Parchment paper is an excellent alternative to foil. You can even buy Perforated Parchment Paper Sheets that fit right in your air fryer basket and toss away for quick and simple clean-up.
Parchment paper, while not as easy to cut and mold as aluminum foil, is your best bet when air-frying these foods, since it's not a reactive material. It's also less likely to stick to food the way foil can. Otherwise, foil is a fine option to use in the air fryer.
Parchment paper can handle the heat inside your air fryer - up to 428°F (220°C). To get the best results, add the parchment paper to the air fryer basket at the same time as you add your ingredients. This prevents the paper from lifting up and coming into contact with the heating element while cooking.
An air fryer is simply a small oven that runs on convection heat. The heat is circulated around a tight space by a powerful fan that lies just below or behind the heating element. Just as in a standard oven, it is perfectly safe to use aluminum foil in the air fryer.
Laurence says she always chooses parchment paper over aluminum foil in the air fryer. Parchment paper is more versatile because it is non-reactive, whereas aluminum foil is reactive. "Whatever food you're putting on that aluminum foil is going to react with aluminum," Laurence says.
Like most people, if you also hate cleaning your air fryer after cooking, then air fryer liners are what you need. This air fryer accessory is mainly designed to protect the air fryer basket from crumbs & greasy build-ups. Liners are a fantastic way to do cleaning after cooking easier.
It is safe to use parchment paper in the air fryer, just as it is in the oven. The same precautions should be taken. As an added safety check, never leave the air fryer unattended when using parchment paper in the basket and make sure the paper doesn't touch the heating element.
Similar to tin foil, parchment paper–or wax paper–are also perfectly safe to use in your air fryer. In fact, Dennis explained that “similar to tin foil, parchment paper can also be a great way of locking in flavor.” However, it too should also be kept out of the direct heat of the air fryer.
Wax paper is nonstick, but unlike parchment paper, it is NOT heat-resistant. At high heat, the wax will melt and the paper can catch fire. So never use wax paper in the air fryer or oven- it's a fire hazard.
Bottom Line
The great news about air fryers is that you can use foil along with parchment paper to cook your food in an air fryer. Just remember that if it's safe and effective to use in a conventional oven, it will work just fine in an air fryer.
Only put a layer of foil in the bottom of the air fryer basket where your food sits, not on the bottom of the air fryer itself. Air fryers work by circulating hot air, which originates at the bottom of the fryer. Lining it with foil can constrict the air flow and your food won't cook properly.
Depending upon the sturdiness of the glass dish, you can decide whether Glass Pyrex can be used in an air fryer. If the dish is oven-safe, made of borosilicate or tempered glass, it can work in an air fryer. However, if the dish is made of soda-lime glass, it can't withstand high temperatures in an air fryer.
Can I put a plate in an air fryer? Yes, you can put plates in an air fryer. However, it's important to take certain precautions to ensure a safe and successful cooking experience. First, make sure your plate is oven-safe and suitable for use at high temperatures.
The short answer is yes. While we all know that putting foil in a microwave is a no-no (and if you don't know, the flying sparks will remind you), air fryers don't work the same way. They use hot air instead of actual microwaves to create heat, so putting foil in an air fryer doesn't cause the same alarming spark show.
Yes you can put anything in an air fryer that you put in an oven. I used a tin pie dish in my fryer. It was fine. A foil dish is fine to use.
Putting paper towels in an air fryer is not recommended as it can potentially cause a fire hazard. Additionally, the paper towel may not allow proper air circulation within the fryer, resulting in uneven cooking. Using the tray or basket with the air fryer is better for optimal cooking results.
Anything Breaded or Battered
“Air fryers are magical ovens that can cook just about anything. However, it's best to leave anything wet-breaded to other small kitchen appliances that are more suited to the unique cooking needs [of breaded foods],” Klein explains.
Cut a sheet of parchment to roughly the size of your air fryer basket, fold the paper, then punch holes. Lay it down inside the air fryer basket and, presto, you have a liner.
Yes! “You can use either rolled parchment paper or parchment paper that is made specifically for air fryers, with holes.
Depending on the dish and method, what you replace foil with would change, explains Brown. For oven use, replace foil with parchment paper. For food prep, wax paper is non-stick and can be an alternative to foil.
Larry Ciufo, the CR test engineer who oversees air fryer testing, warns that while you can use parchment paper inside an air fryer, it's not recommended for regular use there. “It has the potential to block 99 percent of the fryer's airflow,” Ciufo says.
Don't use the paper during pre-heat
Speaking of which, only add the paper to the air fryer, once it can be weighted down by a suitably hefty piece of food. If you use parchment paper during the pre-heat, or indeed not sufficiently weighted down – it's liable to fly up into the heating element and burn.
If your parchment paper burned in the air fryer, it could be because the temperature was too high or the cooking time was too long. Additionally, overcrowding an air fryer basket can cause the parchment paper to burn.
helps prevent food sticking
Not the end of the world by any means, but is affects the appearance of the food. Air fryer liners also help to prevent food from burning which is especially beneficial when cooking food in a marinade.
An air fryer liner is a pre-cut paper that sits in the bottom of the air fryer to absorb grease and trap crumbs. Tiny pre-cut holes allow hot air to circulate and crisp up food—something you won't get if you cut your own parchment paper into circles.