use it frequently. It has a distinct taste and a deep aroma.
This type of olive oil has a moderate smoke point of around 410ºF, so you can use it in an air fryer as long as you don't turn it up too high.
It lends its flavor to the dish you're using it in, so it will add some interest to your meal. Olive oil is also heart-healthy, making it a healthful choice for your air fryer.
Extra Light Olive Oil
Bertolli Extra Light Olive Oil on Amazon
Extra light olive oil has a higher smoke point and also a milder taste.
The smoke point can be as high as about 470ºF, and since the oil is more refined than extra virgin oil, it will have a neutral flavor profile.
Extra light olive oil is a good option if you're cooking at a slightly higher temperature and if you don't want the flavor of the oil to compete with the flavors in the food.
Canola Oil
Bertolli Extra Light Olive Oil on Amazon
Canola oil has a fairly high smoke point of 400 to 450ºF. It also doesn't add much flavor to the foods you use it with, making it ideal for air frying.
If you use canola oil in an air fryer basket, you can expect to have nicely browned food with a crunchy outer texture.
Avocado Oil
Bertolli Extra Light Olive Oil on Amazon
One of the best oils to use in an air fryer is avocado oil. It has a high smoke point of over 500ºF, so you won't need to worry about smoking at the temperatures you're likely to use in an air fryer basket.
The flavor is mild and is sometimes described as buttery or nutty. Avocado oil has heart health benefits and can help you maintain healthy cholesterol levels.
Peanut Oil
365 by Whole Foods Market Roasted Peanut Oil on Amazon
Peanut oil is another of the high smoke point oils and is able to tolerate temperatures of up to about 450 degrees, which is about the maximum temperature you'd use in most air fryers.
It has a mild, nutty flavor and it's commonly used for Asian dishes like spring rolls and tempura. You can also use peanut oil for air fried chicken.
One thing to be mindful of is that if someone is allergic to peanuts, they shouldn't be eating foods cooked with peanut oil.
Coconut Oil
Carrington Farms Liquid Coconut Cooking Oil on Amazon
Coconut oil is popular due to not only its unique flavor but also its health benefits. Unrefined coconut oil in particular does have a low smoke point of only about 350 degrees Fahrenheit, so it's important to keep that in mind and to choose air fryer recipes that call for a lower cooking temperature.
If you're planning to make a dessert in your air fryer, you might consider using coconut oil because the flavor is sweet.
What About Pam and Other Nonstick Cooking Spray?
While Pam cooking spray is a convenient option, it's not the best oil for the air fryer basket. The additives and propellants in the sprayer can leave residue on the basket, which can actually degrade the nonstick coating over time.
Rather than relying on a nonstick cooking spray, use one of the recommended oils in an oil sprayer or mister if you want that ease of application.
Why Smoke Point Matters
The smoke point of an oil is the temperature at which it begins to produce smoke. If you were to use an oil with a low smoke point, such as flaxseed oil, in your air fryer basket, it would lead to smoking, unpleasant odors, and a not-quite-right flavor.
The same goes for matching your oil with the temperature you plan to cook at. For most air fryer recipes, you'll be setting your air fryer to 400 degrees or lower, making most of the above oils (other than coconut oil) suitable.
Always choose an oil with a smoke point above the temperature you're using to cook.
The Best Way to Use Oil in an Air Fryer
Unlike when you deep fry foods, you aren't going to be using a lot of oil in your air fryer; there's no need for it, and there's really nowhere to put it. Instead, think of the oil as a seasoning, if that helps.
Using oil sprayers will be a convenient way of applying the oil. You can simply spritz the food with an oil mister, sprayer, or even a kitchen brush. Then, go ahead and add your spices right over the oil. Not only will you get the benefits of the oil in the fryer, but you'll also enjoy the flavor the oil adds.
You can also toss or mix your food items with a small amount of oil. Just mix them in a bowl with the oil and whatever seasonings you're using to make sure everything is distributed evenly.
Finally, you can spritz the air fryer basket with your oil. Use an oil sprayer or mister to ensure it's a very light coating, as you don't want enough oil to drip through the basket or to have the food sitting in.
Remember, if you don't know how much oil to add to your fryer, it's best to err on the side of not adding enough. You can always add more later.
Flavor Infusion With Different Oils
The oil you choose to use in your air fryer will add some flavor. For example, olive oil and avocado oil both impart specific flavors. So does sesame oil, which is a good choice for Asian dishes.
Vegetable oil like canola oil tends to have a milder, neutral flavor. You might also try grapeseed oil or sunflower oil, both of which have high smoke points and mild flavors.
If you're looking for a stronger flavor, consider infusing your oil. You can add herbs, spices, or citrus zest to the oil when decanting it into the oil sprayer. Then, you'll be adding these extra flavors to your dish for a more complex flavor profile.
Making Healthy Choices
Air frying is a healthier option than traditional frying, but choosing this method for cooking and even choosing the best oils for air frying isn't enough to ensure the healthiest choices.
First, try to pick oils that are rich in unsaturated fats, like extra virgin olive oil, avocado oil, and canola oil. Remember that you need less oil when air frying food, so stick to the adage, "a little goes a long way."
Next, think about what you're cooking. If you are routinely making desserts, chicken wings, and frozen foods, your cooking won't be as healthy as if you are choosing vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grains.
Oil will add some good flavor to your dishes; you can certainly add the seasonings you prefer, but try to stick to salt-free or low-salt versions.
People can always add more salt at the table, so keep it to a minimal to moderate amount while you're cooking.
Sticking to whole foods and avoiding heavily processed foods will help you stay healthy as you use your air fryer.
Caring for Your Air Fryer When Using Oil
After cooking in your air fryer, it's important to clean it. After each use, pull out the air fryer basket and tray and wash them as directed. These are sometimes dishwasher-safe; read your owner's manual.
Also, use a damp cloth to wipe out the interior. Even a small amount of oil on air fried foods can splatter and create residue with the high heat and the fan blowing the air around. You don't want that building up on the heating element.
If your air fryer has a nonstick coating, be careful when cleaning it. Don't use anything abrasive; just clean it with a soapy dishcloth.
Tailoring Oil Choices to Your Preferences
You now have a list of the best oils to use, and it's up to you to choose what's best for your particular recipes.
Avoid the low smoke point oils and choose those with a high smoke point, like refined olive oil, refined coconut oil, grape seed oil, sunflower oil, vegetable oil, avocado oil, and canola oil.
The oil that tastes best and that's the right smoke point for your recipe is the best oil for air fryer use.
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